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Then Moses set aside three cities east of the Jordan, to which anyone who had killed a person could flee if they had unintentionally killed a neighbor without malice aforethought. They could flee into one of these cities and save their life. The cities were these: Bezer in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites (Deuteronomy 4:41-43).

At first glance, these Mosaic cities of refuge seem rather antiquated and irrelevant to the Christian church. However, upon closer examination there are some lessons that Christians would do well to remember.

Hidden here is a basic principle which lies behind the story of the two brothers in Genesis 4 and is articulated fully in Genesis 9:5-7: \u201cfrom each human being\u2026I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. \u2018Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind\u2019. As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.\u201d

This is God speaking. Human life is precious because we are made in his image and we are blessed to increase upon the earth. Anyone who kills human life denigrates God\u2019s image and stands in the way of his blessing being fulfilled. In killing a person, we set ourselves against God. The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us how seriously God sees murder. It offers this commentary, \u201cI am not to belittle, insult, hate, or kill my neighbor--not by my thoughts, my words, my look, or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds--and I am not to be party to this in others; rather, I am to put away all desire for revenge. I am not to harm or recklessly endanger myself either\u201d (A 105).

Blood revenge was commonplace in the ancient world, even in Israel. It is still practiced today. Historically, the closest male relative of the victim was responsible to kill the slayer. However, accidents happened. But it was possible, even likely, that the family of the deceased person refused to accept that the death happened unintentionally. They would seek vengeance. This had the potential of initiating an escalating cycle of revenge killings. Where would it end? These cities of refuge were places to which the innocent could flee. There, a public determination could be made to validate their claim to innocence.

We live in a so-called civilized society. We don\u2019t endorse practices like this here, do we? Not literal blood. But what about virtual blood? Maybe we ought to update the Catechism to include cautions to behaviour that hides behind the screen. Do not the culture wars that pit conservative against liberal illicit behaviours which the Catechism correlate to murder.

When it comes to what is known as \u2018silence culture,\u2019 would not virtual cities of refuge be a good thing? It seems to me that sometimes people possibly get silenced for things they would like to retrack, or for things that get taken out of context. I fear that our culture is returning to a \u2018blood revenge\u2019 mentality, even if it is only virtual blood. And Christians are not immune.

Israel was to be different from the other nations. The church is also called to be set apart. We are set apart to be followers of the prince of peace, \u201cWhen they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. \u2018He himself bore our sins\u2019 in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; \u2018by his wounds you have been healed\u2019\u201d (1 Peter 2:23-24).

Jesus, the innocent one, offered himself to death, to murder. His death brings an end to the escalating cycle of revenge killings. He opened the possibility of forgiveness as the grand alternative. That is why Paul wrote, \u201cDo not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God\u2019s wrath, for it is written: \u201cIt is mine to avenge; I will repay,\u201d says the Lord\u201d (Romans 12:17-19).

In commenting on the command against murder, the Catechism offers this positive explanation, \u201cBy condemning envy, hatred, and anger God tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to be patient, peace-loving, gentle, merciful, and friendly to them, to protect them from harm as much as we can, and to do good even to our enemies\u201d (A 106).

When someone harms us, let us think first of the cross, where the true innocent one died. Enough blood has been shed. Let us be people of peace, even of virtual peace.