Chapter Seven THE VALUE OF LIFE

Chapter Seven

THE VALUE OF LIFE

The Sixth Commandment

“You shall not murder”—Ex. 20:13.

 

An Inbuilt Reluctance

Murder is the one crime that horrifies nearly everyone except the culprit. Yet, committing murder is not something that comes easily to most people. There is a natural reluctance to kill another human being. When thoughts of killing arise, it seems that the unwritten law of “do unto others what you would have them do unto you” grips people's inner beings much more strongly than when it comes to violating other rights, such as cheating, stealing, or bearing false witness against someone. For example, in jurisdictions where it is legal to carry guns, the likelihood of someone snatching a bag from our hands in a shopping mall is greater than the likely-hood of a person with a gun suddenly deciding to shoot us.

 

Warfare                                     

History informs us that men were compelled to go to war and ordered to kill other human beings; yet this was not their desire. In the Second World War, both opposing sides had many men who did not really want to kill other people. However, confronted with the belief that unless they killed the other person first, they themselves would be killed, men shot at each other and asked questions later.

There are stories of horrific crimes committed in war, where people were killed in gas chambers, shot by firing squads, blown up, buried alive, tortured, and starved to death. Those committing the killings and war crimes were often just following orders and did not really want to do what they did. Even though they may have found the act repugnant, the fear that they, too, might be numbered among the victims became the motivator for them to carry out these heinous crimes against their fellow human beings. Whatever the case, the perpetrators would still have to justify their actions somehow when they killed another human being, even in war, and this requires people to sear their consciences as they harden their hearts.

 

The Pacifist Position

Not all people have felt compelled to go to war under the threat of death. There have been those who were genuine pacifists, who protested and were prepared to die rather than take another human life; many have been imprisoned instead. In many countries, pacifists aid the war effort by being employed in support operations as civilians rather than enlisting in the armed forces. Many others join the armed forces with the aim of being paid to acquire skills, but do not expect to go to war or engage in any form of active duty (e.g., riots) where they might actually have to kill someone.

The boxer Muhammad Ali famously refused to be drafted into the armed forces during the Vietnam War, choosing imprisonment over participation in what he saw as an unjust conflict. Yet, paradoxically, he had no reservations about stepping into the ring to inflict calculated harm on opponents, as seen in his 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman and his punishing 1975 bout against Joe Frazier, famously dubbed the “Thrilla in Manila.”  This highlights the complex human relationship with violence—rejecting it in one context while embracing it in another. Ali sanctioned regulated and consensual violence with gloves on fists but vehemently opposed random killings and wholesale slaughter with guns, bazookas, and hand grenades.

 

Cultural Influence On Individuals In Warfare

Some individuals actually look forward to legitimately killing people as a thrill they can experience without retribution, enjoying the idea of being in the armed forces and taking lives. These individuals are often considered to have psychological issues that need to be addressed. Many of them are mercenaries, willing to shoot for a share of the loot.

In many instances, soldiers are programmed by their culture to see the enemy as those who are different from themselves. In such cases, killing an enemy is perceived as distinct from killing another human being. This is evident in Africa, where armies of boys are enlisted to fight. One African refugee recounted how he shot down a helicopter at the age of thirteen with a hand-held surface-to-air missile, which led to his promotion as a commander in the rebel army. Another refugee shared that Idi Amin personally slaughtered his father and raped his mother while using him as a pillow for her head. He was enlisted in the rebel army at just ten years old. These boys grew up harboring hatred for those who killed their families, and they did not perceive killing the enemy as equivalent to killing another human being. The atrocities they witnessed and participated in as children are difficult for a sanitized Western mind to imagine. Yet, God is a witness to all.

The Western academic elite reject the notion of an all-seeing, omnipresent God. They like to believe that they rule, and humanism is king—many claim that they reject God because of the atrocities of warfare. Nevertheless, these haters of the true God are embroiled in a different type of warfare than those in Africa. This warfare is played out in the halls of power and waged in the minds of secularist anti-Christians, whose god—if they are not atheists—is Gaia, the Earth Mother. These people want all Jews and Christians to be stamped out. To foster their aim, they create religious vilification laws for the courts to enforce on people who are merely telling the truth. These haters of the true God declare that the God of the Bible is a mythical tyrant, whose followers must be exterminated or silenced, along with the teachings from the Bible. Merely quoting the Koran at a public Christian rally is sufficient to be declared a vilification of the Islamic faith, as demonstrated (between March 2002 and June 2007) in a much-publicized Australian case involving Sri Lankan-born Pentecostal Pastor Danny Nalliah and his associate, Pakistani-born Daniel Scott, when they faced imprisonment.

Many governments in the West are introducing hate laws. These laws can pose a problem even for reading from the Bible, let alone quoting offensive passages from the Koran that encourage the killing of infidels and refer to Jews as pigs and monkeys..[i]

 

Inconsistencies In The Decalogue

The Decalogue teaches, “You shall not kill.” Many people find this ironic, and even hypocritical, when a few chapters later, God tells the Israelites that they are to kill anyone who is an adulterer, a homosexual, a murderer, or a sorcerer (anyone who practices witchcraft or consults the dead)—even people who devote themselves to God as a ransom are to be put to death (Leviticus 27:29). Besides this, God decreed the death of all who did not live according to His requirements and is on record Himself as having sent plagues and diseases upon people, even killing one individual for having committed the act of masturbation (Genesis 38:9-10) and King Herod for accepting adulation from a crowd (Acts 12:22-23).

Many people like to deride the Bible because, on the one hand, God says that we are not to murder humans, but on the other hand, He seems to kill people for all sorts of reasons. Many find the murderous God of the Old Testament difficult to reconcile with the profile of the Christian God of love. The letter of John tells us:

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them” (1 John 4:7-16).

When we read about the God that Christians talk about as a loving being who desires to bring about the best attributes of life in humans, it is difficult to reconcile such a loving Creator with the One spoken about in the Old Testament. The Israelite God seems to be a bloodthirsty, vengeful, and wrathful ogre that we would not want to know. From a limited human perspective, it is challenging to reconcile the Old Testament view of God with that of the New Testament; however, this is not the case when we understand that God’s love emanates from righteousness.

