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God’s message to me: Follow God’s commands and ask His advice before making any major decision, even if it seems like the right thing to do. “there is a way that seems good to a man...” "No good deed goes unpunished"
Promises: God promised to defeat the enemies in the promised land and, after taking several key positions that had been left un-captured, David found himself in several more wars against others who had been left behind. God ensured the Israelites were consistently successful in battle.
Commands: God wants us to seek His council in all we do. David was a nice guy who liked repaying the kindnesses that others showed to him. Unfortunately, while he was very good about asking God before going to battle, he didn’t generally ask before trying to repay favors. As a result, his kindness was often met with treachery and war.
Timeless principles: David was “A man after God’s own heart.” This did not make him incapable of sin and grave sin at that. In addition to the wives mentioned earlier and the many wives he took after moving to Jerusalem, David took Bathsheba who was married to another man. When he learned he had made her pregnant he tried to cover his sin by getting her husband back from the war to sleep with her. When that didn’t work he had her husband put in a position that would get him killed. Adultery and Murder are some pretty heavy crimes. After Urriah was killed in battle, David took Bathsheba as his wife and she had his son. This did not make God happy.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Seek the wisdom of God in all you do. I have to admit weakness here myself. Most of us don’t think twice about asking God before doing something that seems to be right. Following the law and obeying the rules are fundamental but, when the actions aren’t part of those rules, no matter how good they may seem, they can lead you into trouble.
more to learn for in-depth study: You have my apologies for jumping the gun a bit. I sometimes remember Israel’s history better than I remember recent history. This is the passage in which David shows kindness to the son of Jonathon and brings him to eat at the royal table as one of his own sons. He also tries to show kindness to the people of Ammon who helped him when he was running from Saul. The result is the war described in these chapters in which the Ammonites hired mercenaries to fight Israel.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 12-14
Showing posts with label murder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label murder. Show all posts
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Second Samuel 1-3
God’s message to me: It is God’s job to remove people from positions he has appointed them to. Our job is to accept God’s decisions.
Promises: God can use anybody to accomplish His goals. Whether or not the person gets to enjoy those successes depends on their willingness to serve God willingly.
Commands: An act of war is not an act of murder. This is one of the earliest passages to make that crystal clear. Abner killed Asahel in battle. He had given the man an opportunity to avoid the fight but Asahel refused and Abner stabbed him to death. Asahel’s brothers murdered Abner to avenge their brother. Theirs was not an act of war and, in fact, it was a cold-blooded ambush. David cursed them for their act because they avenged someone who was killed in war. If the right of vengeance extended to acts of war then wars would never end. David wrote another song of Lament. This time for Abner who was murdered after making peace.
Timeless principles: “How the mighty have fallen” The quote still gets heavy use today. David used it to describe his feelings over the death of the anointed king of Israel in a song he wrote to commemorate the dead. Saul may have been a murderous jerk but, David recognized how God used him. All to often, we as Christians, are quick to jump on the band wagon and tear down the men of God who fall to human frailty. Our pastors, evangelists and leaders are not supermen and are capable of grave errors and even sin. While it is sometimes prudent to support removing them from influence to prevent their leading others astray, we have no right to denounce the work they have done for God because of their weakness.
While David grew stronger as king he was starting a family which would bring trouble later on. His first son was Amnon sho’s mother was Ahinoam. His second son was Chileab(Danial) whose mother was Abigail. His Third was Absolom whose son was Maacah the daughter of the king of Geshur. His fourth son was Adonijah whose mother was Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah whose mother was Abital. His sixth son was Ithream whose mother was Eglah. Six son’s by six wives.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember to uphold those God has put in positions of leadership, even when their actions and sins make it impossible for them to continue in that service.
more to learn for in-depth study: The Amalekite lied about killing Saul but, a confession is a confession and by claiming credit for the kill he marked himself as guilty. When a false confession is made we often feel it is a hindrance to the investigation. In this case it was an act against the state. Killing the man God anointed as king of Israel was an act that deserved retribution and if another were to have been found guilty later there would be no guilt for killing that man or the Amalekite since both would have been considered guilty, on by the act and one by claiming credit for the act. If we would treat terrorist groups the same we could quit waiting on investigations before taking action. Wiping out the group that claimed credit and, if we find some other group was responsible later, wiping out the true guilty parties. This would certainly cut down on false claims and reduce the number of terrorists in the world.
I mentioned earlier that the kingdom wasn’t divided until after Solomon’s reign but, I had forgotten about the first division of Israel when Saul’s people moved to maintain power after David took the throne. Whle David sought to honor Saul’s memory, Abner set Saul’s son in power in order to maintain his own position. Ishbosheth was meant to be the puppet leader controlled by the former general. Hi reign lasted only two years. Despite controlling most of the nation, Abner failed to remove David from power by battle. When they met to fight David’s army lost 20 men while Abner’s army lost 360. The war would rage on for many years and David’s position grew stronger while Abner’s grew weaker. This tends to make my earlier assertion incorrect. The books of Samuel may have been written anytime after David took the throne. The next chapter does establish that the books were written while the Beerothites were still living in Gittaim.
