THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (7)/ YOU SHALL NOT MURDER  

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘The Ten Commandments’. Her main scriptures were taken from the book Exodus 20:1-26; Gen 4:1-15

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – INTRODUCTION

The Ten Commandments are ten laws that God Himself gave to the ancient nation of Israel thru His servant Moses. These Biblical principles apply to men’s relationship with God and with one another. If all people on earth keep at least one of these commandments, the world will be a better place. These Commandments were spoken directly by God at Mount Sinai and written by God’s finger on tablets of stone and given to Moses. This act makes them unique in the Bible. These Ten Laws are commands and not suggestions. They are personal, spoken to individuals.

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT – YOU SHALL NOT MURDER

The sixth commandment is short. It is a negative command! It says: “Thou shalt not kill” (Exo 20:13, KJ). The word ‘to kill’ is not the best translation. It truly means ‘to murder’. In Hebrew, the word ‘murder’ is ‘ratsach’. It appears 47 times in the Old Testament. In almost every instance, the word carries the sense of premeditated murder, willful angry aggression to kill, in connection with blood vengeance.

It says: “You shall not commit murder (unjustified, deliberate homicide)” (Exo 20:13; AMP). God’s sixth command tells us to appreciate God as the author of life. God is love! We must not destroy life. Each man has the right to live. Do not cross the boundaries of that right. No matter what anyone has done to us, we are not to hate another human being and wish him dead. We are commanded not to avenge ourselves and kill another. We should respect life! This law does not prohibit the slaughter of animals or fish for food. But it prohibits the torture of men and animals for wicked pleasure.

“Question: What is God’s will for you in the sixth commandment? Answer: I am not to belittle, hate, insult, 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. Question: Does this commandment refer only to murder? Answer: By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness. In God’s sight all such are disguised forms of murder” (Heidelberg Catechism)

MURDER IN THE WESTERN LAW

In the Western Law murder is a crime, and it is defined as the unlawful killing of a reasonable person with malice aforethought. Murder is classified as manslaughter, first degree, and second degree. The act of murder is carried out with a weapon, a vehicle, poison, or bare hand. Like all criminal acts, the conduct must be undertaken voluntarily. Murder is done with malice aforethought. Malice does not always mean the defendant personally hates the victim. Malice is apparent in three criminal homicide situations: the defendant intends to kill the victim, he intends to cause serious bodily injury to the victim, or the defendant has a depraved heart and does not care if the victim lives or dies. For example, a young man decides to kill someone just to know how it feels like. He drives his car over an old woman and kills her. He does not hate the old woman, but he desires her dead. Another example, a young man wants to date a young woman. She refuses. He attacks her and she becomes unconscious. He carries her to a field outside the town and leaves her there. He is happy saying that this will teach her a lesson. The woman dies of exposure. This is murder done with ‘a depraved heart’ because he does not care if the woman lives of dies.

Manslaughter is the crime of killing a person when the killer did not intend to do it or cannot be responsible for his or her actions, It is the crime of killing someone unintentionally or without having planned to do it. Second degree murder generally includes murders committed with malicious intent but not with premeditation. First-degree murder is the most serious of all. The aggressor planned in his mind for some time on how to kill the victim. The murder is premeditated. A first-degree type of murder is to kill a police officer thru torture and wickedness or killing more than one person. We see that not all murders are equally serious as crimes. Some murderers deserve more punishment than others.

The safest countries in the world are the Nordic countries of Europe: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland. The most dangerous countries in the world are Brazil, South Africa, and Nigeria. Venezuela has the highest crime rate in the world. Nigeria is on the 16^th place. Why is Nigeria crime rate so high? Education in Nigeria has been so much degraded that most youths view it as a waste of money, time, and resources. Due to incessant strikes and other hindrances in the high institutions, majority of the students have embraced cybercrimes, internet fraud (Yahoo boys) and kidnapping. Nationwide, most of the offence cases are related to stealing, cheating, fraud, and false pretenses. Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria and in the whole of Africa. The area called Agege has the highest crime rate in Lagos. The safest city is Abuja.

SUICIDE  

The sixth command is also against suicide. Suicide is killing yourself intentionally. God’s Law is against a man who decides that he does not deserve to live and kills (or tries to kill) himself. Suicide is murder of self. Before God, we have no right to do that. South Korea has the highest rate of suicide in the world. Greece has the lowest. Almost one million people commit suicide in the world each year. It is the 10^th leading cause of death worldwide. More men than women commit suicide, especially during their birthdays. Many gamblers commit suicide. Las Vegas is the suicide capital of gamblers in the world. Why do people commit suicide? Loneliness and debt. These are some risk factors: mental disorders (depression, schizophrenia), alcoholism, or drug addictions. Impulse suicide can happen when under financial stress, breakup of relationships, harassment or bullying. If a man tried to commit suicide and failed, he is at a higher risk to try again.

