Today's passage covers important laws regarding respect for human life and for property. While laws or rules sometimes appear to bind us, in reality, these laws give freedom and security. The ultimate promise of justice -- that God will ultimately redeem His own and bring punishment on sin -- gives us hope in a world that often sees "bad things" happen to "good people." How else could we traverse through this life and see persecution, famine, hunger, earthquakes, disease, theft, murder, and abortion? Only when we recognize that God is ultimately sovereign and His truth will ultimately live forever may we move forward in strength. As Paul writes in Romans 3:19,20, the law points to our desperate need for the living God: "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."
Please find some brief observations from today's passage:
1. The value and sanctity of life.
2. The differentiation between "with malice aforethought" and "unintentional." God clearly condemns premeditated violence against other people, but He offers provisions to protect those who have accidentally harmed another. In such times, heated emotions of an "avenger of blood" may have led to mob justice and poor decisionmaking. God desires that the people sort through the facts (from multiple witnesses) and determine a proper penalty.
As an aside, God is terribly concerned with our motivations. As we grow in spiritual maturity, we often find ourselves checking our motivations. We may have "trained" ourselves to "do the right thing," but are we doing so with the proper motivations? Do we seek to serve others out of love for them and for God or as a means of elevating our standing?
3. Why promote "eye for eye"? You may have heard a famous quote from the Indian spiritual and political leader Mohandas K. Gandhi: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." While this pithy statement makes some sense, the "eye for eye" language puts punishment in proper perspective. God's point in speaking these words was to bring about the idea that "the punishment should fit the crime." Imagine, for example, if God had declared that any crime would demand the life of the perpetrator. Any speeding ticket or moving violation would bring on the death penalty. If this were the case, we would either have far fewer people or far fewer drivers. God declared the principle of restitution, that people's justice should match their crime. The wronged person would ultimately be repaid. Purity and uprightness are the standard that God has set.
4. Why have a death penalty? The passage explains clearly that life is worthy of great value. The unspoken justification for the value lies in Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" Indeed, God instructed Noah of this motivation in Genesis 9:6.
Because of God's creative commandment, human beings have a similar character to God; they have a rational mind, emotions, and a will. If we strike against another human, we are destroying the image of God in that person, a grave offense against God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus extends murderous actions to even hate against others (Matthew 5:21,22); in a similar way, Christ declares that lustful thoughts are equivalent to adulterous behavior (vv. 27-30).
In Numbers 35:33,34, we read: "'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.'" Again, we see that God appeals to His own value and the value of the land He was to grant to the Israelites. His holiness demands the shedding of blood for forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).
5. A comparison to the U.S. Constitution. These laws appear in our Constitution, where "due process" offers promise for fairness in criminal dealings. Please take a look at the following amendments:
a. Fourth Amendment: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
b. Fifth Amendment: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."
c. Sixth Amendment: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."
d. Eighth Amendment: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."
e. 14th Amendment (Part No. 1): "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
QUESTIONS
1. Has your view of the law changed in recent days?
2. How does the law point out both God's justice and His mercy?
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