While David was having all those boys by all those wives Abner had taken one of Saul’s wives, stepmother to Ishbosheth, which got Saul’s son a bit upset to say the least. The general didn’t like being harassed by the man he had put into power and swore to deliver the entire nation to David. David’s price for peace was that Abner bring him Michal, his first wife and the daughter of Saul whom the king had given to another. Her husband followed her until she met Abner, mourning over her loss. Abner sent him away. David had not divorced the woman or even desired to leave her but she had been taken by her father to hurt him.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 4-7
Promises: God can use anybody to accomplish His goals. Whether or not the person gets to enjoy those successes depends on their willingness to serve God willingly.
Commands: An act of war is not an act of murder. This is one of the earliest passages to make that crystal clear. Abner killed Asahel in battle. He had given the man an opportunity to avoid the fight but Asahel refused and Abner stabbed him to death. Asahel’s brothers murdered Abner to avenge their brother. Theirs was not an act of war and, in fact, it was a cold-blooded ambush. David cursed them for their act because they avenged someone who was killed in war. If the right of vengeance extended to acts of war then wars would never end. David wrote another song of Lament. This time for Abner who was murdered after making peace.
Timeless principles: “How the mighty have fallen” The quote still gets heavy use today. David used it to describe his feelings over the death of the anointed king of Israel in a song he wrote to commemorate the dead. Saul may have been a murderous jerk but, David recognized how God used him. All to often, we as Christians, are quick to jump on the band wagon and tear down the men of God who fall to human frailty. Our pastors, evangelists and leaders are not supermen and are capable of grave errors and even sin. While it is sometimes prudent to support removing them from influence to prevent their leading others astray, we have no right to denounce the work they have done for God because of their weakness.
While David grew stronger as king he was starting a family which would bring trouble later on. His first son was Amnon sho’s mother was Ahinoam. His second son was Chileab(Danial) whose mother was Abigail. His Third was Absolom whose son was Maacah the daughter of the king of Geshur. His fourth son was Adonijah whose mother was Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah whose mother was Abital. His sixth son was Ithream whose mother was Eglah. Six son’s by six wives.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Remember to uphold those God has put in positions of leadership, even when their actions and sins make it impossible for them to continue in that service.
more to learn for in-depth study: The Amalekite lied about killing Saul but, a confession is a confession and by claiming credit for the kill he marked himself as guilty. When a false confession is made we often feel it is a hindrance to the investigation. In this case it was an act against the state. Killing the man God anointed as king of Israel was an act that deserved retribution and if another were to have been found guilty later there would be no guilt for killing that man or the Amalekite since both would have been considered guilty, on by the act and one by claiming credit for the act. If we would treat terrorist groups the same we could quit waiting on investigations before taking action. Wiping out the group that claimed credit and, if we find some other group was responsible later, wiping out the true guilty parties. This would certainly cut down on false claims and reduce the number of terrorists in the world.
I mentioned earlier that the kingdom wasn’t divided until after Solomon’s reign but, I had forgotten about the first division of Israel when Saul’s people moved to maintain power after David took the throne. Whle David sought to honor Saul’s memory, Abner set Saul’s son in power in order to maintain his own position. Ishbosheth was meant to be the puppet leader controlled by the former general. Hi reign lasted only two years. Despite controlling most of the nation, Abner failed to remove David from power by battle. When they met to fight David’s army lost 20 men while Abner’s army lost 360. The war would rage on for many years and David’s position grew stronger while Abner’s grew weaker. This tends to make my earlier assertion incorrect. The books of Samuel may have been written anytime after David took the throne. The next chapter does establish that the books were written while the Beerothites were still living in Gittaim.
While David was having all those boys by all those wives Abner had taken one of Saul’s wives, stepmother to Ishbosheth, which got Saul’s son a bit upset to say the least. The general didn’t like being harassed by the man he had put into power and swore to deliver the entire nation to David. David’s price for peace was that Abner bring him Michal, his first wife and the daughter of Saul whom the king had given to another. Her husband followed her until she met Abner, mourning over her loss. Abner sent him away. David had not divorced the woman or even desired to leave her but she had been taken by her father to hurt him.
tomorrow: Second Samuel 4-7
Saturday, March 28, 2009
First Samuel 22-24
God’s message to me: God’s will is knowable. Use good sense, search the scriptures, listen for His voice, test the spirits, lay a fleece before the Lord... If nothing else, and done prayerfully and honestly, flip a coin. God will give you the right answer if you seek it.
Promises: God will not steer you wrong. When the last of the priests family came to David and reported Saul’s murder of the rest, he came with an Ephod. The Ephod was the ceremonial breastplate and pouch worn by the priest and contained the Urim and Thummin. This was a way of learning God’s answer to questions. A look at the answers gained in this seems to imply it was a simple yes or know type of system like flipping a coin or picking one of 2 different colored stones. David took advantage of this to inquire of the Lord when he made big decisions that could get him and his men hurt or killed.
By seeking God’s will in these decisions David was successful in his choices and protected his men.
Commands: Always seek God’s will in your decisions. The decision to stop at a red light or to eat dinner, lock your door on the way out, etc. is simply a matter of good sense. God gave you a mind and common sense and rules to follow so that you would know what to do in everyday matters. When a matter goes outside the everyday he gave instruction and example of how to seek his will so that you remain within it.
