Select some
towns to be your cities of refuge (Numbers 35:11).
These closing
chapters of Numbers deal with boundaries to define tribal allotments,
boundaries to protect land from osmosing from one tribe to another, and
boundaries to protect innocent people accused of murder.
People who think Old
Testament laws are harsh must not realize the lengths to which these statutes
go in protecting the accused. Customs often demanded the death penalty for
injuring someone or even simple theft. Biblical laws affirmed the concept that
the punishment must fit the crime. An eye for an eye was not cruel; it was a
limit placed on punishment to protect the defendant.
Another example of
these limits is that a person could not be executed on the witness of only one
person. The biblical laws stated that testimony in a capital case must be
corroborated at the very least by a second witness.
Likewise, cities of
refuge were set up to protect people who had accidentally killed someone. Even
though the death may have been accidental, vigilantes would sometimes hunt down
the offender and avenge the wounded. The defendant might be executed before
getting the chance to tell his side of the story.
Harsh? Maybe not as
harsh as some would believe.
Considering Jesus’ admonishment to have compassion on the
prisoner (Mt. 25:34-40), should we be surprised that same compassion would be extended to defendants prior
to conviction?
TODAY’S MEDITATION
Is anyone fearing for his
life – or maybe his dignity – while awaiting your verdict?
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