Suicide and attempted suicide, while previously illegal, are no longer so in most Western countries. About 60% of people who commit suicide hide their plans. They want to do it alone and they do not ask for medical help. Watching violent movies influences young people in committing suicide. For every suicide that results in death there are between 10 and 40 attempted suicides. This is the percentage of deaths by suicide: Africa 0.5%, Asia 1.9%, Americas 1.2%, and Europe 1.4%. These past years suicide bombings have been used as a terrorist tactic.

Nigeria’s rate of suicide is 9,50 % out of 100,000 people. This is one of the highest rates in Africa. The major cause is depression. Suicide or attempted suicide is a crime in Nigeria punishable by one year imprisonment. The Nigerian government has banned Sniper, an insecticide commonly used for suicides. Suicide is often seen as a major tragedy for families and viewed negatively almost everywhere around the world.

Any form of negligence to your body or soul, has a suicide spirit behind it. Take care of yourself! Pray against fear and depression!

In Roman Catholic doctrine, suicide is considered to be unforgivable sin, murder, violating the commandment “Thou shalt not kill”. Historically the church would not hold a burial service for a member that died by suicide. They believe that a man who committed suicide went to hell. The truth is that in the Bible there is no place that says that someone who committed suicide will go to hell. A true man of God, Job, wished he had never been born (Job 3:1, 11; 10:18, 19). Prophet Elijah asked God to let him die (1Kg 19:4). Jonah did his best to die (Jonah 1:12; 4:8, 9). Yes, Judas committed suicide, and he went to hell, but it was because he did not believe in Jesus, and instead betrayed Him, resulting in His death.

EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia, also called mercy killing, is the act of deliberately ending a person’s life to relieve suffering. It is the act or of painlessly putting to death persons suffering from painful and incurable disease. It is allowing them to die by withholding treatment or withdrawing artificial life-support measures. Because there is no specific provision for it in most legal systems, it is usually regarded as either suicide (if performed by the patient himself) or murder (if performed by another). The first countries to legalize euthanasia were the Netherlands in 2001 and Belgium in 2002. In 1997 Oregon became the first state in the United States to decriminalize physician-assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is the act of deliberately assisting another person to kill himself. If a relative of a person with a terminal illness obtained strong sedatives, knowing the person intended to use them to kill themselves, the relative may be considered to be assisting suicide. Both euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal under English law and regarded as either manslaughter or murder. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

The Christian view is that euthanasia is sin. Death is an enemy. “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:26). Life is a sacred gift from God. “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen 2:7). God told Israel to “choose life”! “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (Deut 30:19, 20). Euthanasia rejects the gift and takes the curse!

ABORTIONS

Abortion is the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability (in human beings, is about the 20th week of gestation). An abortion may occur spontaneously, in which case it is also called a miscarriage, or it may be brought on purposefully, in which case it is often called an induced abortion. Induced abortions may be performed for following reasons: to preserve the life of the mother, her physical or mental well-being; to avoid a pregnancy resulted from rape or incest; to prevent the birth of a child with serious deformity, mental deficiency, or genetic abnormality; or to prevent a birth for social or economic reasons (such as the extreme youth of the pregnant female or very poor family). Abortions are done by aspiration, dilation and curettage, injection of saline injection in the uterus to start contractions, hormonal injections etc. They all have side effects. The bigger the pregnancy, the greater the danger for the mother. These are some emotional side effects experienced by women who did abortions: depression, worrying about not being able to conceive again, inferiority complex, guilt, nightmares, and regret.

In the Bible, abortion is a sin of shedding innocent blood. God hates that! Both the mother and the father are guilty, and they need to repent. “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil…” (PV 6:16-18). “Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom a desolate wilderness, Because of violence against the people of Judah, For they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall abide forever, And Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will acquit them of the guilt of bloodshed, whom I had not acquitted; For the Lord dwells in Zion” (Joel 3:19-21). Unconfessed sin of abortion is punished by God with ‘desolation’ (loneliness, depression). There is mercy with God!