Timeless principles: Even when the world seems to be against you, it is good to look out for others. The city of Keilah was under attack by the Philistines. David and his men had no reason to interfere and every reason to remain in hiding but, David saw the opportunity to help people in distress and, after making sure God approved, he went to fight in the city’s defense. Not only did he win but he grew his army by 50%.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Learn to seek God’s guidance in all things and trust Him to provide the best route.
more to learn for in-depth study: By this point Saul has completely lost his mind. Convinced that there is a conspiracy with everyone against him he threatens his own men and kills the priests and all who live in their city for helping David. David, has never been anything but loyal to the king and has done everything to help Saul. The priests knew this and assumed he was continuing to do so when the met him.
Saul’s men knew not to turn against God’s priests but Doeg, who had been there when David was at the tabernacle, killed the priests on command. Whether it was loyalty, willing murder or fear that he would be the next target for not mentioning seeing David earlier, Doeg was now conspiring with the lunatic king in homicide.
In the meantime, David was attracting an army. 400 disaffected, endangered and indebted men had gathered with him in hiding and he became their commander. When the city of Keilah was under attack by the Philistines, David took his men to battle to protect the city. The men were afraid but trusted David who had inquired of God before moving to fight. The won the fight and when it was over and the men set out for new hiding David’s army was up to 600 men.
Saul continued to pursue David but the Lord would not let the king catch him. Jonathan encouraged David, the Lord guided him, spies and friends warned him of danger and God distracted the king when he got to close. Finally, David got the big chance. Saul went, alone, into the cave where David and his men were hiding. While Saul attended to (ahem) personal business, David had the chance to kill him. David cut the corner of Saul’s robe off without Saul noticing.
I can’t say I would have been so restrained. In my mind, if someone tries to kill you every time you meet, it’s a good idea to eliminate them the first chance you get. Saul had been anointed by God to be king and, while the Lord had taken that blessing and the right to be king away from him, David would not act against the one God had appointed as his ruler. God had appointed him and God would have to remove him. That was David’s view of the matter.
tomorrow: First Samuel 25-28
Promises: God will not steer you wrong. When the last of the priests family came to David and reported Saul’s murder of the rest, he came with an Ephod. The Ephod was the ceremonial breastplate and pouch worn by the priest and contained the Urim and Thummin. This was a way of learning God’s answer to questions. A look at the answers gained in this seems to imply it was a simple yes or know type of system like flipping a coin or picking one of 2 different colored stones. David took advantage of this to inquire of the Lord when he made big decisions that could get him and his men hurt or killed.
By seeking God’s will in these decisions David was successful in his choices and protected his men.
Commands: Always seek God’s will in your decisions. The decision to stop at a red light or to eat dinner, lock your door on the way out, etc. is simply a matter of good sense. God gave you a mind and common sense and rules to follow so that you would know what to do in everyday matters. When a matter goes outside the everyday he gave instruction and example of how to seek his will so that you remain within it.
Timeless principles: Even when the world seems to be against you, it is good to look out for others. The city of Keilah was under attack by the Philistines. David and his men had no reason to interfere and every reason to remain in hiding but, David saw the opportunity to help people in distress and, after making sure God approved, he went to fight in the city’s defense. Not only did he win but he grew his army by 50%.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Learn to seek God’s guidance in all things and trust Him to provide the best route.
more to learn for in-depth study: By this point Saul has completely lost his mind. Convinced that there is a conspiracy with everyone against him he threatens his own men and kills the priests and all who live in their city for helping David. David, has never been anything but loyal to the king and has done everything to help Saul. The priests knew this and assumed he was continuing to do so when the met him.
Saul’s men knew not to turn against God’s priests but Doeg, who had been there when David was at the tabernacle, killed the priests on command. Whether it was loyalty, willing murder or fear that he would be the next target for not mentioning seeing David earlier, Doeg was now conspiring with the lunatic king in homicide.
In the meantime, David was attracting an army. 400 disaffected, endangered and indebted men had gathered with him in hiding and he became their commander. When the city of Keilah was under attack by the Philistines, David took his men to battle to protect the city. The men were afraid but trusted David who had inquired of God before moving to fight. The won the fight and when it was over and the men set out for new hiding David’s army was up to 600 men.
Saul continued to pursue David but the Lord would not let the king catch him. Jonathan encouraged David, the Lord guided him, spies and friends warned him of danger and God distracted the king when he got to close. Finally, David got the big chance. Saul went, alone, into the cave where David and his men were hiding. While Saul attended to (ahem) personal business, David had the chance to kill him. David cut the corner of Saul’s robe off without Saul noticing.
I can’t say I would have been so restrained. In my mind, if someone tries to kill you every time you meet, it’s a good idea to eliminate them the first chance you get. Saul had been anointed by God to be king and, while the Lord had taken that blessing and the right to be king away from him, David would not act against the one God had appointed as his ruler. God had appointed him and God would have to remove him. That was David’s view of the matter.
tomorrow: First Samuel 25-28
Friday, March 27, 2009
First Samuel 19-21
God’s message to me: Being chosen of God and serving God does not mean your life will be easy. In point of fact it may make you a target. God can and will protect you from His enemies and use you through adversity if you only continue to do what is right. When your enemies break every rule in the book to get at you, sticking to the rulebook yourself is often the best way to overcome them and win the hearts of those who matter.