What needs to be taken into account is that life has many paradoxes. Many things seem contrary to common sense at first but make sense when understood within the scope of the larger picture. We can compare this to the difference between being a spectator at a ball game and being a player. The player does not see what the spectator can see—especially if the spectator has a bird’s-eye view. We are limited in our knowledge of what is happening around us, just like players in a game of sport. As players, we will not see everything that happens on the field. There will also be things that occur for which we will not understand the reasons at the time, even if we understand how to play the game. Understanding how to play the game means learning the rules; there is no difference when it comes to the rules of life. We need to understand God’s rules—and not make up our own—if we are to become victorious in overcoming sin and death.

 

Jainism

Jainism is often considered an offshoot of Hinduism and has been compared to Judaism due to its adherents typically being educated and wealthy. Unlike the religion of the Israelites, Jains eschew bloodshed and death, with some going to extreme lengths to avoid killing any living creature. For instance, Jains are commonly seen sweeping the path before they walk to prevent stepping on ants or other small beings. They value life as precious and believe it should not be destroyed; according to the doctrine of Jiva, even plants are considered living conscious beings. Some Jains wear coverings over their mouths to avoid inhaling microbes and inadvertently killing them. However, the futility of this thinking is evident in their vegetarianism, as they must still kill plant life—viewed by some as a form of conscious living being in the context of panpsychism—to survive. Jainism teaches that all souls are on an evolutionary journey from one ethereal state of being to another, ultimately seeking liberation. Therefore, Jains believe that killing any soul, in any form, will delay this journey.

 

What The Bible Teaches

Jainism is nothing like what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that God is the Creator of the Universe, and He bestowed upon humans the right to exercise their own volition. The original aim was that, as spirit beings placed in biological bodies, humans would choose to be obedient to wise counsel and enjoy life in Paradise. Unfortunately, one of the previously created spirit beings, the archangel Lucifer, who had been given charge to watch over humankind, thought the humans were getting too much attention and became jealous. Lucifer then conspired to cause the humans’ downfall by inveigling them through trickery into breaking faith with God..

 

Eve’s Temptation, Adam’s Rejection

The seed of evil was planted in the mind of Eve, who began to doubt Adam’s instruction concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God told Adam that he could eat of any fruit within the Garden of Eden, except for the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam told Eve, his helper, about this prohibition. Eve decided to give in to the natural tendencies of her biological nature and ate the fruit. Adam saw her eat the fruit and could not believe that Eve had not died. God had told Adam that the day he ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die. Since Eve did not die, Adam ate the forbidden fruit. Had Adam eaten from the tree of life, he would never have died. Instead, contrary to what God had told him, he saw Eve eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and still live. In utter unbelief, Adam did the same. In doing so, Adam rejected the authority of God’s voice to heed the voice of Eve and the archangel Lucifer, who had deceived her by putting doubt in her mind when asking her how she knew God had told them not to eat of the forbidden fruit. The truth is that God had told Adam he was prohibited from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil before Eve had been created (Genesis 2:16-18). Since Eve was not around at the time, she could not be completely sure that Adam was telling her the truth.

Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden—paradise on Earth—as a consequence of their actions. Lucifer, now the Devil, also found himself outside the favor of God because he deceived those who were in his charge, causing them to disregard their Creator. Lucifer committed what can be construed as the first act of murder, or an attempt at murder, since Adam and Eve were not completely cut off from God. It is worth noting that Jesus made a point of stating to the Jews, who were seeking to find a reason to have Him killed, that their father was the Devil, who was a murderer, and they honored him rather than God (John 8:44).

Lucifer became a murderer because of his intent to destroy Adam and Eve’s relationship with our Heavenly Father. While he did not completely succeed, there have been major ramifications for the first parents and their descendants. One of those ramifications is that we are all enveloped by a world permeated by sin and governed by death. Unfortunately, even the good we do is often clothed in self-righteousness, which does not honor our Father in Heaven. However, if we genuinely let our lights shine and perform good works in the power of the Holy Spirit, we honor our Father in Heaven, because people will see them and give Him the glory (Matt 5:14-16; Eph 2:10; Acts 10:38). But if we do evil, we honor the Devil—even if this is done in our ignorance.

 

Angel Rebellion And God’s Mercy

Fortunately, God, in His mercy, overlooks people’s ignorance and has put in place a means by which every human being can be redeemed from having been separated from Him. Nonetheless, Lucifer, the Devil, still has charge over the Earth and the human race, but he has lost his preeminence in Heaven and was cast out from his position as an archangel. Lucifer was also able to lure many other angels to join him in his rebellion against God when they saw that the daughters of men were fair and that there was a possibility of them creating their own race. The Bible implies that the women copulated with the angels and gave birth to offspring who were designated as Nephilim.

There has been much speculation about the Nephilim. However, it is possible that their offspring were giants and very strong physically. It is probable that they had no spirits but were massive ape-like creatures (Neanderthals) that had the ability to imitate but lacked the intellect capable of creating or speaking a human language or exercising reason. Moreover, the possibility exists that these creatures were able to breed with animals to produce hybrid beings. Because God did not put a spirit in these ungodly creatures, these massive beings, unable to reason, resorted to violence. And because there was so much violence on Earth, God decided to destroy all except Noah and his family, for Noah had found favor in His sight.[ii]

 

The First Human Murder

The first recorded murder of a human being happened when Cain killed Abel. This murder also came about in a similar way to how Lucifer decided to bring about the fall of Adam. Cain was born before Abel, just as Lucifer was created before Adam. Abel found favor in the sight of God, and Cain was jealous because he was the firstborn, just as Lucifer became jealous because Adam was the Creator’s latest delight. Cain’s response was to eradicate Abel so that he himself would be preeminent. Lucifer did the same. Cain sought to cut Abel off from life by slaying him. Human blood was shed for the first time when Abel was killed by his brother. God declared that—from that time onwards—a life would be required for a life.