WARS

War is a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between nations. There are no real victors in a war. Many people die on both sides of the conflict. World War I (1914–1918) resulted in about 20 million deaths. The number of victims of World War II (1939–1945) is estimated to be about 80 million people. Since the end of the second World War, there have been 140 wars on planted earth. Many survive the wars but are wounded. The psychological effects, too, have an impact on the everyday lives of the survivors. They experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, fear, and anxiety, affecting civilians and soldiers alike. Another consequence of war is the transformation of national citizens into refugees. There are about 15 million refugees worldwide. Three-quarters live in developing countries. The war has taken away their home and their livelihoods, often long-term. Hunger, malnutrition, and diseases directly threaten the refugees and their children. War is always a bad choice. No one should view war as exciting and wonderful. War must always be a sad moment in the life of a nation. Norman Schwartzkopf, general of the Desert Storm allied forces against Iraq, said, “I would never want to serve under a general who enjoyed war.” A general who hates war is a wise and safe leader. For example, no man who loves to play with guns and love to shoot, should become a police officer. He must be a man of restrain. Remember, to kill another human being is sin against God!

DEATH PENALTY

Death penalty also called capital punishment, is the execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense. It has been widely employed since ancient times. It was usually prescribed for murder, rape, or treason (betray your country). The methods for death penalty during those ancient times were terrible: the condemned person was put in a bag with a dog and a viper and thrown into the sea; others were forced to fight unto death for the entertainment of people; crucifixion, cutting the man into half while still alive, boiling the man in hot oil, using the guillotine, decapitation, hanging or stoning to death. Sometimes the judge was merciful and exchanged the death penalty with banishment or compensation. In modern times the prison officers kill those condemned to death by lethal injection, electrocution, or hanging. Most countries have banned executions in public or shown on live TV. China executes about 1,000 people annually. Some countries like Belarus, Congo, Iran, Jordan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Yemen, execute criminals regularly.

People are divided about the issue of death penalty. Some are pro and some and contra. Those who approve of the death penalty quote the Word of God: “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man” (Gen 9:6). The Christians usually reject the death penalty. They believe that God alone should kill. For example, King David committed adultery with Uriah’s wife and killed him. He prayed for mercy: “Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness” (Ps 51:14). This is what God says: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay” (Deut 32:35). “Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand” (Deut 32:39). Selah!

CAIN AND ABEL (Gen 4:1-15)

The story of these two brothers shows how fast sin started to manifest. Cain means ‘acquired’. Abel means ‘vapor’, showing how short life is on the earth. Cain is the first murderer. Abel is the first victim who was murdered on the earth. Cain was a farmer. Abel was a shepherd. Both brothers were religious and wanted to bring an offering to God. That is a good desire. But their hearts and motives were different. Cain brought to God an offering from the fruit of the ground. It signifies that he wanted to have a relationship with God thru the work of his hands, and not by faith. The ground has been cursed by God. Therefore, the offering was not acceptable to God. But Abel bought his offering by faith and with all his heart. It was from his firstborn animals and their fat. It was a blood sacrifice, acceptable to God. I am sure that Adam and Eve have told their sons that after they sinned, the fig leaves they used to cover their nakedness were not acceptable to God, that God killed a lamb and used its bloody skin to cover them. Abel believed that God wants the sacrifice of an animal. That points to the Cross of Christ. By faith, he offered the right sacrifice. God received Abel’s sacrifice, but not Cain’s. Cain is jealous on Abel and angry with God. God rebukes Cain. He tells him that his heart is not right and that he should repent before making the sacrifice. Cain refuses to repent and kills his brother. He buries him in the ground but Abel’s blood cries to God for vengeance. God judges Cain. He tells him that from now on, the earth will not produce a harvest as before. As a murderer, Cain will be a restless fugitive and vagabond on the earth. God places a mark upon Cain. No man will kill him. He will live his days to the end. The mark God placed in Cain is a sign of hope and mercy.

Abel is the first man of faith and the first man who pleased God thru his life and death. He is the first symbol of Christ. “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks” (Heb 11:4). Abel’s innocent blood cries for vengeance. Christ’s holy Blood speaks mercy. We come to “to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel” (Heb 12:24). Mercy is greater than vengeance. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (Jam 2:13). Justice and mercy confront one another in the court room. God is the Judge. The criminal stands condemned. Justice must be done. The Judge must condemn him to death. Suddenly, Mercy stands and pleads for life. And Mercy wins at last. At the Cross, Jesus fulfilled the justice of God. He died on behalf of sinners. He paid for their sins with His Blood. But the Cross is also a revelation of God’s mercy. The throne of Jesus is a throne of mercy and grace. The throne speaks of mercy. The Judge listens. He grants forgiveness and life to the sinner saved by Grace. This is the Gospel of Christ!

