Realization about the Levitical Cities of Refuge

So . . . I was listening to Torah class this morning and I thought about something. He was talking about the cities of refuge.

These cities were apparently places that anyone who had committed a heinous act could run to for protection from those seeking vengeance. These cities had never made sense to me. How was that fair? I mean, we practice diplomatic immunity today for some cases . . . but the cities of refuge seemed like entire cop-outs. Like you could do any terrible sin--breaking Torah--and still be able to wiggle your way out of it just by running to one of these strongholds. However, step one foot out of the city and you were fair game! It seems like such a strange concept.

But then I thought about it. I'm humanizing it! Isn't this the same thing we do today when we think of heaven? We think of heaven as this place where only "good people" can go. We think of sinners being allowed to enter heaven and this disgusts us. Well, that's just too bad, b/c like it or not, heaven will be full of sinners.

Just as these cities were for sinners who realized their sin cost them their lives, we should realize that our sin costs us our lives. Just as these cities were set up as the Levites only given land inheritance, we as priests of God have not this world, but rather His stronghold of salvation for inheritance. Just as sinners could run to these cities for protection, we can run to Christ for protection. However . . . step one foot out of His stronghold, and we are fair game for the Devil and his wicked plans.

Old Testament. New Testament. It's all one book, guys.