Our Refuge
Scripture Reading: Psalm 117; Jeremiah 49; Hebrews 6
We who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.
- Hebrews 6:18-19
The book of Hebrews, as its name suggests, draws deeply from the Old Testament. It connects the people, feasts, and worship of the Old Covenant to their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Some of these connections are clearly stated; others are only hinted at—and it’s only by knowing the Old Testament that we see the richness of the New. This text is one of those places.
The word refuge would have stirred vivid memories for Jewish readers. We might think of refuge in a general sense—as a place of safety. But to them, it recalled the cities of refuge described in the law: places where someone guilty of manslaughter could flee and find protection from those seeking vengeance. As long as they remained within the city, they were safe.
So it is with Christ. He is our city of refuge from the wrath that justly pursues us. In Him we are safe. In Him our souls find rest and protection. He is our sure and steadfast anchor—the refuge that will never be shaken.