Jesus said: “Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Lk 6:35-36). God is Love and God is merciful. As God’s children, we must be the same! Selah!

THE OLD AND THE NEW MAN (Eph 4:17-32)

Lying and uncontrolled anger are the two main sins of the natural man. These sins are able to cause much pain, confusion, and division in a family or a church. The natural man is born and lives in sin. His mind is ignorant, foolish, and his heart (conscience) is spiritually blind. He is ‘past feeling’ (Eph 4:19). The word in Greek is ‘being apathetic’. To be apathetic means that you don’t care about anything. It is emotional boredom, insensitivity, and a lack of enthusiasm. Nothing around you stirs your interest. Boredom, ‘I don’t care’ attitude, is sin! The unbelievers lack any sense of shame when they commit sin. They are without conscience, without fear of God or regard for man, without any perception of the dignity of human nature, the glory of the Divine image in man, or the degradation of sin. This is a picture of the moral destruction caused by sin. Unbelievers are addicted to uncleanness and greediness. They worship self and mammon. They have no interest in serving God. Selah!

Anger is the main cause of murder! Be angry and do not sin! This is God’s command! Anger is a strong feeling you experience when you think that somebody frustrates you or has done you wrong. Anger makes you want to hurt somebody. When angry you scream, or you may become violent. In Greek, the word ‘anger’ means to be provoked, to become exasperated (impatient). The unbelievers try to suppress anger. But they fail. Suppressed anger becomes worse with time and explodes into violent behavior and even crime. Anger is a natural emotion. You can’t suppress anger, but you can control it. Nobody ‘makes you angry’! You make yourself angry! You can control it!

The command is to be angry in a good way and not to be angry in a sinful way. How do we do that? First, we must be angry at sin. To witness sin and not be angry at it, that is sin in itself. The unbelievers are ‘past feeling’. Because their conscience is damaged, their hearts are hardened, they don’t care when they witness sinful things. That is why we are commanded to show the emotion of anger when we witness sin. But we must be careful: be angry at sin and at the devil. Be angry when God’s name is insulted. But do not be angry when your name is insulted.

Do not be angry at people, at the sinners themselves. To be angry at individuals is sin! Do not sin when you are angry. There is a good anger and a sinful anger. Any anger that is above normal anger is called wrath. Any manifestation of wrath is sin. Any anger that cannot be controlled, that is sinful anger. Also, any anger that lasts for too long is a sinful anger. That is why we are commanded that the sun should not go down on your wrath. All angry feelings must be settled in prayer and repentance before evening. Unresolved anger leads to hatred, bitterness, and murder.

Practically, what should we do about angry feelings? Never become moody, bad tempered. Do not be oversensitive, or easily provoked by people. Pray for grace to love people more. Love is not easily provoked (1 Cor 13:5). Never lose your temper during a quarrel to the point that you feel ready to explode. Uncontrolled anger opens the door for the devil to attack your mind. Once the devil enters, a stronghold of bitterness is built. A strong desire to avenge yourself becomes your obsession. That leads to depression, confusion, wickedness, and inability to think straight. You need to repent and also pray for deliverance. This anger is the road to murder. The earlier you repent of it, and change your thinking, the better. Put off the old man of sin and put on the new man in Christ. May the Cross work in your life!

God’s anger is not an emotion. Because God is holy, He hates sin! The greatest manifestation was seen on the Cross, when God killed His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us. Remember, that God is merciful. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Ps 103:8). As a Man Jesus was angry with the religious rulers, with the hypocrites, and those who rejected His Gospel. He overturned the tables in the temple because the people only cared about making money and did not care for God.   

JESUS’ SERMON ABOUT ANGER – CHRIST FULFILLS THE LAW

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” (Matt 5:17-26).

