Cities of Refuge - UBM [David Eells]

In the coming wilderness tribulation, those who fear the Lord will have places of refuge. (Pro.14:26) In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence; And his children shall have a place of refuge. The most important place of refuge is to "abide in the secret place of the Most High" where the psalmist says "He is my refuge" (Ps.91:1,2). This of course is to abide in Christ, the only true refuge. From among these people will be those who inhabit cities of refuge. I wouldn't call these "cities" in modern day terms, for most, if not all of them, will be very primitive. Any more than this in the seven years of famine would invite the beast people to come and join or come and plunder. Some are building their plush homes and prosperous hideaways in their plans to wait out the wilderness. However, I suspect this does not fulfill the type of Israel in the sparse wilderness seeing their needs met by God. Steve and Doris Spanios shared on our broadcast how that an angel took her to a plush refuge where there were homes and everything was green and pretty. She was warned not to go there for it was a place of antichrist. She was then taken to one of the real camps where she saw her shanty of tin and wood thrown together. She was there cooking, washing clothes and taking care of the women and children. She said there were always vegetables in the garden -- enough for them to pick and eat every day since they were replenished constantly. There was a well with a hand pump and it always had water. She was told never to leave the camp and the forest around the camp. However, two men left and returned, probably to preach the gospel and bring others drawn to the refuge. These represent the corporate two witnesses. She said they studied the Bible every day and the leaders were these two men, who gave others responsibilities for teaching, praying and healing. Jesus sent out a corporate body of two witnesses who ordained elders to train the Church. In another vision, a man who appeared to be dressed like Jesus was present, and she and Steve thought He must be representative of the man-child.

We are very close to the beginning of the tribulation. I believe that before the middle of the tribulation when the mark is imposed many will have escaped to places of refuge like this. Some will be there before to prepare and some will find their way there afterwards. Do not be afraid if God does not call you to one of these cities but abide in Christ, the great city of refuge.

A brother I have known for several years and is a part of our larger broadcast fellowship, bought some property in California during this time. Later he told me that he had seen a vision of campers, motor homes, and RVs in the area. Recently he got satellite photos of this property and what he saw shocked him and then us. He saw a man-child with a crown upon his head being birthed out of a mountain. Then he saw a lamb's head. Then I saw a dragon which had the lambs head in its mouth, which makes sense since he devoured Jesus almost 2000 years ago. Others saw a lion, Jesus, a pyramid, which is the timeline of the end-times. Then I went to sleep one night and the Lord spoke to me that the woman who brought forth the man-child was there too and when I got up I saw her. Her picture was in the mountain and she was birthing the man-child. None of this is hard to see once one sees it. I wrote this brother, "The whole story of the end-time is there in the satellite picture which can be seen best when the sun is in an exact position. It does not exist on the ground except as trees and rocks, which reflect the Sun (pun intended) to show "signs in the earth beneath" (Acts 2:19). The land is a city of refuge for the man-child to protect and educate the Woman church of Rev.12 in the wilderness. For the manslayer to take refuge from the avenger of the death. ... The man-child is hidden from the dragon behind his head. ... I believe that this revelation is not to be widely known except to the elect who will be told to go there by the angels before the complete devastation..."

This brother told me, "You couldn't find this place even if I told you. You have to go through gates, cross year-round streams and then know which roads to take. No, if anyone finds this place they will be guided by an angel".

If you would like to help this brother develop this property we will see that he gets your gift. He also is in need of physical help and can be reached at refuge144@att.net.

Angels of God will lead the righteous to these secret cities while leaving apostates to suffer at the hands of the beast system in the hope that those who refuse the mark will repent through losing their old life. Many will need to go into captivity in the concentration camps and underground cities where the sheep will be separated from the goats. (Rev.13:10} If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth... Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Without ten righteous in modern day Sodom, it is doomed with all of its sinners (Gen 18:32). Angels will once again take Lot's spiritual offspring by the hand and lead them out of the perversion and imminent judgment of end-time Sodom saying, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed" (Gen.19:17). To this modern Lots might plead, "[B]ehold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape thither (is it not a little one?), and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar (20,21). Zoar means "little" for there will be comparatively few, even among so-called "Christians" who will "escape" the judgment on this wicked world. (Rom 2:3) And reckonest thou this, o man, who judges them that practice such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? (Heb 2:3) How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? We are exhorted to pray and overcome sin to escape. (Heb 2:3) But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass.