Promises: God will provide your needs. When David arrived at the Tabernacle, he needed food and a weapon. The only food available was the show bread which was placed before God and not to be eaten by those outside the priesthood. The priest provided it to him and his men anyway. He also found that the sword of Goliath was kept at the temple. Not exactly a logical place to find it but God certainly placed it where David would find it when he needed it.
Commands: Asking is the best way to find and get what you need and want. God can protect you in battle and out. Running is sometimes the best way to survive. Following David’s activities you can see that God has no problem with people avoiding danger or arming themselves to face it. Remember, God called David a man after His own heart.
Timeless principles: God can reveal the secrets and conspiracies to those who do not see them. David set a simple test which Saul could easily pass. All the king had to do was play along with Jonathan’s deception and wait for David to return but he got so mad that he actually tried to kill Jonathan. Up to that point Jonathan believed David was being paranoid and the king wouldn’t hurt him. After that Jonathan had no doubt his father was out to kill his best friend.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Do the right thing even when it is difficult. Fear is not a sin. Retreat is always an option. Weapons are not evil. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. These may seem cliche but reading this passage you see David living up to all of them.
more to learn for in-depth study: Saul was of two minds when it came to David. One mind understood this young hero had done great things for him and his army and that he should be revered. He was Saul’s son-in-law and his son’s best friend. He was a general in Saul’s army and a famous hero. He was loyal and the only one who could soothe his spirit with the music he played. Unfortunately, Saul’s other mind tended to keep a spear on hand wherever he went and routinely tried to put that spear through David and into the wall behind him. He made a habit of sending others to capture David so he could be executed. This other mind was a mindless homicidal idiot.
God was with David and helped him escape assassination attempts then overwhelmed those who came to find him and turned them to the purpose of the Spirit of God to keep them from fulfilling the kings orders. Luckily for Jonathan, God seemed to make Saul a really bad spear thrower. He not only missed David on more than one occasion, but he also missed when he tried to kill his own son. The part of him that hated David was so strong that he wanted Jonathan dead for being his friend. Saul understood that David would be the next king and, wanting his own dynasty to continue, he thought he could undermine the will of God by killing David.
As I mentioned before, you can see some similarities to the story of Percival in king Arthur’s legend. On the run from Saul, David comes to the temple in search of food and arms. He takes the sword of Goliath which he had taken from the giant’s corpse when he killed him. Running to the king of Gath he found that his war record had given a false perception. People singing that “Saul has killed his thousands and David his tens of thousand” had caused outsiders to believe David was king. Since the king of a country was considered a high value target, David was afraid the former enemies would kill him on the spot and feigned insanity to avoid execution.
tomorrow: First Samuel 22-24
Promises: God will provide your needs. When David arrived at the Tabernacle, he needed food and a weapon. The only food available was the show bread which was placed before God and not to be eaten by those outside the priesthood. The priest provided it to him and his men anyway. He also found that the sword of Goliath was kept at the temple. Not exactly a logical place to find it but God certainly placed it where David would find it when he needed it.
Commands: Asking is the best way to find and get what you need and want. God can protect you in battle and out. Running is sometimes the best way to survive. Following David’s activities you can see that God has no problem with people avoiding danger or arming themselves to face it. Remember, God called David a man after His own heart.
Timeless principles: God can reveal the secrets and conspiracies to those who do not see them. David set a simple test which Saul could easily pass. All the king had to do was play along with Jonathan’s deception and wait for David to return but he got so mad that he actually tried to kill Jonathan. Up to that point Jonathan believed David was being paranoid and the king wouldn’t hurt him. After that Jonathan had no doubt his father was out to kill his best friend.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Do the right thing even when it is difficult. Fear is not a sin. Retreat is always an option. Weapons are not evil. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. These may seem cliche but reading this passage you see David living up to all of them.
more to learn for in-depth study: Saul was of two minds when it came to David. One mind understood this young hero had done great things for him and his army and that he should be revered. He was Saul’s son-in-law and his son’s best friend. He was a general in Saul’s army and a famous hero. He was loyal and the only one who could soothe his spirit with the music he played. Unfortunately, Saul’s other mind tended to keep a spear on hand wherever he went and routinely tried to put that spear through David and into the wall behind him. He made a habit of sending others to capture David so he could be executed. This other mind was a mindless homicidal idiot.
God was with David and helped him escape assassination attempts then overwhelmed those who came to find him and turned them to the purpose of the Spirit of God to keep them from fulfilling the kings orders. Luckily for Jonathan, God seemed to make Saul a really bad spear thrower. He not only missed David on more than one occasion, but he also missed when he tried to kill his own son. The part of him that hated David was so strong that he wanted Jonathan dead for being his friend. Saul understood that David would be the next king and, wanting his own dynasty to continue, he thought he could undermine the will of God by killing David.
As I mentioned before, you can see some similarities to the story of Percival in king Arthur’s legend. On the run from Saul, David comes to the temple in search of food and arms. He takes the sword of Goliath which he had taken from the giant’s corpse when he killed him. Running to the king of Gath he found that his war record had given a false perception. People singing that “Saul has killed his thousands and David his tens of thousand” had caused outsiders to believe David was king. Since the king of a country was considered a high value target, David was afraid the former enemies would kill him on the spot and feigned insanity to avoid execution.
tomorrow: First Samuel 22-24
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Judges 20-21
God’s message to me: Political correctness can convince us to sin. It’s one thing to recognize peoples right to live in sin and foolishness. It’s something else entirely to condone it, defend it, or accept it. This country maintains freedom for all at the expense of tolerating some foolishness. Tolerance of each others views is what allows us to maintain our freedom. However; no one has the right to be accepted, heard or have their view promoted over others.