 

Jealousy: Motive For Murder

Jealousy is very much at the heart of people killing other people. Lucifer, consumed with jealousy, tried to kill Adam by causing him to disobey God and cut himself off from the very source of life—the Life-giver Himself; the One in whom alone there is life and immortality; the One who exists. This is the One whom the Hindus and Jains perceive to be the Brahman or All-Soul (the Buddhists view as the not-self) because they have a very different concept of the Lord God, as revealed in the Sacred Scriptures of the Bible—the very Scriptures that have been penned by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The biblical version of Creation contains the purpose of humankind’s existence and the reason for the fall of the first man and woman from their exalted position in the Lord God’s Creation. The Bible also indicates that death came into the world through jealousy, and God has had to use death as a means to show His favor toward the man and woman whom He made in His image. This can be construed as bringing about a balance of justice or a balance of energy; nevertheless, it is the workings of a righteous God who shows mercy and justice and establishes good faith with all His Creation.

It is no real surprise that when the police are investigating a murder, they always look for a jealous motive. Jealousy is the cause of a significant percentage of murders. Revenge is a jealous response because a jealous person will seek revenge to restore any perceived integrity that might have been lost and to preserve faith in a name that is perceived to be honorable. This is why many feuds occur between families and tribes. People are jealous of the perceived honor they have, in the same way that Muslims are known to conduct honor killings of those they believe bring disgrace to their family or community. The same applies to men enlisting for war. The men need to feel personally affected in some way—sufficiently so to become jealous of the perceived integrity of their country being betrayed, dishonored, harmed, or threatened in some respect. This way, killing other people makes sense because the other nations need to understand the extent to which nationals will go to protect their country’s honor by placing their own lives on the line..

 

The Jealousy Of God

God yearns jealously over the spirits that dwell in human beings. This is what the Bible says:

“Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’”? (James 4:5—cf. James 2:26; Hebrews 12:9, 23).

God longs for us to call upon His name. We did not ask to be born, but we can ask to be born again—spiritually. God longs for us to give Him every chance to demonstrate His mercy and grace to us.

Even when we return to God, we still have the right to exercise our own volition. God gives us strength to survive temptations and protects us, but does not override our will. The story of Satan attacking Job with every known disease, but not being allowed to take his life, exemplifies how God protects us while we are going through the trials of temptation. Once Job learned his lesson that God alone is the One who is able to save, he repented of his self-righteousness, and Satan fled. God does not let the god of this world (also known as Satan, Lucifer, and the Devil, etc.) reign when we, who desire a relationship with the Lord of Life, are innocent of the Evil One’s charges because of our ignorance.

While the Devil would attempt to destroy believers, God uses the Evil One’s attempts to harm believers to glorify His name. Once a person becomes a true believer, every prayer offered to God is heard, provided there is no sin in the person’s life. This is why Jesus said that if anyone has anything against us, we should go and reconcile with him or her before bringing our gift before the altar of God. To sin against another believer is the same as cutting him or her off. Sin is a breaking of faith, which equates to lawlessness: a disregard for others.

 

God’s Persistence With A Disobedient People

Because the Israelites persisted in breaking faith with God, at one stage, they were all to be destroyed in the wilderness. Moses interceded on behalf of the people:

 “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for in your might you brought up this people from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people; for you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go in front of them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people all at one time, then the nations who have heard about you will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land he swore to give them that he has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ And now, therefore, let the power of the Lord be great in the way that we promised when we spoke, saying, The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children to the third and the fourth generation.’ Forgive the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now.” Then the Lord said, “I do forgive, just as you have asked; nevertheless—as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who despised me shall see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it” (Numbers 14:13-24 NRSV).

 

Moses’ And Aaron’s Intervention

Not long after granting a reprieve to the people because of Moses’ intercession, the Israelites were again breaking faith. This time, some of them, led by one man, challenged God’s holy character and were intent on dishonoring His name. God was going to annihilate the Israelites. But Moses and Aaron pleaded with God to spare them, putting forward an argument that it is not right for other people to pay for the sin of someone else. This is recorded in the book of Numbers:

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: ‘Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment.’ They fell on their faces and said, ‘O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?’” (Numbers 16:20-22 NRSV).

The Israelites had broken faith as a whole nation, except for a few exceptions—obviously, not all the people were totally caught up in the rebellion at this time; otherwise, God would have wiped them all out. Therefore, God heeded Moses and Aaron’s words as they presented their reasons. Take note of this fact; it is very important—for God wants us to come and reason with Him.

 

One Man’s Sin

There is a very important metaphysical point raised by Moses and Aaron in their argument presented to God: Why should God destroy everyone because of the sin of one man? Much more is implied in this reasoning than meets the eye, which can easily be overlooked. Similarly, when God says to Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac, there is a deeper meaning, as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 22:32.[iii]

As implied by Moses and Aaron, Adam sinned, and it is not right for others to pay for his sin, even though all men are born into sin. The fact that the Lord God continues to deal with men and women born into a sinful world can be puzzling. However, God is wise and righteous. Everything He does is designed to accomplish the plan He established before the foundation of the world. Adam’s sin was not part of that plan and, therefore, was not intended.

Sin is a state of existence that effectively represents separation from God. Sin originated within Lucifer and was committed by Adam, who lost control of Earth—when it was Paradise. This planet exists in a state of sin, and the god of this world controls the affairs of humans. Before we are born biologically, we are fearfully and wonderfully made in the sanctuary of our mother’s womb. At birth, we enter the sinful domain of Lucifer, the Devil, and the god of this world—but not of the original Creation. When we are born, God also places our spirits within our physical bodies. The spirit is not tainted with sin until we actually sin, usually by willfully breaking faith with our parents when we disobey them in some manner. Sin then becomes the sting of death, and we are born to die as the consequence of sin.