Disciples of Christ who are living the crucified life will escape. One method God will use is to protect a few little cities from the destroyer as Goshen was protected when Egypt was destroyed. Also cities of refuge were provided throughout Israel to protect the manslayer who killed someone "unwittingly". Spiritually this means they did not kill him by their own knowledge or wisdom. (Num 35:11) then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer that killeth any person unwittingly may flee thither. (12) And the cities shall be unto you for refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer die not.... A disciple of Christ is one who by the wit of Christ and not his own is a manslayer by putting to death his old man. The avenger of blood, the wicked beast people, are relatives and friends of the old man. They are both beasts, born of flesh. The avengers of this world hate and seek to put to death those who have put to death self. Satan and his army are coming to avenge the blood of the old man like Pharaoh's army at the Red Sea. Spiritually speaking, if you are caught outside the city of refuge, whether of Christ or a physical city, the avenger of blood may put you to death. (26) But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge, whither he fleeth, (27) and the avenger of blood find him without the border of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood slay the manslayer; he shall not be guilty of blood, (28) because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return into the land of his possession. Notice that after the death of the high priest, who is Christ, has been fully manifested in our life we may go where God wills and be safe for there is no curse upon us. (1Cor.2:2) For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (Phl.3:10) that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death.

The wicked are also manslayers for they have put to death their spiritual man and the people of God. They are guilty and they will die for they did it wittingly by following their own wisdom. They also are outside the city of refuge, Jesus Christ. In this case God himself is the avenger. (Rom.12:19) Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath [of God]: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord. (Ex.11:4) And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: (5) and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die... The first-born is the flesh and the born-again man is the spiritual man.

If you would like to know more from the Word about how the righteous will walk in the wilderness and be encouraged by many exciting testimonies read our book Sovereign God, For Us and Through Us.

Here is the illustrated Man-child desert scene

Man-child desert scene

Here is the original scene

Original scene

Where is the Refuge?
Michael Boldea Jr. - 07/17/2008

Sanctuary: A place of refuge or asylum; the state of being protected or safeguarded from danger or hardship.

Refuge: That to which one turns for help when in desperation; a source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.

For those who have long chosen to dismiss the prophetic with the wave of a hand, and a roll of the eyes, these can be some unnerving and disturbing times. How could one believe the words of impending judgment, of financial collapse, of natural disasters and of unprecedented tensions, when in the physical all they could see was prosperity, smooth sailing and good times ahead?

I believe that for some time now we have entered into the realm of fulfillment when it comes to the prophetic warnings concerning this land we love called America, and those wise among us, with the spiritual foresight to see beyond today, and believe the word of God, are not taken by surprise as one improbable event after another takes place.

Even those of the house of God who have only maintained what they considered to be a relationship with the Father simply because they believed if they faked it well enough, He would bless them abundantly are stunned, speechless, seeing the pieces of the last days puzzle coming together seamlessly as it was foretold in the Word. The writing is on the wall and though many see it as Belshazzar saw it, due to their deeply held doctrine of never seeing hardship or trouble, of being caught away at the first signs of adversity, they are somehow able to justify indifference toward a loving God, and refuse to prepare themselves for what is about to unfold. 'Why should we worry about tomorrow, if we won't be here to see it?' This is the deadpan answer I have received so often when attempting to teach on end time prophecy and on end time events. 'It's all well and good brother, but at best this is an intellectual exercise. We'll all be in heaven, and have a front row seat watching the times of trouble unfold on the earth. It is interesting, you've put allot of thought into this, but in the end quite pointless'.

Times are changing, life is becoming increasingly difficult, prophecy is being fulfilled, and those who refuse to see the truth of the Gospel continue to keep one eye firmly fixed on the heavens, thinking to themselves, 'any minute now, He's got to show up in the clouds any minute now'.

This article is not for such people. Even when one can prove Biblically that we will be here far longer than they had previously thought, they still refuse to believe it, dragging out the old tired line, 'that's the way you choose to interpret it brother, I see it different'. It is not about interpreting the Word, it is about reading and receiving it as is, without allowing our personal feelings or emotions to cloud the truth of Gospel.

