10/22/17-Eph
6:2-3, The Ten Commandments, Pt. 18,
The 6th Commandment,
Pt. 1. Lesson # 17-113
Pastor/Teacher,
Jim Rickard
Grace Fellowship Church
Before we
begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, (If You have - Trusted
in Him for Eternal Life), it is important to prepare yourself to: Take-in God’s
Word and/or Participate in a Communion Service, so take a moment to name, cite,
or acknowledge your sins privately, directly to God the Father. This will
assure that you are in fellowship with God the Father & the Holy Spirit’s
convicting ministry will then be able to teach you as the Holy Spirit is the
real teacher.
1 John 1:9 says— “If we confess [simply name, cite, or acknowledge to God the
Father] our sins [known sins], He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins [known sins] and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness [all unknown & forgotten sins].”
For those of you who have
not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior, please see: The Salvation Message @ the end of
this document.
2 Pet
3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness,
but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all
to come to repentance.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The Doctrine of the Ten Commandments Related to the Church Age,
Part XVIII.
The
6th Commandment.
Ex
20:13; Deut 5:17, “You shall not murder.”
This is the 2nd of the horizontal commandments, which
help to protect and preserve freedoms and society. The 6th through
the 10th Commandments speak of the sanctity of one’s neighbor. They
constitute recognition of the fact that the world does not exist for us, that
all persons have value in the sight of YHWH, and that He will not allow us to
trample upon the personhood of another for our own self-aggrandizement. The
order in which they follow one another is as follows: They first of all secure
life, then marriage, and then property against active invasion or attack. And
then, proceeding from deed to word and thought, they forbid false witness and
coveting.
Our duty towards our neighbors is summed up in Lev 19:18, in the one word, “love,”
AHAB, in the phrase, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The principle of this 6th Commandment is also noted in Gen 9:6; Lev 24:17; Jer 7:9; Hos 4:2,
as well as elsewhere in both the Old and New Testaments.
In the Hebrew, it is simply the permanent negative Particle LO and
the Qal Imperfect of RASAH or RATSACH, רָצַח that means, “to murder,” that
is, putting someone to death improperly, for selfish reasons rather than with
authorization. Therefore, we have the command that one is not to “kill
unlawfully,” that is, “you must not or cannot murder.”
This is the first time RATSACH is used in the OT. The NASB
translates it correctly, but the KJV does not. It uses, “kill,” that back in
the early usage of the English language held more to the definition of murder
than it does today. That is why the NKJV uses “murder,” rather than kill.
As you know, there is a vast difference between killing and
murder, not only in regard to the human race but also in comparison to the
animal kingdom, which we will discuss below. Nevertheless, murder of human
beings is in view here.
RATSACH is used 46 times in the OT. This is not the most common
word for murder or killing in the OT. The more common word is HARAGH, הָרַג
that is used over 150 times for, “to kill, slay, or slaughter. But, used when
in the Qal stem it means, “murder.” There are eight verbs for “kill” in the
Hebrew language, (to say nothing of the terms for preparing animals for
sacrificial worship).
RATSACH is unique to the Hebrew language; no cognates to this root
appear in any of the other Semitic languages. It is used uniquely for the unauthorized
taking of human life called homicide, predominately what we call today
first-degree or premeditated murder, Psa
62:3; 94:6; Jer 7:9; Hos 4:2. It was also used for second-degree murder, or
even third-degree murder called voluntary manslaughter. In addition, it is used
for involuntary manslaughter that is usually translated, “manslayer.”
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being with malice
of forethought, expressed or implied by the motivation of arrogance from the
Old Sin Nature when residing inside of Satan’ cosmic system. The motivation to
murder comes from mental attitude sins, such as self-righteous arrogance,
conspiracy arrogance, criminal arrogance, crusader arrogance, political
arrogance, the arrogance of ignorance, the arrogance of unhappiness, or
iconoclastic arrogance. Therefore, murder is both a sin and a crime related to
cosmic involvement, and is often manifested in religion, as pagan religions of
the ancient world used human sacrifice, which constituted murder. Therefore, we
see the tie in to the first 4 Commandments.
Murder is the major attack on freedom and self-determination as a
human issue in the Angelic conflict. Murder is the invention of Satan and he is
the motivator of murder. Murder is Satan’s genius to invent a system to attack
freedom and self-determination, John
8:44.
John 8:44, “You
are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your
father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth
because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his
own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Notice in that passage that Jesus equates lying about someone as
murdering them. We call this character assassination.
The right of every person to life is protected by God’s Word. Any
unlawful act which might rob another of life is included in this prohibition.
No unauthorized “private” person or group has the right to end a human life.
Moreover, the ban on murder has no modifying conditions: Taking one’s own life
or ending someone else’s for purposes of “mercy” do not qualify as allowable
exceptions. Therefore, the sin denounced in this commandment almost always
refers to what is defined as deliberately premeditated manslaughter with malice
aforethought, or what we call today first-degree murder.
Not only is the accomplished fact of murder condemned, whether it
proceed from open violence or stratagem, Ex
21:12, 14, 18, but every act that endangers human life, whether it arise
from carelessness, Deut 22:8, or
wantonness, Lev 19:14, or from
hatred, anger, and revenge, Lev 19:17-18.
Murder is the only overt sin listed in the classification of the
seven worst sins, Prov 6:16-19, in
the phrase, “hands that shed innocent
blood.”