Our blood comes from our father, tracing all the way back to Adam, who, as a biological being, needed to eat from the tree of life in order to live forever (Genesis 3:22). Our blood has been infected by the sin of Adam, but more than this, it appears that the phenomenon of cell death has come from Adam’s act of rebellion, which we have also inherited; hence, we all die, even though we did not commit the sin of Adam (Romans 5:12-14).

The difference between Adam (created in a sinless world) and us is that we were conceived in the womb of a mother who lived in a sinful world, and we were born into a sinful world. The temptation to sin is all around us, and our defenses against sin are weakened by our very relationships with people who are sinners. Even if we manage to resist sin to the extent that we sweat drops of blood in earnest prayer, as Jesus did (Luke 22:44), it is doubtful we would have the strength to sustain that resistance. For our spirit might be willing, but our flesh will prove to be weak and let us down—just like the disciples who were with Jesus (Matthew 26:41).

Jesus’ blood is the blood of God (Acts 20:28). His blood is unlike Adam’s blood and our blood. Our blood is sin-infected. Having the blood of God coursing through our arteries and veins would have to make a significant difference in our ability to sustain resistance against sin. Fortunately, we can be cleansed from sin by the eternal blood of Jesus when we have fellowship with each other and the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit (1 John 1:3-7). Because of the blood of Jesus, we are now able to overcome the Devil.

 

A World Beyond The Mere Physical

While we might understand this world from a physical perspective, it is to our advantage to realize that there is more to this world than we can see. The mere fact that we cannot see bacteria (yes, they exist) and cannot see the even smaller viruses/exosomes (yes, we are told that they exist) testifies to the possibility that there could be an infinity of smallness beyond what we can conceive. The same applies to the size of the universe and the many solar systems and galaxies that exist within its boundaries. Fractals also testify to the endlessness of a given thing and how there could be an infinite number of worlds or spheres of existence within the world in which we live and move and have our being. When this is taken into account, it is not too difficult to understand that there may be many different dimensions of existence occurring in what we might perceive to be the space in which we live. Not only does this help us understand that we ourselves are three-dimensional beings, with a spirit, soul, and body, but it also suggests that angels and other beings are watching our every move, as God weighs the thoughts and intentions of our hearts (Rev. 2:23; Heb. 4:12-13).

 

The Origin Of Sin And The Spirit World

Sin came into this world through one man, Adam (he gets the blame, even though Eve was the first to break faith), but through Jesus Christ, grace, peace, and mercy have been extended to all who have been born into this world, even though we exist in a state of separation from God.

Given what we know about sin, it is reasonable to assume that once a being breaks faith with God, a parasitic-like condition takes over. In this state, the being can no longer exude the light of life and enters a diseased condition where darkness begins to consume every atom of its existence. The angels that have rebelled against God have been committed to deep darkness, and they roam around in some world, which could possibly be within the confines of the space occupied by Earth—this is what the ancients believed about the Nephilim that were destroyed in the flood. However, it is also possible that there are demonic beings, fallen angels that are not committed to deep darkness, since people have testified to seeing many different kinds and colors of beings from the spirit world that are not from the throne of God. For instance, Satan is capable of manifesting himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), so why not some of his agents?

The reality is that the Bible warns against the occult and having anything to do with beings from the spirit world. We have one mediator between God and us, and that is Jesus Christ; therefore, there is no need for anyone to seek out the dead. It is tantamount to making a pact with the angel of death to attempt to seek out loved ones who have died, ancestors, or other occult beings from the other side of the chasm that exists between this temporal world and the eternal world of the spirit, as those who claim to have contact with the dead assert. Even though beings from the spirit world might seem to be alive, they are dead in their sin—alienated from the Lord God Almighty, the Source of Life.

 

God Is Not A Murderer

God does not kill angels. For the Creator of life to kill angels would make Him a murderer. God can kill humans in this temporal existence and then destroy their souls (Matthew 10:28), but this does not make Him a murderer. This is because the spirits of men are not killed. Evidently, God is not prepared to kill (that is, annihilate) the spirits of men who have rebelled against Him; instead, they are thrown into the Lake of Fire, which has been created for the Devil and the angels who have left their positions of authority. There is, therefore, a difference between killing (as in annihilation) and the second death, which is alienation from life.

In addition to the spirits of men and the angels who left their positions of authority before the flood of Noah, we can expect this second death experience to apply to the seventy angels who were given authority to look after the seventy nations, separated by language, when God confused the languages of men at Babel.

“When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He divided mankind, He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God” (Deuteronomy 32:8). Or, as the Contemporary English Version states: “That God Most High gave land to every nation. He assigned a guardian angel to each of them.”

These angels, like Lucifer, were assigned as guardian angels, except they were responsible for overseeing one nation each when God separated the nations according to language groupings. Instead of fulfilling their responsibilities, they became arrogant and proud among themselves. Many of the wars and territorial issues among nations and ethnic groups on Earth are a consequence of these angels fighting one another. The influence of evil permeates all the sons of disobedience.

 

Jesus Confirms Satan And Demons Exist

When the Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ, was on Earth, He spoke of the house of Satan being divided (Luke 11:17-18). Satan has authority over the planet Earth and whatever happens on it as a natural consequence of Adam forfeiting his God-given right. This is now Satan’s world, his house, and those who have joined him are members of his household. These include the angels that decided to take women as wives before the flood—and presumably their offspring, the Nephilim.

Besides the Nephilim, there is a host of spirits that Lucifer was able to influence to rebel against God, in addition to the seventy angels who were given positions of authority over each of the language groups created by God at Babel. The seventy angels are spiritual princes exercising authority over nations. As princes, they have decided to do as they please; sometimes they are on God’s side, at other times they oppose God, and at times they are simply warring among themselves.

These princes were originally known as the Heavenly Council and the Host of Heaven;[iv] but when they realized the power they had, they decided to go their own way, just like Lucifer—that is, Satan. While they have authority in Satan’s kingdom, they do not have authority over him. Satan appears to have a degree of authority over them because he has authority over the Earth. Even though Satan does not have complete authority over these angelic princes, they are very much a part of his kingdom; therefore, these princes are now known as the Princes of Darkness.