Homosexuals have the right to live in their sin and Christians have the right to call it sin. Those who would count our biblical view as hatred and intolerance and would write laws forcing us to condone them are the enemies of God. Those who force us to pay for the murder of children through financing abortion and paying for fetal stem cell research are the enemies of God. Accepting their views and their laws without a fight is no better then the Benjamites protecting the Sons of Beliel whose practices resulted in a murder that brought the entire nation against them.
Promises: God will always fulfill His promises. Cutting off the tribe of Benjamin entirely would have breached the promise despite their sin. God kept the remnant to let the promise to that tribe live on.
Commands: Do Not tolerate, condone, except, defend, or sanction perversion and sin. The tribe of Benjamin tolerated perversion and defended the perverts and were nearly destroyed as a result.
Timeless principles: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke) Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14). “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing” Albert Einstein
The sins involved in the worship of false gods and the activities tolerated throughout Israel led to a complacence that allowed evil to persist in the land for years. It was the murder of one woman and the very public and shocking act of her husband that finally made the Israelites wake up to the problem.
The same complacency and acceptance of evil led the tribe of Benjamin to protect those who had committed evil in their midst. These murdering fools should have been hung in the streets by their own tribe and the problem would have been resolved but, instead, the Benjamites protected them and their right to be perverts. The result was the near complete destruction of the tribe.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Fight against the politically correct with everything you have. While some of it may seem eminently good the evil hidden within will destroy the country and all who live in it from the roots. There is a way which seems good to a man but it’s end is death.
more to learn for in-depth study: 400,000 Soldiers from the other 11 tribes came to the council that sent the army against Benjamin. In the first two days of battle 26,700 Benjamites brought punishment on the nation for letting things get so bad and 40,000 Israelit soldiers died on the field of battle. The same number as the council had decided to send to punish Benjamin. After that the Israelites decided to give a whole hearted effort and the Lord promised deliverance. 25,100 Benjamites were killed and 600 sent into hiding. All their cities and all the non-combatants in them were destroyed.
Like the Benjamites the people of Jabesh Giliad failed to condemn what had happened and join the battle. They too were marked for destruction and from their destruction came the beginning of a new hope for the remnant of Benjamin.
tomorrow: The book of Ruth
Homosexuals have the right to live in their sin and Christians have the right to call it sin. Those who would count our biblical view as hatred and intolerance and would write laws forcing us to condone them are the enemies of God. Those who force us to pay for the murder of children through financing abortion and paying for fetal stem cell research are the enemies of God. Accepting their views and their laws without a fight is no better then the Benjamites protecting the Sons of Beliel whose practices resulted in a murder that brought the entire nation against them.
Promises: God will always fulfill His promises. Cutting off the tribe of Benjamin entirely would have breached the promise despite their sin. God kept the remnant to let the promise to that tribe live on.
Commands: Do Not tolerate, condone, except, defend, or sanction perversion and sin. The tribe of Benjamin tolerated perversion and defended the perverts and were nearly destroyed as a result.
Timeless principles: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke) Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14). “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing” Albert Einstein
The sins involved in the worship of false gods and the activities tolerated throughout Israel led to a complacence that allowed evil to persist in the land for years. It was the murder of one woman and the very public and shocking act of her husband that finally made the Israelites wake up to the problem.
The same complacency and acceptance of evil led the tribe of Benjamin to protect those who had committed evil in their midst. These murdering fools should have been hung in the streets by their own tribe and the problem would have been resolved but, instead, the Benjamites protected them and their right to be perverts. The result was the near complete destruction of the tribe.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Fight against the politically correct with everything you have. While some of it may seem eminently good the evil hidden within will destroy the country and all who live in it from the roots. There is a way which seems good to a man but it’s end is death.
more to learn for in-depth study: 400,000 Soldiers from the other 11 tribes came to the council that sent the army against Benjamin. In the first two days of battle 26,700 Benjamites brought punishment on the nation for letting things get so bad and 40,000 Israelit soldiers died on the field of battle. The same number as the council had decided to send to punish Benjamin. After that the Israelites decided to give a whole hearted effort and the Lord promised deliverance. 25,100 Benjamites were killed and 600 sent into hiding. All their cities and all the non-combatants in them were destroyed.
Like the Benjamites the people of Jabesh Giliad failed to condemn what had happened and join the battle. They too were marked for destruction and from their destruction came the beginning of a new hope for the remnant of Benjamin.
tomorrow: The book of Ruth
Friday, February 27, 2009
Deuteronomy 18-21
God’s message to me: Many are turned to false beliefs by unintentional lies. They are told that fortune tellers and mediums are all fakes and witchcraft has no power. When they learn this isn’t true they seek the truth the wrong way.
King Saul went to see a witch who was a medium. The spirits warned her he was the king of Israel and she called up the ghost of a prophet of God who told Saul what would happen to him for disobeying God. These were real things but they were not God’s way of doing things which is why they were wrong. People think they can employ fortune telling, astrology, witchcraft and other things in the service of God. God has forbidden these things to His people and so they are wrong.
