“THE KILLER COMMANDMENT”
Exodus 20:13
* A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her six year old class and after explaining the commandment to "Honor your father and mother." She said, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat, one little boy said, "Yes. Thou shalt not kill."
This commandment relates to the very life of every member of your family.
It was the 1stsin after the fall.
It was the 1stmentioned after the flood.
Even sinful society recognizes the severity of this sin.
The 6thcommandment is one of the shortest and most direct statements found in the Scriptures.
You would think that this would not be hard to understand, but a misunderstanding and misapplication of this verse has led to all kinds of confusion!
Maybe you are tempted to think that God needlessly wasted one of the Commandments on something that is obvious. Surely, this is one commandment that did not need to be chiseled in stone. Every civilized society in history has condemned the cold-blooded, premeditated taking of an innocence human life.
There is no doubt, if you took a vote, of all the Ten Commandments, this would be the most popular.
Yet, this commandment may be the most misunderstood, misused, and misapplied of all the Ten Commandments.
What did God mean when He instructed His people not to kill?
I. THEREQUIREMENTOF THIS COMMANDMENT
All murder is killing, but all killing is NOTmurder.
Mt 19:18“Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder”
We have snow, blizzards, fluff, flurries, sleet, hail and freezing rain. Eskimo’s have over 100 names for snow. All mean snow, but do not mean the same thing.
In Hebrew there are 9 words that mean to cause the death of another-they do not all mean the same thing.
We have same-homicide, manslaughter, accidental death, murder 1 and 2 etc.
"The unlawful and malicious or premeditated killing of one human being by another."Webster’s Dictionary. That is what murder is. Now, what are the various ways it can be committed?
A. MURDER DOES NOT INCLUDE:
1. Capital punishment
Gen 9:6 “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”
LEV 24:17"And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death."
NUM 35:16"And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death."
The government was given the exercise and responsibility for capital punishment.
The reason given was simple. Deuteronomy 13:11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you. It is a deterrent.
It cannot bring back the life of the murdered, but it secures society and brings justice to the grieving.
2. ACTS OF Self-defense
EXO 22:2"If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him."
“I would not harm thee for the world,”siad the Quaker “but hou art standing where I am about to shoot!”
What pacifists do not admit is, that they have the freedom to espouse their illogical talk because brave, aggressive men like General Patton kicked down the tyrants’ doors to maintain the freedom for pacifist doves to fly around cooing “peace, peace;” when they did nothing to produce that peace.
National defense, like self-defense is not wrong—it is right!
One of Christ’s last commands before going to Calvary was to tell the disciples to sell their cloak and purchase a sword! (Luke 22:36) The meaning is, let him procure a sword at any expense, even if he isrequired to sell his clothes for it, intimating that the danger would be very great, and a sword would offer protection from wicked men.
Why did He tell them to purchase a sword? Because shotguns had not been invented yet! A used shotgun will be much more practical than an extra suit. Have you obeyed His command?
If you permit a murder or rape of an innocent child when you could have stopped it, then you are morally responsible for it. Go sell your suit and buy a gun, learn to use it, and be willing to use it when necessary.
3. ACTS OF War
ECCL 3:8"A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
Killings that take place in the exercise of "just war" would not be classified as murder. Throughout the history of the world, nations have had to defend their borders or other weaker nations against aggressive enemies. Even God, at various times, has ordered His people onto the field of battle. Those who kill in "just war" are not murders. However, those who engage in brutality and atrocities are murderers!
4. Accidental Deaths–
Cities of Refuge - Numbers 35:15-16These six cities shall be a refuge, [both] for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he [is] a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.”
- You can't point a gun at someone and say, I didn't mean to kill him.
“And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he [is] a murderer:” - You can't act irresponsibly and say, I didn't mean to kill him.
But if he thrust him of hatred, - Temporary insanity - Crimes of passion are murder – “or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die” - stalking and killing
“Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die:” Even if you didn't mean to do it.
If you were involved in an automobile accident and accidentally killed another human, then you would not be a murderer.
B. MURDER DOES INCLUDE:
1. Physical Murder–
Started when the Devil killed Adam and Eve, Cain killed Abel- Evil is live spelled backward , Devil is lived. Satan is antithetical to everything that spells life.
Murder is more than an act of the flesh, it is an attitude of the heart.
Matthew 5:20-22 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:”
Leonard Holt passed over for promotions walked in and killed 9 people with pistols.