 

Book Of Daniel Identifies Princes Of Darkness

The book of Daniel refers to these princes and the fact that God is waging spiritual warfare against them. They all have their own armies, which fight each other over who will rule what regions. God has to work with all this and engineer His purpose while allowing everyone free will. Our Heavenly Father is absolutely beyond amazing!

When Gabriel was sent to speak to Daniel (Daniel 10:12-21), he was opposed by one of the princes of darkness and was delayed in answering the prophet Daniel’s prayer. The Archangel Michael, who heads up God’s warrior angels, was required to come to Gabriel’s aid because he was engaged in battle with the Prince of Persia. The archangel was not in battle with a human prince, but with the angel who had authority over Persia. Gabriel also tells Daniel that the Prince of Greece (another angel who is now a prince of darkness) was preparing a campaign against the Prince of Persia, which later manifested in the form of the Macedonian, Alexander the Great.

These murderous campaigns of war have occurred not because God condones murder, but because of the political maneuvers being made in the spiritual realm. Spiritual warfare even affects us, and we are encouraged to put on all the spiritual garments and equipment of war to protect and defend ourselves (Ephesians 6:11-13).

 

Deeds Of Darkness Or Love Of Light

Many humans see killing as barbaric because taking another man’s life devalues one’s own life. This is the same reasoning behind why it is thought that God cannot kill a spirit but must confine them to prison. However, the physical death of a human being is not the cessation of existence, nor does it automatically mean entry into eternal life, because much depends on each individual’s relationship with God. The Bible tells us that there is such a thing as eternal punishment, originally created for the angels who departed from their positions of authority and trust, but which will also be reserved for those whose deeds are evil and who hate the truth. Evidently, this is a decision made by us; because if we love the light and delight in truth, we come to the light so that our deeds might be seen to have been worked out in the goodness of God. If we are not willing to do what God wants us to do, we will hate the truth and flee from the light because of our personal fears and the terrifying thought of being shamefully exposed for not doing what we knew we should have done when it was in our power to do what was right (John 3:19-21).

 

Contemporary Legal Inconsistencies

Today, people are always fighting about rights in courts of law. Many of the rights of citizens in the West have been stripped away. Individuals defending themselves when assaulted in their own homes have been convicted of committing a crime for killing someone in self-defense. Meanwhile, murderers in many jurisdictions escape punishment, while their victims’ offspring, partners, and relatives suffer; they receive very light penalties instead of having their own lives taken. This is because many people in positions of power (politicians and members of the judiciary) see killing another human as a barbaric act and believe that they are lowering their own standards by sending a convicted murderer to the gallows, the guillotine, or the electric chair. God has no such illusions and stipulated that a human life taken unlawfully shall require the life of the murderer—a clear-cut expression of justice: a life for a life.

 

God’s Ancient Cities Of Refuge

When the Israelites were to assume citizenship in the Promised Land of Canaan, they were to set up cities of refuge where a murderer or someone suspected of murder could find sanctuary and would not be killed in the event of an accidental slaying, for his crime, supposed crime, or unintentional crime. The cities of refuge allowed the accused to live in a protected environment, but if the accused were to move outside the boundaries of the protectorate, he could be killed on sight. What this shows us is that God wants mercy, justice, and faith to be part of society, not corruption, distrust, and fearfulness. Yet violence is on the increase in the cities of the world, and the police are powerless to curb it because of the laws that restrict their powers and the leniency of the judicial system. In fact, it appears that those who want to terrorize others seem to be able to do so with impunity. This is especially true for juvenile criminals. However, the sense of impunity extends to frustrated youth (even females) who go to clubs and pubs looking for a fight or prowl the streets looking for some defenseless person to bash and rob, not to mention the bullying and assaults that occur within school precincts. Consequently, career criminals develop their paths when they are young due to the lack of proper punishment and rehabilitation to curb aggression and violence.

 

Emasculation Of Parental Authority

The irony of the law today is that it is considered unlawful to murder another person, assault people, or commit acts of violence, yet juveniles who commit these heinous acts often go unpunished. Unfortunately, it is also unlawful for schools and parents to use appropriate disciplinary measures that include minor corporal punishment and enforced rehabilitation measures, which have been proven to correct the behavior of children and teenagers who are at risk of straying. An instance of this is evident in the sport of boxing.[v] Boxing is considered barbaric by many who want the sport banned, but the numerous testimonies of young men who have become less violent as a result of learning the discipline required to become competent boxers bear witness to the value of the sport. The authorities need to find answers to curb the frustration that exists because young men are not receiving adequate supervision, discipline, or outlets for their energy. Unless they can find an alternative to sports like boxing that develop the personal discipline associated with rigorous sports, violence is only going to become more prevalent in the cities of the world, as evidenced by the proliferation of gang violence.

The Bible provides clear instructions on how to curb violence and hold young people accountable. Much of the problem occurs because children are not taught about sin and its effects on people. People today often shy away from using the word “sin.” Regardless of this, sin is still the very act that separates us from God. Sin also creates fear of one another here on planet Earth. Sin separates us from what is good and brings forth death!

 

God’s Perspective On Sin

When the Israelites were given the land of Canaan by God, it was because the nations occupying the land at the time had developed their sinful practices to such an extent that their sin had become intolerable, allowing God to rightfully issue the command to destroy them. This was not something God delighted in doing, as He takes no pleasure in the death of anyone. However, living outside of time, God is able to see the paths we are taking and whether we will repent. Sin is like a snowball in motion, rolling downhill all the way. Regardless of efforts to stop it, once the snowball has reached the point of no return, the die is cast, and it creates an avalanche. God, likewise, is capable of predicting the future of a nation and knows whether a course of action is irrevocable or whether people will have a change of heart and call upon Him to save them. The story of Jonah and Nineveh testifies to this (N.B. Jonah 3:6-4:2). God does not want us to reject Him, but the decision is always up to us.