Promises: God will give you victory over your enemies if you simply follow His rules of engagement. Offering peace to the enemy does not mean offering surrender to their views. In fact it means the opposite. When offering peace it is in exchange for surrender to you.
It makes no sense to demand Israel offer land in exchange for peace with those who want them destroyed. The results of such folly are always the same and can be seen in Gaza. Israel left Gaza and everything they built there. The Palestinians could simply come in and run the businesses and use the supplies to create one of the most popular and prosperous tourist traps on the planet. Instead they used the land to launch rockets at Israel for the entire 3 years of the ceasefire until Israel, at the end of the ceasefire, went back in and stopped them.
It should have gone like this. If “Palestinians” want peace, they must immediately surrender and end all hostile actions. They must pay taxes to the Israeli Government and make themselves subject to that government. Any attempt to resume hostilities will result in immediate and total annihilation of the hostile force.
Commands: Forget all the false paths offered by the New Age religions which are really nothing but recycled paganism. Follow what God has told us to do and how God has told us to worship. It is true that some in the past have used these other ways in their worship of God and it is also true that they are no longer among us. That is because they did what was wrong, no matter the reason. Jewish astrology, Christian mediums, Godly psychics, etc. they are all false paths which need to be ignored in favor of what the bible tells us to do.
Timeless principles: When a person uses fraud to gain another's property or have another person punished for something they didn’t do then the person using fraud should have done to him what he intended to do to the other.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: There are a number of subjects here but eh key one is in regard to worship. Worship only as God has commanded and do not try to “improve” your worship by following the rituals of others. God has laid down specifically how he wants us to worship Him and made it clear that going outside those guidelines is the path to death.
more to learn for in-depth study: Another test of false prophets. What they predict does not come true. Prophecy is not an either/or situation. It happens. God’s prophecies have always been fulfilled and fulfilled literally. He doesn’t “prophecy” what will happen “if”. His prophecies are what will happen and why. If a prophecy doesn’t come true it is not of God. Remember also that a prophecy that does come true but is intended to make you do something god otherwise forbids then it is a test and you should still not sin by doing what God has forbidden.
The refuge cities were given for protection of those who did not kill intentionally. Israel was also commanded to build highways to these cities so that the person running for his life would find his was easily and quickly.
DETERRENTS They claim that the death penalty does not deter crime but, statistics show a marked decrease in crime where civilians are permitted to carry and use weapons in defending themselves and a further decrease where the castle doctrine allows people to protect their property. If the death penalty and prison terms are not deterrents why do criminals go so far to avoid getting hurt or killed. Homes where the owner is known to be armed are less likely to be burglarized than those without a gun. The young hoods targeting German tourists in Florida did so because local residents had the right to carry guns and they didn’t want to get shot. When the bible talks of putting evil away from yourself and ensuring that those remaining hear and fear it is talking about deterrents. Such deterrents are the key to maintaining civilized behavior, not the sign of uncivilized behavior.
HE WHO IS HANGED IS CURSED OF GOD. If a hanged man remains in the tree overnight the land surrounding is cursed. This law is VITAL. Christ was hung on a cross and made a curse for our sake. Judas hung himself at sunset and wasn’t found until morning. The land was cursed and could not be used for farming so it was purchased as a graveyard. That land belonged to a potter which is where we get the term “potter’s field” to refer to the grave yard used for burying the poor and indigent.
Innocent blood must be avenged. If the guilty cannot be determined then a sacrifice was made by the elders of the nearest city. Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins but, the duty of government to uphold the law and protect society does not change. It is still the responsibility of Government to punish crime. While we are taught to turn the other cheek our government authorities are told to punish the persecutor and the persecutor is warned that “if thou doest evil, be very afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain” regarding government agents and law enforcement.
Blessing of war:
hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Who goes to war:
new home owners who have yet to dedicate their house do not
those who have planted a new vineyard and not tasted of it’s produce do not
men engaged to be married do not
anyone afraid to go into battle does not go
Rules of engagement:
Always offer peace first in exchange for surrender placing them under tribute
Cities outside the land of inheritance which choose to fight will be conquered and the fighting men killed with the plunder of the city taken as a gift from God.
Cities within the promised land that fight will be utterly destroyed with all people killed.
Never use food trees for siege works. Only trees not useful for food can be used to build siege works and all food trees are to be left intact.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 22-25
King Saul went to see a witch who was a medium. The spirits warned her he was the king of Israel and she called up the ghost of a prophet of God who told Saul what would happen to him for disobeying God. These were real things but they were not God’s way of doing things which is why they were wrong. People think they can employ fortune telling, astrology, witchcraft and other things in the service of God. God has forbidden these things to His people and so they are wrong.
Promises: God will give you victory over your enemies if you simply follow His rules of engagement. Offering peace to the enemy does not mean offering surrender to their views. In fact it means the opposite. When offering peace it is in exchange for surrender to you.
It makes no sense to demand Israel offer land in exchange for peace with those who want them destroyed. The results of such folly are always the same and can be seen in Gaza. Israel left Gaza and everything they built there. The Palestinians could simply come in and run the businesses and use the supplies to create one of the most popular and prosperous tourist traps on the planet. Instead they used the land to launch rockets at Israel for the entire 3 years of the ceasefire until Israel, at the end of the ceasefire, went back in and stopped them.
