January 20. 2014 - Monday

Start Time: 5:39 A.M.

End Time: 6:27 A.M.

Title: Laws Concerning Manslaughter

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 19:1 – 21

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→When the nations, whose land the Lord their God is giving them have been cut off by Him, and they have taken their place and are living in their towns and in their houses; they are to have three towns marked out in the land which the Lord their God is giving them for their heritage.  They are to make ready a way, and see that the land which the Lord their God is giving them for their heritage is marked out into three parts, to which any taker of life may go in flight.  This is to be the rule for anyone who goes in flight there, after causing the death of his neighbor in error and not thru hate; for example, if a man goes into the woods with his neighbor for the purpose of cutting down trees and when he takes his axe to give a blow to the tree the head of the axe comes off and falling on to his neighbor giving him a wound causing his death; then the man may go in flight to one of these towns and be safe; for if not, he who has the right of punishment may go running after the taker of life in the heat of his wrath, and overtake him because the way is long, and give him a death-blow; though it is not right for him to be put to death because he was not moved by hate.  And so I am ordering you to see that three towns are marked out for this purpose.  And if the Lord their God makes wide the limits of their land, as He said in His oath to their fathers; if they keep and do all these orders which God gave them, loving the Lord their God and walking ever in His ways; then let three more towns, in addition to these three, be marked out for them.  So that in all their land, which the Lord their God is giving them, no man may be wrongly put to death, for which they will be responsible.  But if any man has hate for his neighbor and waiting for him secretly makes an attack on him and gives him a blow causing his death, and then goes in flight to one of these towns; the responsible men of his town are to send and take him, and give him up to the one who has the right of punishment to be put to death.  Have no pity on him, so that Israel may be clear from the crime of putting a man to death without cause, and it will be well for them.

NOTES:

Ø God is a God who sees the heart of His people!  God’s judgment is not based on what we do but why we do what we did!  He sees our hearts and knows whether we committed sin willfully or it was an accident.  He understands why we do what we do but HE does not tolerate our reasons especially when it is not right.  In this law, it is clearly shown that God punishes the man with the wrong intentions.  The men in this example, both took a life, they both killed someone; yet the one with no intention of killing someone or no hate in his heart, was given a chance to flee to the towns marked by God as refuge for the innocent; but for the man who has hate and intended to kill, his whole community shall capture and bring him to the person who was wronged to punish him.

Ø God gives the person who was wronged the right to give punishment to the person who wronged him.  However all sins, either against men or against God or against nature, all are sins against God!  So in totality, God has the ultimate right to punish the one who is in the wrong.

→Their neighbour’s landmark, which was put in its place by the men of old times, is not to be moved or taken away in the land of their heritage which the Lord their God is giving them.  One witness may not make a statement against a man in relation to any sin or wrongdoing which he has done; ton the word of two or three witnesses a question is to be judged.  IF a false witness makes a statement against a man, saying that he has done wrong, then the two men, between whom the argument has taken place, are to come before the Lord, before the priests and judges who are then in power, And the judges will have the question looked into with care; and if the witness is seen to be false and to have made a false statement against his brother, then do to him what it was his purpose to do to his brother and so put away the evil from among you.  And the rest of the people, hearing of it, will be full of fear, and never again do such evil among you.  Have no pity; let life be give for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

NOTES:

Ø God is a God who exposes sins and confirms the truth with 2 to 3 witnesses!  God wants to expose sin so that people will not tolerate it.  He is a God of truth and so He wants people to see the true nature of sin, that’s why He reveals the truth in 2 to 3 witnesses so there’s no doubt among us.  He wants sin to be exposed and punished so people will see that sin has nothing good for us.  God does all this because of His great love and grace upon us.  He doesn’t want us harming ourselves by inserting doubts in us so He ensures that the truth is solid and unbiased.

Application / Realization:

Ø God sees our hearts and intentions.  No matter what we do, whether good or bad, God knows what’s deep in our hearts and He knows when we do what we do with the right intentions.  So it doesn’t matter what we do for if we do not have the right heart, then it is filthy rags to Him.  So let’s check out hearts and see if we have the right intentions!

Ø God is the ultimate judge!  He may have given people the right to punish those who wronged them before but today, God avenges us!  No need to exercise the power to punish others because God is the ultimate punisher of sin.  For all sins of men, whether towards nature, other men, or himself, are all sins against God.  So God is still the ultimate judge of all sins.

Ø God exposes sins so we do not allow it in our lives and when He does, He provides 2 to 3 witnesses so it won’t create confusion or doubts among us.  So when we are in doubt or confused, all we need to do is to seek God’s truth for He will expose sin and when He does that, He has 2 to 3 witnesses to back it up for our sake. (I say for our sake because God’s words should be enough already but at times, we need 2 to 3 witnesses to believe – and so God made sure there’s no doubts left so He will provide those witnesses to clear the truth for us)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for You sees our hearts and we cannot hide anything from You.  Thank You Father because You do not judge based on what we do but with what is in our hearts!  Lord I pray that You develop the same sound discernment ability in me, that I may be able to see Your revelations of the truth in my life.  I want to know the truth and not based things on just what I see or hear or touch!  I want to see the inner truth or reality of today and only You Holy Spirit can show it to me.  So help me Lord, every day to see what You have in store for me in Your eyes and not in mine.  Thank You Lord for I believe that Your love, grace and favor will be poured out upon me today!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!