14.04.2016 Views

I AM

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

I <strong>AM</strong> : M. M. Ninan<br />

Num 35:11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a<br />

person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. Num 35:12 They<br />

will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of<br />

murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly.<br />

Num 35:15 These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens<br />

and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed<br />

another accidentally can flee there.<br />

Num 35:26-28 "'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city<br />

of refuge to which he has fled and the avenger of blood finds him outside<br />

the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of<br />

murder. The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the<br />

high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his<br />

own property.<br />

The door of the city of refuge keeps the avenger away. Jesus is that<br />

door. He is also the High Priest who will never die. As long as we<br />

are within the city ruled by Jesus we are safe.<br />

5.5 DOOR OF THE SHEEPFOLD<br />

The imagery in the door of the sheep is directly taken from the<br />

nomadic life style. Nomads tend their sheep and move from place<br />

to place seeking supplies of water and grass. These sheep do not<br />

have a sheepfold that is permanent. They move into areas infested<br />

by wild animals that prey on the sheep. In the night, the shepherds<br />

make a fold with thorn bush in circle over a yard wide, thorny and<br />

impenetrable even by the wildest and agile of all animals. There<br />

will be a small opening through which the sheep is herded into the<br />

Kraal. This then is the only door through which the sheep may<br />

enter into the sheepfold and into safety. Then the shepherd lights a<br />

pyre of thorn and wood in front of this opening and he will himself<br />

50

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!