It should have gone like this. If “Palestinians” want peace, they must immediately surrender and end all hostile actions. They must pay taxes to the Israeli Government and make themselves subject to that government. Any attempt to resume hostilities will result in immediate and total annihilation of the hostile force.
Commands: Forget all the false paths offered by the New Age religions which are really nothing but recycled paganism. Follow what God has told us to do and how God has told us to worship. It is true that some in the past have used these other ways in their worship of God and it is also true that they are no longer among us. That is because they did what was wrong, no matter the reason. Jewish astrology, Christian mediums, Godly psychics, etc. they are all false paths which need to be ignored in favor of what the bible tells us to do.
Timeless principles: When a person uses fraud to gain another's property or have another person punished for something they didn’t do then the person using fraud should have done to him what he intended to do to the other.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: There are a number of subjects here but eh key one is in regard to worship. Worship only as God has commanded and do not try to “improve” your worship by following the rituals of others. God has laid down specifically how he wants us to worship Him and made it clear that going outside those guidelines is the path to death.
more to learn for in-depth study: Another test of false prophets. What they predict does not come true. Prophecy is not an either/or situation. It happens. God’s prophecies have always been fulfilled and fulfilled literally. He doesn’t “prophecy” what will happen “if”. His prophecies are what will happen and why. If a prophecy doesn’t come true it is not of God. Remember also that a prophecy that does come true but is intended to make you do something god otherwise forbids then it is a test and you should still not sin by doing what God has forbidden.
The refuge cities were given for protection of those who did not kill intentionally. Israel was also commanded to build highways to these cities so that the person running for his life would find his was easily and quickly.
DETERRENTS They claim that the death penalty does not deter crime but, statistics show a marked decrease in crime where civilians are permitted to carry and use weapons in defending themselves and a further decrease where the castle doctrine allows people to protect their property. If the death penalty and prison terms are not deterrents why do criminals go so far to avoid getting hurt or killed. Homes where the owner is known to be armed are less likely to be burglarized than those without a gun. The young hoods targeting German tourists in Florida did so because local residents had the right to carry guns and they didn’t want to get shot. When the bible talks of putting evil away from yourself and ensuring that those remaining hear and fear it is talking about deterrents. Such deterrents are the key to maintaining civilized behavior, not the sign of uncivilized behavior.
HE WHO IS HANGED IS CURSED OF GOD. If a hanged man remains in the tree overnight the land surrounding is cursed. This law is VITAL. Christ was hung on a cross and made a curse for our sake. Judas hung himself at sunset and wasn’t found until morning. The land was cursed and could not be used for farming so it was purchased as a graveyard. That land belonged to a potter which is where we get the term “potter’s field” to refer to the grave yard used for burying the poor and indigent.
Innocent blood must be avenged. If the guilty cannot be determined then a sacrifice was made by the elders of the nearest city. Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins but, the duty of government to uphold the law and protect society does not change. It is still the responsibility of Government to punish crime. While we are taught to turn the other cheek our government authorities are told to punish the persecutor and the persecutor is warned that “if thou doest evil, be very afraid, for he bareth not the sword in vain” regarding government agents and law enforcement.
Blessing of war:
hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
Who goes to war:
new home owners who have yet to dedicate their house do not
those who have planted a new vineyard and not tasted of it’s produce do not
men engaged to be married do not
anyone afraid to go into battle does not go
Rules of engagement:
Always offer peace first in exchange for surrender placing them under tribute
Cities outside the land of inheritance which choose to fight will be conquered and the fighting men killed with the plunder of the city taken as a gift from God.
Cities within the promised land that fight will be utterly destroyed with all people killed.
Never use food trees for siege works. Only trees not useful for food can be used to build siege works and all food trees are to be left intact.
tomorrow: Deuteronomy 22-25
Friday, February 20, 2009
Numbers 33-35
God’s message to me: Capital punishment is not in violation of God’s law. This has been repeated a couple of times now beginning with Cain and Able and being made clear to Noah after the flood. If a man spills the blood of another then that man’s blood will be shed by man. A fancy way of saying that if you kill someone society has the right to have someone kill you. In this passage God clarifies the concept with rules of evidence, degree of the crime and an appeals process.
Promises: Everyone has an inheritance. While the Levites were not given a tribal homeland they were granted cities and common lands within the territory of the other tribes which were under their control as an inheritance. This ensured that representatives of the priesthood and temple workers were available to all the people of the land without having to travel long distances to a central location of the tribe. This land belonged to the tribe of Levi as an inheritance and could not be taken even as the tribal lands of the other tribes belonged to them forever.
Commands: Keep a record. This command applied directly to the people of the time and ensured a written record of events. This record is known as the Bible and, more specific to this instance, the Torah or the first five books of the bible commonly called the books of Moses.
Timeless principles: The court of Appeal for homicide. The crime of homicide includes anything which causes a human being to die as the result of another human beings actions. This is the charge brought against a person who kills an intruder in their home. “Justifiable Homicide” is the finding for police officers and civilians who kill a person in the course of protecting themselves or others. Murder is unjustifiable and intentional homicide. Vehicular manslaughter is criminal killing with a vehicle while vehicular homicide includes accidental killing with a vehicle. These concepts date to the time of the Exodus and beyond.
