Sixth Commandment (6 Of 12)

For example, some carry this so far as to apply "Thou shalt not kill” to the killing of insects.

Illus: Let me ask you something, if I see a fly on the table and I walk into the other room, get the fly swat, and carefully walk back to where the fly is, raise the fly swat in such a way as not to scare him, and I swing with a mighty bang and flatten him on that table, have I committed pre-meditated murder. Is that what God is talking about here? If this commandment means what some people would have it mean, I have done just that.

God's Word commands, "Thou shalt not kill”.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

We need to consider two things in order to be able to understand this. I will cover the first consideration this morning, and the second consideration this evening.

I. FIRST CONSIDERATION, THIS COMMANDMENT IS NOT TEACHING THAT THE FOLLOWING CASES ARE VIOLATIONS OF THIS COMMANDMENT.

We will discover that this commandment does not treat all killings the same.

God would not have us kill any person, however there are times when our actions will cause a death, but God has provided for certain conditions in holding us guiltless, in causing a death or deaths. For example:

A. Manslaughter is not murder.

Manslaughter has been defined as unintentional killing of a person.

God has provided that in such a case that a man is not held guilty.

Look at Numbers 35:11-12; 15, “Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. 12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. (Verse 15) These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.”

In these verses God was giving to Moses instructions of how to govern the people of Israel when manslaughter occurred.

God forbid any person to intentionally take the life of another person. But knowing that someone could die as the result of an accident, God provided cities of refuge for the one who caused an accidental death so no one, out of anger and revenge, could take his life.

Yes, accidents happen, and some are so severe that a life is lost. In that situation, bad as it is, it is not murder.

B. Hunting is not murder.

Look at Genesis 9:3, We read, Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Some people in our society are concerned about dogs, cats, whales, and the spotted owls. They place more value on animals than they do on human life.

Illus: In July of 1991, the price of lumber sky rocketed because of those who were so concerned about the spotted owl they held up the cutting of the trees for lumber. This also caused many people to lose their jobs and not be able to provide for their families. Well, God places more value on people than He does on animals.

It is good to love animals and have pets, but something is wrong with the person who does not love people as much as they love animals.

God placed animals on earth for a several reasons.

One of the reasons is so that children can learn lessons in responsibility and love as they take care of their pet.

Illus: One little boy, about five years old, who wanted to show he knew some things about animals one day, pointed to a green parakeet and said, "Look mom, we can not eat that green parakeet yet, because he is not ripe yet!

The Bible makes it clear that killing animals is not murder. God said, “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you”

THIS COMMANDMENT IS NOT TEACHING THAT KILLING ANIMALS FOR FOOD IS MURDER.

He gives man the right to provide for his family by using the vegetables and meat he needs.

C. Self-defense is not murder.

Exodus 22:2, We read, “If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall be no blood be shed for him."

We have people in this society of ours that will not work. They obtain things by stealing from those who do work.

None of us like to have someone steal from us. Even a thief does not like having something stole from him.

Illus: People like this remind me of the story of the man who told his wife, “Did you know that I was at the beach and some stinking thief stole my towel!” His wife said, “Oh, no, which towel did he steal?” He said, “The one I stole from the Holiday Inn…”