He was a murderer along time before he pulled any triggers.
He’d been a murderer for years.
You may be like the man who once said, "I haven't killed anybody, but I have read a whole lot of obituaries with great joy."
It is possible to murder another human being and not shed an ounce of blood life. Murder can happen in the heart and mind and never find manifestation in reality. However, in the Lord’s eyes, the murderer is just as guilty. Notice,
1 John 3:14,15... “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”
2. Personal Murder – We call this act suicide.
SANE suicide is MORAL not MENTAL and it is a selfish & sinful way to leave this earth.!
Suicide is now the # 2 killer among college students, the # 3 killer among high-school students, and more kids are killed by suicide than by traffic accidents.
Suicide never paid a bill, never righted a wrong, never solved a problem, never healed a hurt, never restored a marriage, never cured a disease and it never glorifies God!
Just as no man has the right to murder another, no man has the right to murder self. When a person resorts to suicide, they are failing to avail themselves of the grace of God.
3. Physician Assisted Murder –what is called Euthanasia or "mercy killing."
4. Pre-natal Murder –
These four words, tells us that every child deserves a birthday!
I am referring to abortion! According to the Bible, life begins at the very moment of conception, Psa. 139:13-16; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41.
Pro-death-not Pro-choice….. Abortion is murder!
II. THE REASON FOR THIS COMMANDMENT
This commandment is the basis of all civilization and social society. It gives dignity and importance to human life. No society can long exist which does not view human life as sacred. For this reason it is the single undergirding command of God. And, the devil hates it.
One American is shot, stabbed, beaten, or strangled to death every minute.
With a murder rate of 10 in every 100,000, your chances of being murdered are far greater than your chances of dying in an airplane or automobile crash.
we hear more and more about the breaking of this command everyday/ Why?
Society is permeated with it/ Big Screen/ TV/ Video Games/
A. MURDER INTRUDES INTO GOD’S TERRITORY
1. God Controls Man’s Entrance Into Life
2. God Controls The Exit Of Man From Life –
The same God that creates our life is the same God that has the right to control our lives. (Job 1:21)
It seems clear that men can do certain things that will shorten their days, Pro. 10:27; Job 15:32-33; Job 22:15-16; Psa. 55:23; Eccl. 7:17.
By the same token, obedience to the Lord will lengthen a man’s days upon the earth, Ex. 20:12; Pro. 10:27; Psa. 91:16.However, these things are also subject to the sovereignty of God.
When we take it upon ourselves to take the life of another, we have placed ourselves in the place of God. We have tried to assume His position and power.
We have tried to step into an area in which we have absolutely no business.
B. MURDER INTERRUPTS A HUMAN LIFE
Because we are created in the image of God,
LIFE IS ______SACRED!GEN 9:6
Some apply the commandment to all life...human or animal.
However, God specifically grants permission to take the life of animals for sacrifice or food.
Man is to eat meat - He must kill to do that. (Acts 10:13) God commanded Peter “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.”God commanded Peter to kill for food. God would not command something contrary to His own Law.
Verse 24of this very chapter gives instruction on the sacrifice of animals to the Lord.
( * Mink protesters with leather shoes!!!)
III. THE RIGHTFUL RESPONSE TO THIS COMMANDMENT
A. We should respect our own life.
B. We should respect the life of others.
C. We should address the attitudes in our heart.
How do we insulate ourselves against breaking this commandment? The solution is simple. All we need do is practice God’s plan for unconditional love.
If there has been a murderous spirit in your heart, that needs to be repented of right now. Whoever you are angry at needs to be forgiven and that anger released. It is far better to suffer some injury than to be guilty of murder, even if it is only hurting you.
Let me say one last thing - the ultimate act of murder is not suicide, homicide, or feticide. The ultimate act of murder is deicide. Deicide is the killing of God.
If you were to take a survey and ask anybody on the street which of any of the Ten Commandments had you never broken this commandment would win in a landslide vote. Yet, I tell you today that if there is one commandment that everyone on this planet has broken, it is this one. Why? We have all been guilty of crucifying Jesus Christ with our sins.
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, that was murdered on a cross by our sins, comes to every one of us who took His life and offers us His life, which is the true life, which leads to eternal life. The message of the cross is the same message as this commandment - Choose Life, because the One who gives you physical life is willing to give you eternal life today.