God told Abraham that there would be four generations born before the Amorites’ sins would be complete, and then his descendants would be given the land (Genesis 15:12-20). God is righteous and abides by His own code of conduct, which, unlike any human code of conduct, has much more authority because, even though His instructions might appear simplistic to human lawmakers, they are well thought out and come from the One and Only Omniscient Mind—not from politicians on the run. God states that capital punishment and corporal punishment are necessary as appropriate consequences for those who commit intolerable acts of ungodly behavior. Sin against God is a capital violation for human beings in their biological state—without even mentioning anyone’s eternal state.

 

Murder Or Killing: Any Difference?

The difference between murder and killing arises from the passion of the flesh. Murder is motivated more by emotive reasoning, while the other is merely the act of exterminating a person. A murderer is punished for his crime, not murdered. The commandment is not “You shall not kill,” but as translated in the most literal versions[vi] of the Bible, “You shall not murder.” This makes sense because murder incorporates intent, whereas a person can be killed unintentionally, by accident, or due to negligence, and this is never considered to be murder.

 

Hatred Is The Same As Murder

There is a modern movement targeting violence in families—especially against men beating their wives. Wife beating is contrary to the spirit of love that God desires humanity to enjoy, particularly in a marriage relationship. Men who abuse their wives have often already committed murder in their hearts. Often, the only reason they do not murder their wives is that they are afraid of imprisonment. On occasions, some men may not just beat their wives but may also murder them with their own hands or pay someone else to do it instead. Nevertheless, murder is committed when a person hates another person. Tragically, many people have lived in relationships where murderous thoughts have predominated, and hatred has turned hearts cold toward each other. Hatred is the same as murder (1 John 3:15).

 

Love And Reconciliation In Marriage

Women are known to stop loving their husbands when they have children. While there are men who are violent toward their wives and live-in partners, there are also numerous women who treat their husbands with contempt once they have a child or two. Marriage relationships are being dissolved at a rate approaching fifty percent in Western societies. Some say that wife beating is the main reason these marriages end; however, it does not seem probable that thirty-three percent of the marriages of people claiming to be born-again Christians end in divorce solely because of wife beating. There must be other reasons, and at the heart of the issue is the sin of murder—hatred. Hatred is murder in any form. If two people cannot learn how to love each other, it is reasonable to assume that they will be unlikely to love another person. However, if a man beats his wife, it is understandable that she would want to murder him. Why should a wife suffer being beaten and have to live in fear because of an unloving husband? In such cases, God says, “A life for a life.” Hence, if the husband does not love his wife, he is guilty of murder. Likewise, if a wife does not love her husband, she, too, is guilty of murder.

 

Divorce And Jesus’ Teaching

Jesus said that Moses gave the ruling about divorce because of people’s hardness of heart. Divorce is always meant to be an act of last resort, when all hope is gone. God hates divorce because it is tantamount to murder. God also knows that people’s hearts can harden and be filled with hatred; therefore, men who were not pleased with their wives could divorce them. It was hard on the wife, but at least she was free from being beaten and treated cruelly. Hence, today, if one person in a marriage refuses to love the other, then it is not right for the one who is effectively guilty of murder to continue to mercilessly hurt the other with acts of hatred. If there is no hope of reconciliation, it is better for the couple to separate.

Regarding women not being able to divorce men in bygone days, it is important to realize that society at that time was different from a First World economy today. These people had a different lifestyle than modern society, and when fully understood, the laws given to Israel through Moses were fair and equitable, providing justice for the people. The mere fact that the people themselves failed to comply with God’s requirements is not an indictment of the laws provided through Moses. These laws (or rules, if you prefer) were established so that each person could live a healthy, prosperous, and meaningful life on Earth. As the saying goes, “The rules are the tools, and only fools blame the tools.” The tools do not make us do things against our will.

Preservation From Social Disharmony

People were to be put to death if they sinned or introduced sin into the Israelite nation. The reason for this was to preserve the nation from social disharmony, which is so common today. Those who deride the biblical injunctions to put to death rebels who break faith with God do not live for the good of the community but for their own self-interest. When we understand the spiritual influences that are at work to destroy humankind, we will appreciate why God says that homosexuality, lesbianism, sexual perversion, immorality, licentiousness, witchcraft, consulting the dead, praying before statues, and the like are all punishable by death. These practices do not lead people toward knowing God and His purpose; rather, they lead people to the eternal torment of their ways, separated from their Heavenly Father—an existence void of love, for God is love.

 

Abortion, Suicide And Euthanasia

Humans, in their wisdom, say that it is a crime punishable under the Charter of Human Rights Act to use any form of corporal punishment as a means to bring children or any citizen into line when he or she refuses to listen to reason. Yet at the same time, abortions can be performed at will because this is not considered a crime. Suicides, on the other hand, must be prevented at all costs because this is seen as a waste of life, yet those attempting to commit suicide are exercising their own volition. Euthanasia, however, is permitted in certain instances because it is sometimes perceived to be in the best interests of the individuals being killed (or because they have run out of medical insurance); it is even encouraged in certain jurisdictions. The death penalty cannot be administered because it is deemed barbaric and unbecoming of humanity. Meanwhile, more and more people are becoming violent, and individuals are seeking to live in walled housing estates with guards at the entrance gates. Because they are afraid, people can no longer live as they once could, free from fear.

 

A Prohibition On Hatred

The sixth commandment is not just about prohibiting the slaying of people; it is more a prohibition against hatred of other members of the human race. Life is sacred. Yet, in order to preserve a community of people who can live free from fear and enjoy relationships with one another, it is essential to understand why God prohibits murder—especially when God instructs us that people who violate certain regulations and requirements of this faith covenant are to be slain.

The sixth commandment, when studied in light of the other requirements of the Mosaic Law, provides an understanding of how corporal punishment and capital punishment can be used to better society today.[vii] God has made provision for people who accidentally commit manslaughter, as distinct from murder. However, today, the courts and lawmakers should not dismiss the concept of a life for a life too readily—especially in the case of premeditated murder. Forgiveness is one thing; justice is another. However, justice does not distort clear-cut laws that ought to be enforced without corruption.

 

Positive Action And Boundaries

The sixth commandment highlights the need to love one another rather than live in relationships where murder, in the form of hatred, infests the inner person and creates social disharmony, especially on the home front. What we need is an open community where people understand the risks of violating God's commandments. Once the evidence is conclusive, violating the commandment regarding murder should be acted upon swiftly, in the context of a life for a life. Contrary to secular thinking, such a community would serve as a deterrent to murder and violence.[viii] This is because people could bring issues into the open and discuss them freely in light of God’s requirements, knowing that true righteousness would reign and justice would be executed. This stands in contrast to today, when murderers are often let off the hook, and those who defend themselves are prosecuted.[ix] Once people are convinced that the goalposts are not shifting and that action will be definite, the boundaries become clear, and there is no confusion.

Switzerland has a very low crime rate; guns are kept in every home, and householders are trained in their use. Moreover, it comes as no surprise that those counties within the USA where people are required by law to arm themselves have low crime and murder rates. Now, imagine if this were a global law: there just might be peace on Earth. Any fear of wrongfully killing an innocent person could be mitigated by providing cities or communities for people to flee to and find refuge, where they could live meaningful lives, just like the cities of refuge that God required the Israelites to build.

The sixth commandment is about being educated in the sanctity of life and understanding why people should love one another. This is not a negative commandment, as many would suggest; rather, it is a positive commandment that points people to where the boundaries exist, so each of us might know what is right, what is wrong, why life needs to be valued, and why we should value each other.

 

Death To The Devoted

Among the heathen religions of the world, people could devote them-selves as human sacrifices to their gods. Overlooking the fact that Israel was divorced from God for offering human sacrifices (2 Kings 17:17), scoffers like to claim that God sanctions human sacrifices by referring to this Scripture: “None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 27:29 AKJV[x]).

Nearly everything that was devoted to the Lord could be redeemed for money. However, when it came to a person being devoted to the Lord as a sacrifice, that person would be put to death. When a person is sacrificed, they are put to death; but then, to be put to death again is rather odd, unless this means that the person would go to Hell to await the second death. The existence of a second death is strongly implied in the phrase “shall be surely put to death.” The first death is temporal and comes with a degree of uncertainty regarding what will happen afterward. The second death is certain, as it follows the final judgment of the dead.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15 KJV).

Unlike the heathen religions surrounding the Israelites, the Bible teaches that human sacrifices could not appease God. The idea of appeasing God suggests that even though a person sacrifices his or her life in the flesh, the person lives on in the spirit. Whoever thinks that he or she might be able to appease the Lord God, Creator of the Universe, as a human sacrifice cannot; instead, that person would be eternally forsaken. God declared this statute to warn people against thinking they might devote themselves to Him as a human sacrifice—that is, commit the unforgivable sin[xi] (1 John 5:16).

In the book of Judges, chapter eleven, Jephthah appears to offer his virgin daughter as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow he made to the Lord (Judges 11:30-39). Scoffers use this text to argue that the Israelites offered a human sacrifice to appease God, claiming that the text implies no divine intervention was forthcoming to prevent Jephthah from sacrificing his own daughter. They overlook the fact that this vow was a human error made through presumption. God's lack of intervention on this occasion has no bearing on any previous directive ordered by Him, such as when Abraham’s obedience was tested through his willingness to make a burnt offering of his miracle son, Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19). Abraham could not believe that God would provide him a son by a woman who had long ceased menstruating and not be able to raise him from the dead if he offered him up as a burnt offering. Never-theless, God intervened when Abraham was about to sacrifice his son and provided a lamb for his burnt offering—representing the Son of God substituting His life for the life of Adam and his progeny.

Likewise, scoffers erroneously misinterpret what happened when King David was told that a famine was the result of bloodguilt upon King Saul, because he did not honor a promise made by the Israelites to spare the Gibeonites. The appeasement was to give them seven sons of Saul to hang before the Lord (2 Samuel 21:1-14). God did not dictate the requirements of the appeasement, nor is there any statement to the effect that He endorsed or sanctioned it, even if He did not intervene to prevent the hanging of seven individuals. Rather, the charge that the Gibeonites had against the Israelites was appeased to their satisfaction, not God’s.

This event had more to do with an accusation of Satan against God’s protection of Israel (compare Job 1:9-11) due to the Gibeonites' claim against them, rather than the appeasement of any anger from the Heavenly Father. Whenever the people of God do not honor their word, Satan has a legitimate charge against them. How the accusation manifests may vary under different circumstances. Satan himself does not have to appear; he merely uses people who will do his bidding to carry out evil, as evidenced when Jesus told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan…” (Matthew 16:23). In the case of the Gibeonites, inspired by the Evil One, they saw fit to settle for an appeasement of seven sons of Saul. As in the case of Jephthah killing his own daughter, the hanging of seven individuals had nothing to do with God Himself, even if the slayings were permitted and there was no divine intervention. These deaths were not endorsed by the statute of Leviticus, chapter twenty-seven, verse twenty-nine, as acceptable sacrifices to the Lord God.

However, for this statute to be fulfilled, the person acceptable to God as an appeasement had to be without sin and would have to believe that if he went to Hell, he had the power to rise from the dead. Jesus of Nazareth believed He would be raised from the dead (John 10:17-18). Jesus believed He had nothing to fear as a human sacrifice because He fulfilled the requirements of living a life without sin—by the way, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and descent into Hell was not a picnic that He was eager to enjoy (Matthew 26:39; Isaiah 53:4-6; Job 18:13; 1 Peter 3:18-20).

Jesus became the ransom that appeased the cry for justice, which has gone up from the Earth continuously since the fall of Adam and, more particularly, from the death of Abel (Genesis 4:10-11). Jesus was able to appease God’s requirement for justice on our behalf. In fact, Jesus was the only person born of a woman who was able—or who will ever be acceptable—to be devoted to the Almighty God on behalf of the sin of us all (Hebrews 10:12; 12:24).

The centurion and those with him saw what took place when Jesus became sin. Unlike the two criminals being crucified with Him, Jesus’ body was consumed by death as His skin became leprous in an instant (Job 18:13). The company of soldiers present cried out, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54).

Academic scoffers, who like to think they are erudite in matters of religion, scoff at the Scriptures being inspired by God and, for proof, point to the text in Leviticus 27:29, which speaks of those devoted to the Lord being put to death. Yet they miss the truth about the second death (Revelation 2:11) and the fact that Jesus is now the Judge of all the Earth. As the only devoted human sacrifice acceptable to God, He also conquered destruction in Hell and rose triumphantly from among the dead. The Son of God was slain by the firstborn of death (cf. Job 18:13) at Calvary but conquered him in Hell (the second death) to become the firstborn from the dead of many brethren (Rev. 1:5; Col. 1:18; Heb. 2:10-11; Rom. 8:29). The Apostle Peter made the following statements regarding Jesus' descent into Hell:

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water…. With respect to this, they [we can include here academic scoffers and their ilk] are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does” (1 Pet. 3:18-20; 4:4-6).

Only Jesus has been without sin, and He alone has fulfilled the just requirement of the Law. By offering His life as an acceptable offering, Jesus has fulfilled the just requirement of the Law on every person’s behalf. Through the sinless Son of God, the Eternal Father has bequeathed an inheritance of eternal life for all who believe in Him.

The death of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary is the only death that has upheld the righteousness of God and pleased the Father. Our Heavenly Father does not desire that any person should perish and suffer the second death. Instead, He desires all men and women to come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who possesses the power of an indestructible life.

 

 

***

---

[i] Killing infidels Sura 2:191; 2:216. Monkeys and pigs 2:65; 5:60

[ii] Archeologist, Jonathan Gray, in his book Dead Man’s Secrets, cites numerous finds of evidence of giant human skeletons and massive violence having occurred on Earth before the flood of Noah’s time.

[iii]Anyone reading the text in Exodus 3:6 that Jesus refers to here, would not realize that God was saying that He is God of the Living, unless he had a personal revelation from God, or someone who had such a revelation alerted them to the truth and it was part of the teaching of the synagogue.

[iv] Psalm 82:1-2: “God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:” (RSV). God •is in charge of the great meeting [takes his place/presides in the great assemb y/or the assembly of the gods/divine council;  the angels (powers and authorities; Eph. 6:12l) are here called “gods”]; he judges among the “gods” [John 10:35–36]. (The Expanded Bible, —Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.) (cf. Job 1:6, 2:1, 15:8; 2 Chronicles 18:18-30)

[v] This is not to say that boxing is not brutal. This is just an observation. And talking about observations, cage fighting which is more brutal than boxing—vicious, even—with less regulations, has been growing in popularity.

[vi] Young’s Literal translation and The Emphasized Bible

[vii] It needs to be noted, this is exemplified in Singapore, where the death sentence is carried out and the dreaded rattan is used to execute corporal punishment much to the horror of civil libertarians and human rights groups. While Singapore has the highest per capita rate in the world for corporal and capital punishment, it has near the lowest crime rate. The Vatican is purported to have the lowest.

[viii] It is noted that many studies have been produced to support non-violence as a better option towards achieving a less violent world. After sixty years of implementation of non-violent policies for punishment in the courts, the results tell a different story

[ix] Two high-profile U.S. cases during the 2020 BLM protests involved individuals charged despite acting in self-defense. On August 25, 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot two men and injured a third during violent unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin; he was charged with multiple felonies, including first-degree intentional homicide, carrying the potential of life imprisonment. Democrats wanted to make an example of Kyle Rittenhouse to discourage other people from defending themselves against violent attacks by leftists. (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/107462/top-house-democrat-lock-up-kyle-rittenhouse-and-throw-away-the-key/ ). — 15^th May, 2025.

“Yet nowhere in the inflammatory coverage…was there any mention of the BLM mobs that burned America's cities in 2020 or the threat of more such riots” — Jonathan Tobin: ”Cities Brace for Left Wing Riots—Again” Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/cities-brace-left-wing-riotsagain-opinion-1650759 — 15^th May, 2025.

On June 28, 2020, Mark and Patricia McCloskey brandished a pistol and an AR-15 as BLM marchers entered their private property in St. Louis, Missouri; they were charged with unlawful use of a weapon, and efforts were made to have them disbarred.  Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called the charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey "an outrageous abuse of power,” tweeting, "Dozens of violent criminals go free but homeowners facing trespassers on their own property are prosecuted," USA TODAY https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/21/republicans-react-prosecution-mark-patricia-mccloskey-st-louis/5479005002/ — retrieved 15^th May, 2025 ¹

¹ See State of Wisconsin v. Kyle Rittenhouse, Kenosha County Circuit Court (2020); State of Missouri v. Mark and Patricia McCloskey, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri (2020); Associated Press, “Missouri governor pardons couple who pointed guns at protesters,” AP News, August 3, 2021; Kenosha News, “Rittenhouse acquitted on all charges,” November 19, 2021.

    [x] AKJV is the KJV updated but not changed. The word “devoted” according to Jewish sources ought to be “condemned” and the verse should read, “No one who has been set apart to be condemned shall be ransomed, but shall surely put to death.” In other words, those who willfully sin, will be held accountable for their sin and cannot be ransomed, for they have chosen to rebel against God and the community. This, of course, does not allow for repentance and mercy, which are explicit in the weightier matters of the Law (Matt. 23:23). However, it does conform to the principle of crucifying the Son of God and holding Him up for contempt on one’s own account (Heb.6:6). This was seen in Korah’s rebellion (Num. 16:32; Jude 1:11). The text explains the idea of the second death as viewed from someone offering themselves as a sacrificial offering. Either way, whether a self-righteous sacrificial offering of oneself to be burned on behalf of others or a matter of absolute rebellion against the sacrificial offering that incorporates God’s grace and mercy, the result is eternal separation from God: the second death.

[xi] This is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit or rejection of Jesus, even by disregarding one’s own life