o hush their infants asleep
by singing, "_God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble._" My young friends, "_as one whom his mother comforteth_," so
is God willing to "_comfort you_;" and here is His word of comfort:
"_The Lord is good, a STRONGHOLD in the day of trouble; and he knoweth
them that trust in him._"[45] In the old Cities of Refuge no weapons of
any kind were allowed to be made. Those who possessed them had to
surrender them. This is true in a nobler and better sense regarding the
Gospel Stronghold. There can be no deadly weapons forged there. Their
edge is blunted: "_There is now no condemnation to them that are in
Christ Jesus._"[46] Satan's armoury has been plundered; the "Stronger
than he" has "_taken from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and
divided the spoil_."[47]

I have said that the word BEZER means "_Rock_" as well as "stronghold."
"_Trust in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting
strength_," or, (marginal reading,) "THE ROCK OF AGES."[48] May you not
well say, with your eye on this glorious "Refuge"--

"Dear NAME, the ROCK on which I build,
My shield and _hiding-place_;
My never-failing treasury, fill'd
With boundless stores of grace!"

"ROCK of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!"

[Illustration: Ramoth]

Fifth City--Ramoth.

RAMOTH was situated in Gilead, within the tribe of Gad, and somewhere
near the banks of the brook Jabbok, where, you know, Jacob wrestled in
prayer with the angel. It must have occupied a commanding position among
the beautifully-wooded glens of Gilead, and, like Bezer, been strongly
fortified. We infer this latter from the many sieges it had undergone.
Being not only, like the other, a border town of Palestine, but situated
in the direct route taken by the invading Syrian armies, it must have
been constantly exposed to hostile attacks.

You can think of Ramoth, then, among the hills and slopes on the other
side of the Jordan, with their forests of native oak, which the famous
"_bulls_ of Bashan" (herds of wild cattle) roamed at large; while more
peaceful flocks browsed on the meadows which fringed the
mountain-streams.

What does the name RAMOTH tell us regarding Christ?

_Ramoth_ literally means EXALTATION. Jesus is the true _Ramoth_; He is
"_exalted_ to be a Prince and a Saviour!" He was once lowly, despised,
rejected, crucified, slain. He compares Himself to a poor outca