Hands That Shed Innocent Blood

HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD

God’s image is debased and his wrath is justly incited every time a person (innocent blood) made in God’s image is unjustly destroyed. Approximately, there are 200,000 abortions per day worldwide (WHO). What blood could be more innocent than the blood of an unborn child?

"lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land, which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus the guilt of bloodshed be upon you" (Deuteronomy 19:10).

One of the evilest things that do exist is also one of the seven things that God hates—shedding innocent blood. This hateful sin was right there in the beginning (Genesis 4). The sixth commandment tells us, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). The Bible also says, "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). The "blood" is "innocent" not because it is without sin, but because it has not committed a capital crime, which would warrant death. Every time a person made in God’s image is unjustly destroyed, God's wrath is justly incited. There is no debasing of God’s image without consequences. Blood guilt requires God’s vengeance and vindication.

After the flood, God gave Noah these instructions, “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” (Genesis 9:6) .

He formally announces his demand for an accounting for the shedding of innocent blood. If a man takes another man’s life, God said, "I will require a reckoning." In other words, God saw the need to restrain evil behavior, so He instituted civil government to act as the protector of human life. God hates it when we choose to do this evil. Doing right in the sight of the Lord means acting to stop the shedding of innocent blood. "Save those who are being led to their death; rescue those who are about to be killed. If you say, ‘We don’t know anything about this,’ God, who knows what’s in your mind, will notice. He is watching you, and he will know. He will reward each person for what they have done "(Proverbs 24:10-12). God hates the shed of innocent blood.

Cain and Abel

Cain killed his brother Abel; he hadn’t done anything wrong (Genesis 4:1-8). In fact, Abel did exactly what he needed to do in God’s eyes by giving the first and best of what he had as a sacrifice. Cain’s jealousy pushed him to the point where he killed his own brother. The first account of innocent blood being shed in the Bible is in Genesis 4. The brothers Cain and Abel have both offered sacrifices to God, but only Abel's was accepted. Cain became exceedingly angry and indignant (Genesis 4:6-7). He allowed anger, rage, hate, and jealousy to take hold of him; instead of repenting of disobedience to God's instruction concerning sacrifices, he decided to destroy the object of his anger. He murdered his brother, hid the body, and pretended he didn't know anything about it.

God is not deceived by this act, and neither is the Devil. For God looks into Cain's heart and sees the evil there. Cain could have confessed his sin, but he did not; instead he lied.

"And now you are cursed by reason of the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's (shed) blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a vagabond on the earth (in perpetual exile, a degraded outcast)" (Genesis 4:12).

Even at this point, Cain could have repented and been forgiven, but he would not. In fact, he was telling God that he would have to accept him because of his fine gift. There is nothing we can offer God that will make Him accept us. It is only by accepting Jesus Christ as Saviour and afterward living by God's directions that we can be acceptable to God. Cain began to tell God about the harshness of his sentence. In light of his murder of his brother, this attitude shows his opposition to God's laws. He should have considered his sentence light compared to the sentence he deserved.

David and Uriel

David had Uriah sent to the front lines of battle to be sure that he was killed (2 Samuel 11:15). This direction from the king was murder. David’s fear of being caught in a lie was great enough that he found a way to get out of it, and he didn’t even consider the loss of life as a consequence. Uriah was not involved in any of the circumstances that led to his death. He was out on the battlefield fighting just like he was supposed to be as an innocent man.