As noted above, murder and killing are two entirely different
Biblical concepts. Murder is prohibited by the Word of God; whereas, killing in
defense of one’s own person or nation is sanctioned by the Word of God, as is
capital punishment toward criminals, and is absolutely necessary in many
instances for the preservation of freedom. This Commandment does not prohibit
the taking of animal life, nor does it prohibit killing in war or in a
situation calling for extreme police action. Jesus Christ himself holds the
record for killing in battle in Isa
37:36, when he killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Our Lord will break his
own record at the Second Advent when He returns to terminate the Armageddon
campaign, Rev 14:20; 19:11, 15; Isa 63:1-6; Ezek 39:11-13; Joel 2:20. Therefore,
God authorizes governments to execute capital punishment for murder, Gen 9:6; Lev 24:17; Deut 19:12; Rom 13:1-4,
and to use force to maintain safety for its citizens, such as in the military.
This was the very first requirement given Noah after the Flood, according to Gen 9:6.
Gen 9:6, “Whoever
sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made
man.”
“In the image” means
that humanity was modeled according to the invisible image or likeness of God.
This means humanity was to reflect God’s invisible essence, thus man, as to his
essence, is the shadow image of God who is invisible, just as the essence of
man is invisible, i.e. the soul. Human nature in its internal and external
characteristics is what is meant here rather than an exact duplicate. In Gen 9:6 and 1:26, the noun TSELEM means, “image” and is used first of the
Trinity and the modeling of humanity according to the invisible image or
likeness of God. As God’s essence is invisible, so too is man’s essence
invisible, his soul, which is the shadow image of God. “Model” means that the
soul of mankind is a “copy” of God and is “patterned” after God’s invisible
essence. And as you know, our life is found within our soul.
Therefore, “life” is placed at the head of these last 5
Commandments, not as being the highest earthly possession, but because it is
the basis of human existence, and in the life, the personality is attacked, and
in that, the image of God is attacked. Whether by murder or lie, the image of
God is attacked. That is why the taking of a human life is a serious act to
God, because all people are made in His image and He alone has the authority to
give and take life. God is showing us that life, and living life is sacred,
that is, it is set apart to and belongs to the Lord and should be devoted to
Him. Murder is a violation of God’s creation, because the killer displays
contempt for God, as well as his neighbor.
No individual has the right to terminate the life of another
member of the human race. God alone has the right to terminate or prescribe
death for the life of man, who was created in the image of God. Any willful
unlawful killing of a member of the human race is unauthorized and to be
punished.
The only punishment equal to the crime of murder that shows
respect for the life of the victim and the authority of God is capital
punishment, Gen 9:5f; Num 35:30-34.
This is yet another commandment designed for the protection of human freedom.
RATSACH usually refers to murder, but one time it is used of authorized killing
in describing that if a person is ruled a murderer; he must be put to death, Num 35:30. In fact, Num 35:16-21 describe the various types
of murder that would find someone to be a murderer. Then, in vs. 22-28, it describes involuntary
manslaughter and the application of the Refuge city.
In cases amounting to unintentional taking of human life, it led
to the appointment of six cities of refuge where the RATSACH or manslayer might
be preserved from retributive assassination by the kinsman-redeemer, or nearest
male relative of the deceased. Grieving and angry relatives of the dead victim
would tend to assume deliberate intent on the part of the manslayer, even
though the tragedy was completely accidental. Hence, Numbers 35, provides this measure of fairness and mercy by
requiring a court hearing at the city where the fugitive had taken refuge. If
the evidence presented before the elders indicated no malicious intent, the
would-be avenger was forbidden to touch him as long as he kept living in his
city of refuge until the death of the current high priest serving at the
Tabernacle (or Temple). This protected the refugee from assassination by some
member of the clan of the deceased who might not be content with the finding of
the trial court, and who might therefore take the law into his own hands to
inflict revenge. The provision regarding the death of the current high priest
has symbolic connection with the future death of the divine High Priest, the Lord
Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice atoned for all the sins of all mankind, no matter how guilty they had
been.
~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A
PERSONAL NOTE FOR YOU
John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life.”
Notice again what John
6:47 says, “he who believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life.” It doesn’t say, “will have;” it says,
“has.” Therefore, the very moment you believe Jesus Christ’s promise of
everlasting life, you have it, and it can never be lost or taken away from you [John 10:28-29]. Furthermore, the gift
of everlasting life [also called eternal life in Scripture] is available to
every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.
John 3:14-18
says: “And as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son
into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be
saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is
condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God.”
Eph 2:8-9, “For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: 9 Not of
works, lest any man should boast.”
If
you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I am here to tell
you that Jesus loves you. He loves you so much that He gave His life for you.
God the Father also loves you. He loves you so much that He gave His only Son
for you by sending Him to the Cross. At the Cross Jesus died in your place.
Taking upon Himself all of your sins and all of my sins. He was judged for our
sins and paid the price for our sins. Therefore, our sins will never be held
against us.
Right
where you are, you now have the opportunity to make the greatest decision in
your life. To accept the free gift of salvation and eternal life by truly
believing that Jesus Christ died for your sins and was raised on the third day
as the proof of the promise of eternal life. So right now, you can pause and
reflect on what Christ has done for you and say to the Father:
"Yes
Father, I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ,
died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins."
If you have done that, I Welcome You to the Eternal
Family of God!!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~
Grace Fellowship Church
Pastor/Teacher: James H. Rickard
23 Messenger Street, Unit 3
Plainville, MA 02762
Copyright © 2001 - 2017.
Property of: James H Rickard Bible Ministries
All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment