Justice and Mercy: Understanding Capital Punishment in Scripture

Devotional

Sermon Summary

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips


He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death. However, if he does not did not lie in wait but God delivered him into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee. But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from my altar that he may die. [00:15:12]

Genesis 9:6 says whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed for in the image of God he made man. That's pretty impressive because please notice that there are a lot of people who say, well capital punishment and look I'll just lay my cards on the table, I know that there are some sincere Christians who argue passionately against capital punishment. [00:59:19]

In Romans chapter 13 verses 3 and 4 Paul very plainly said under the inspirational holy spirit that the right for the state to use the sword for execution is given by God. That's a godly point so when someone does come up to you and say you know that there's so many unfair executions and so many innocent have been killed you know because the judicial system and your response to them okay I understand that but that's a different argument. [00:51:84]

So God clearly says not all killing is capital murder capital offense murder right, but certainly there is a category of capital defense murder, and that's kind of what he's talking about so God would allow that there would be different punishments for crimes of passion or neglect or accidents or manslaughter or whatever but you know where there's cold-blooded premeditated murder, you know then God says that execution is in order right. [00:249:51]

In the ancient world not just in Israel but in the ancient world it was almost a universal practice that an accused criminal could find refuge and protection if he could go and grasp the altar of the pagan god if he could go and lay his hands on the altar. You ever seen those things where you know like a radio station or something one of these crazy competitions where who can hold on to the you know pickup truck the longest and if you hold on to it, well as long as that guy was at the altar he was safe. [00:295:04]

Where is it developed it's developed in the book of numbers and in the book of Joshua where very specifically Israel is told to appoint cities of refuge and cities of refuge were levitical cities cities that the levites governed and managed where an accused killer could flee to so that they would not be overtaken and executed by the avenger of blood. [00:378:40]

We're told Jesus is our refuge he's the one to whom we can flee you know and find refuge in our time of trouble, but what's the contrast between the cities of refuge and Jesus as a place of refuge well at that place uh Jesus really protects the condemned yes the guilty and guilty not just ultimately now the city of refuge can be a stalling tactic for you if you were guilty in ancient Israel. [00:470:24]

Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death but he shall surely be put to death so you shall not pollute the land where you are for blood defiles the land and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it except by the blood of him who shed it therefore do not defile the land which you would have it in the midst of which I dwell for I the lord dwell among the children of Israel. [00:523:51]

God says that the blood of an unpunished murder defiles the land unless the murderer himself is executed now since pretty much we don't do that in our nation anymore first of all think of how many murders are just never brought to justice period and then even those that are brought to justice, how few of them are executed for their crime. [00:565:20]

One of the things we see is in this God makes these careful distinctions between guilt and punishment for the one who's guilty of manslaughter for the one and he says for the one who's guilty of the worst kind of murders, they should receive the worst kind of punishment thankfully God has given a release at least from the eternal guilt of such a thing and that release is found in Jesus Christ who is our refuge is the place amen for the guilty as well as the innocent amen. [00:650:16]

The Bible underscores the sanctity of life, created in God's image, and establishes capital punishment as a divine mandate for premeditated murder. This principle reflects God's justice and the seriousness with which He views the shedding of innocent blood. [00:59:19]

The concept of cities of refuge illustrates God's provision for justice and mercy, offering protection to those who commit unintentional manslaughter. In contrast, Jesus Christ is our ultimate refuge, offering forgiveness and protection even to the guilty. [00:378:40]

Ask a question about this sermon