Matthew 24:29-31, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then, the sign of the Son of man will appear in the heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other".

In the context of this passage, knowing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of mankind spoke them, I would like to broach the subject of sanctuary, or refuge during these times. As of late I have been asked by a growing number of brothers and sisters, what it is that they should do, and where it is that they should go, knowing the season that approaches. I will begin by saying that there is no easy answer. What may be God's perfect will for me, and what may be my place of safety, may not be thus for my brothers or my father. We must acknowledge the fact that our faith is not collective, and thereby the place of refuge is not a singular geographical location, where all believers will congregate eventually.

For the past decade or so, men have been popping up throughout this land, claiming to know the place of refuge for all of Christendom, that one specific location wherein God's children will be protected and spared. These locations change of course, from one individual to another ranging from Belize, to Chile, to Argentina, to the Ural Mountains, and some easily swayed souls who were not grounded in the Word packed up and moved away without a second thought. If anyone reading this article today is considering packing up and moving out based on another man's advice, please, please reconsider. If God told him to move to Belize, then by all means brother, have a safe flight, and look out for the spiders. The fact that God told one individual does not mean it is a blanket statement for the entire body of Christ. When it comes to something such as this, God will speak to each of His children individually, and yes, some will be told to leave, but most will be told to stay, that they may be a testimony of God's ability to protect even in the eye of the storm.

Our place of sanctuary is not a geographical location. Our place of sanctuary is in the will of God, under the shadow of His wing. If we have not grown and matured in God, if we have not learned to trust Him implicitly in every area of our lives, then it will not matter where we go geographically speaking. When someone leaves a nation out of fear for what is coming, and not due to the fact that God told him or her to do so, they have removed themselves from under the covering of God's protection.

Amos 5:4, "For thus says the Lord of the house of Israel: seek Me and live". Yes, I have been praying and petitioning God to allow me to move back to my homeland because it is the desire of my heart, yet here I will stand until He tells me to go. If He never tells me to go, then here I will be for I know that here is the only place where I will find myself in His perfect will and thereby be spared the judgments that are ready to be poured out upon the ungodly.

Psalm 33:13-21, "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His habitation He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy name".

Oh that we would understand this sacred passage and know where our refuge and our sanctuary truly are. Oh that we would open our eyes to the reality that our strength, our storehouses, our plans and notions of what will keep us safe are worthless. Oh that we would see the truth of God's word and know that those who fear Him, and hope in His mercy will be delivered from death and kept alive in famine.

Dear friend, if God tells you to go, then by all means go. However, if God has not spoken, do not make the mistake of presuming to know the mind of God, do not make the mistake of walking out of His perfect will thinking that you know better than He. If I can encourage you with anything, it is with the reassurance that God is able to protect both you and your family, no matter what may come.

The judgment of God is reserved for the ungodly, just as the plagues were reserved for Egypt. In the midst of Egypt there was a land called Goshen, where the children of Israel happened to be. They had not been told to go anywhere; they were protected exactly where they were. While the plagues of God rained down upon the land of Egypt, Goshen was at peace, for the children of God dwelt there.

'But brother Mike, what about the scripture that tells us to come out of her My people?' My answer to this, is how can you go when you were not sent? It is easier to presume a physical exodus from this land, than search our hearts to see if we have come out of Babylon spiritually. There are countless souls who are still tethered spiritually to the spirit of Babylon, and God in His infinite wisdom is admonishing His people to come out of her, while they may.

Proverbs 14:26-27, "In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to avoid the snares of death".

It is not in South America, it is not in the Congo, it is not in Paraguay that the children of God will have a place of refuge it is in the fear of the Lord. If we are obedient children, He will guide and protect us like a loving Father. If the fear of the Lord is ever present in our hearts, and as such we remove ourselves from the world, and we learn to hate evil, for the fear of the Lord is to hate evil, then we have strong confidence, for the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, and causes us to avoid the snares of death.

No, the judgment that is about to descend, not only upon this nation but upon the world is not intended for the children of God, for just as Israel was spared in Goshen, so too will we have a refuge, a safe haven, and a sanctuary in God. The persecution that will follow however, well that is an article for another time.

Printer-friendly version