These words are taken from the Sermon of the Mount preached by our Lord. He addresses some of the Ten Commandments. Six times He says: “you have heard that it was said to those of old… But I say to you…” Jesus does not compare The Ten Commandments with His teaching. He contrasts the Ten Commandments with the wrong interpretation of the Law by the Pharisees. He exposes them as religious hypocrites and reveals the true meaning of the Law. Remember that Jesus came to ‘fulfill the Law’. It means that He alone has obeyed the God’s completely. Only a child of God can obey the Law by the power of the Holy Spirit, having a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were guilty of reducing the power of the Law. For example, the Ten Commandments simply says: “You shall not murder”. But the Pharisees added ‘and whoever murders will be in danger of judgment’. These words are from another scripture “Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. Moreover, you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death” (Nu 35:30, 31). By adding these words, they reduced the power of the Commandment. They say that a man must physically kill someone before he can be called a murderer. They say that the commandment is connected with the Law court. It is the human judges that declare if a man is a murder or not. Most people have not killed another man and they do not feel convicted by the sixth commandment. But Jesus said the commandment ‘you shall murder’ is from God and not from man. God alone judges if we obey it or not. The Pharisees only care about man’s judgment. They don’t care about God’s judgment at all. By this, they have reduced the authority of God and His Law. They put themselves in place of God. That is sin!

Jesus says that a man can kill another in his heart, thru his thoughts and words. Murder dwells in the heart. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45). It is not enough to read the Law. You must obey the Spirit of the Law. Jesus always looks at the motive of actions. He connects causeless anger in the heart against another with murder. To be angry, to hate another, to desire another to die, to be bitter towards another, wickedness, and unforgiveness, all these emotions are classified as murder. Anger can be expressed through wicked words of insult. To call somebody ‘Raca’ or ‘you, fool’ is criminal. Speaking wickedly against another destroys his reputation, faith, shakes his confidence and peace of mind. Jesus says that insults are crimes. Killing does not only refer to the body but also to the soul and spirit.

Some say, why does Jesus prohibit us from insulting other men when He called the Pharisees ‘blind guides and fools’ (Matt 23:16, 17). Jesus is the Judge of all the earth. He came to bring salvation, but the Pharisees rejected Him and His grace. As the Messiah He has the right to send all unbelievers to hell. He alone can call them fools! But we should not insult people because we are not God! We must hate sin. We must have compassion on the sinner. Never hate people!!! Love people! “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 Jn 3:14, 15). Anger betrays a fool. “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Ecc 7:9).

The sixth command is not only negative. It is not enough to say, ‘I don’t hate my enemy’. You are supposed to humble yourself and do all you can to make peace and reconcile with him. If you lack the desire to reconcile with your enemy, you cannot worship God. Pray for the grace to love your enemy! The Holy Spirit will convict you of the sin of not wanting peace. When you go to church and you want to worship, you will not have peace. God x-rays your heart as you want to worship Him. “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 Jn 3:18-22). “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear” (Ps 66:18). If you have not tried to make peace with your enemy, God will not answer your prayer. Jesus says you must leave your gift at the altar and go back to make peace with your enemy. Jesus says that God can wait!!! Selah! “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (PV 16:7). Trying to make peace with your enemy will clear your conscience before God. Then God will receive your sacrifice of praise and answer your prayers. This is amazing!

God’s command not to murder, takes away from you the right for personal vengeance. You cannot apply ‘jungle justice’. You cannot take the law into your hands. Only the state can seek justice on your behalf. You have no right to decide who lives and who dies. Never forget, like glory belongs to God, vengeance belongs to God. Pray to God. Trust God to vindicate you. God’s sixth command comes so that you show restrain in all your actions. Be patient, calm, and wise especially under provocation. Do not associate or marry angry people. “Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go” (PV 22:24)

The Bible makes it hard for someone to kill another. For example, only one witness is not enough to kill a suspected criminal man. “Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness” (Deut 17:6). If the leaders in a community do not agree concerning a suspected murderer, they should take the case to the priests at a place God chooses. This will give more time to cool off tempers so that men will not kill another by mistake (Deut 17:8-13). The idea of appeal comes from the ancient Mosaic Law. The Law ‘an eye for an eye’ (Lev 24:19-21) was not given to punish excessively. It was to show restrain in the judgment. If a man blinded another of one eye, the attacker should not be killed. That will be excessive punishment. The restraint is to prevent over-punishment. He will only lose one eye. God told His people to build some cities called cities of refuge. If a man killed another, he could run and hide there. The leaders over there will judge the case (Deut 19:1-13). If the man killed another unintentionally, he will be free. If the man committed premeditated murder, he must be sentenced to death. This procedure was necessary so that men will not kill in anger.

God’s command reminds us that life is sacred. Think of it! Life is a gift from God. We should appreciate it. Whether you are poor or rich, you are valued by God. God loves not only your souls, but even your bodies. Love God and Love your neighbor! Love is the fulfillment of the Law. “Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law” (Rom 13:10). The only hope in a tragedy is to introduce the element of Love. This is the Gospel. God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for sinners. Forgiveness and reconciliation with your enemy is an urgent matter. “Agree with your adversary quickly” (Matt 5:25). Remember, God is waiting for you! Humble yourself! Repent before God and man. Make peace! Make restitution as you are led by the Holy Spirit. To the glory of God and for your own good! Our Lord understood how this command spreads in many directions. He shows us how a strategy of hope, reconciliation and love that can work in the midst of tragedy. There is pain in the sixth commandment; it admits that we can harm each other. Jesus is not satisfied to simply show the limits of that harm, but He warns us. He says that if you’re on your way with an offering, and you discover that your neighbor, brother, or sister, has something against you, then go back and make peace with that one. Reconcile with man! The word ‘to reconcile’ in Greek means “to bring a new element into an ancient crisis.” A new element causes a change in that crisis. It’s a catalyst. That new element is the agape love that Christ died to gives to us. The Lord gives us the strategy of love in the face of tragedy that lies behind the sixth commandment. “A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath” (PV 21:14). “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (PV 15:1). The Gospel of Christ Crucified and resurrected is God’s gift given in secret!

OVERCOME EVIL

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:14-21).

Apostle Paul explains the Sermon of the Mount. He commands that during persecution, you should pray for and bless your enemies. You should not curse them. Paul knows that sin can multiply. It begets more sin. Anger produces more anger. Cursing produces more cursing. It is a vicious circle. He says that you should rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Pray for sensitivity and understanding. You must feel what your enemy feels. Then you will have compassion for him. Peace can be maintained even among people that are different than you. Understanding the pain of others gives you more patience, wisdom, and love towards them. It is only the humble children of God who can love like this. Anger opens the door to the devil. Refusing to be angry when under attack opens the door to God to step in and judge the matter. Let God vindicate you. He is the Judge of all. He never makes mistakes. Paul says that if your enemy is hungry, feed him. This may mean physical food or spiritual food. Your enemy is starving for some little love or encouragement. Give him that hope. You may save his life. You will be surprised at the miracle of change. The fire on his head means that his conscience will worry him to repent. It may also mean that a new hope, a new warmth of fire will come to him. He will change from an enemy into a friend. By doing that, you have won the battle. To the glory of God!

REJECTING GOD’S WORD IS A CRIME/ THE DEVIL IS A LIAR AND A MURDERER

Jesus says: “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God, hears God’s words; therefore, you do not hear, because you are not of God” (Jn 8:37-47)

THE HIRELING IS A CRIMINAL

Jesus says: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.  am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep” (Jn 10:10-15)

LES MISERABLES BY VICTOR HUGO

Victor Hugo wrote a great novel, Les Miserables. The novel opens with a young man named Jean Valjean, who had been unjustly imprisoned for seven years for a small offense (he stole a loaf of bread). He left prison with rage in his soul. He hates all men. He wants to avenge himself. His anger builds and builds. One night he goes into the home of Father Welcome, a bishop. He’s given a meal, and the bishop invites this fugitive to spend the night. While everyone is sleeping, John Valjean sees some silver candlesticks and silver cutlery. He steals the cutlery and goes into the street. The policemen catch him. They recognize the cutlery as belonging to the bishop. They bring Valjean back. When the bishop sees him with the cutlery, he sees something deeper than anyone else sees. He sees hope! The bishop stands for Christ. Surprisingly, he tells the policemen that Jean Valjean didn’t steal the cutlery; he says that he gave it to him. He asks Valjean why he didn’t take the candlesticks, too. Jean Valjean starts trembling. He takes the two candlesticks mechanically, confused. The bishop says: ‘Now, go in peace. And when you return, my friend, it is unnecessary to pass through the garden, for you can always enter, day or night, by the front door, which is only latched.’ Then, turning to the policemen the bishop says, ‘Gentlemen, you can now go’. They did so. Jean Valjean looks pale, as if he were on the point of fainting. The bishop walks to him and says in a low voice, ‘Never forget that you have promised to me to use this money in becoming an honest man.’ Jean Valjean has no recollection of such a promise. He stands silent …. Do you notice what’s happening here? The Bishop’s good word is giving Jean Valjean a new hope, a new motivation power for his life. This is what the gospel does. It brings a new view of life into an ancient cycle. Then the bishop says: ‘Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil but to good. I have bought your soul. … I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition and give it to God’. Jean Valjean is a changed man. He lives as a true Christian to the end of his life. He helps and saves many people. What a story! Worship the Lord!