When a person killed another they could not be convicted without the testimony of at least 2 witnesses. Conviction didn’t necessarily include a court. If there were 2 witnesses to state that a murder had occurred the “avenger of blood”(a family member or other person close to the victim)was duty bound to hunt down and kill the murderer. Someone who killed another would be wise to flee to a city of refuge. The avenger would come to the city council and present the evidence of the killing. The council acted as an appellate court to decide if the killing was an accident or a murder. If they decided accidental then the killer could take refuge in the city to avoid death. If they found him guilty of murder they would turn the killer over to the avenger who would kill him.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Understand that God ensured we would have an accurate written record of these events. Accept that the concept of this being an oral tradition subject to interpretation and mistakes is a lie. Remember that this is God’s word and that God made certain we would have it, in it’s entirety and in accurate form.
Remember that the entire bible, and not selected passages, constitutes God’s view of things. You shall not commit murder doesn’t mean we can’t execute certain criminals or that we should not go to war.
more to learn for in-depth study: Numbers33:2 “Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the Lord. And these are their journeys according to their starting point:” I know I harp on this subject a lot but many of the people who were most influential in my youth still believe this is an inaccurate history based on oral traditions. These are people who have been in the church for most of their life and have taught the bible to others. These are people who have been Christians for a very long time and still undermine their own testimony by not knowing the truth. God ordered that this be kept as a written record and Moses wrote it down. There is plenty of archaeological evidence that writing such a cuneiform existed at least from the flood and possibly before. Written accounts of the history that predated Moses were likely to exist, particularly starting with Joseph as the prime minister of Egypt. Even so, The number of generations through which the tradition would have been passed coupled with the number of years each generation had to ensure it’s accurate transmission and combined with the tradition of creating the histories in verse and in songs to ensure accurate memorization minimizes any chance of inaccuracy. Taken with the fact that the bible has proven accurate enough to hold up under legal and historical scrutiny better than any other document of Antiquity and this theory of inaccurate transmission fails completely.
We will go over the path of the Exodus in a separate entry since it will take some time and space I’d rather not waste while preparing the usual study.
Fun Fact: Levite cities existed in every tribal area. These cities were surrounded by a buffer zone of just over 5 1/2 miles that were left to the Levites control. An area stretching to just under 3 miles from the city was considered common land for the Levites to keep their livestock and farms.
tomorrow: Numbers 36
Promises: Everyone has an inheritance. While the Levites were not given a tribal homeland they were granted cities and common lands within the territory of the other tribes which were under their control as an inheritance. This ensured that representatives of the priesthood and temple workers were available to all the people of the land without having to travel long distances to a central location of the tribe. This land belonged to the tribe of Levi as an inheritance and could not be taken even as the tribal lands of the other tribes belonged to them forever.
Commands: Keep a record. This command applied directly to the people of the time and ensured a written record of events. This record is known as the Bible and, more specific to this instance, the Torah or the first five books of the bible commonly called the books of Moses.
Timeless principles: The court of Appeal for homicide. The crime of homicide includes anything which causes a human being to die as the result of another human beings actions. This is the charge brought against a person who kills an intruder in their home. “Justifiable Homicide” is the finding for police officers and civilians who kill a person in the course of protecting themselves or others. Murder is unjustifiable and intentional homicide. Vehicular manslaughter is criminal killing with a vehicle while vehicular homicide includes accidental killing with a vehicle. These concepts date to the time of the Exodus and beyond.
When a person killed another they could not be convicted without the testimony of at least 2 witnesses. Conviction didn’t necessarily include a court. If there were 2 witnesses to state that a murder had occurred the “avenger of blood”(a family member or other person close to the victim)was duty bound to hunt down and kill the murderer. Someone who killed another would be wise to flee to a city of refuge. The avenger would come to the city council and present the evidence of the killing. The council acted as an appellate court to decide if the killing was an accident or a murder. If they decided accidental then the killer could take refuge in the city to avoid death. If they found him guilty of murder they would turn the killer over to the avenger who would kill him.
How can I apply what I’ve learned: Understand that God ensured we would have an accurate written record of these events. Accept that the concept of this being an oral tradition subject to interpretation and mistakes is a lie. Remember that this is God’s word and that God made certain we would have it, in it’s entirety and in accurate form.
Remember that the entire bible, and not selected passages, constitutes God’s view of things. You shall not commit murder doesn’t mean we can’t execute certain criminals or that we should not go to war.
more to learn for in-depth study: Numbers33:2 “Now Moses wrote down the starting points of their journeys at the command of the Lord. And these are their journeys according to their starting point:” I know I harp on this subject a lot but many of the people who were most influential in my youth still believe this is an inaccurate history based on oral traditions. These are people who have been in the church for most of their life and have taught the bible to others. These are people who have been Christians for a very long time and still undermine their own testimony by not knowing the truth. God ordered that this be kept as a written record and Moses wrote it down. There is plenty of archaeological evidence that writing such a cuneiform existed at least from the flood and possibly before. Written accounts of the history that predated Moses were likely to exist, particularly starting with Joseph as the prime minister of Egypt. Even so, The number of generations through which the tradition would have been passed coupled with the number of years each generation had to ensure it’s accurate transmission and combined with the tradition of creating the histories in verse and in songs to ensure accurate memorization minimizes any chance of inaccuracy. Taken with the fact that the bible has proven accurate enough to hold up under legal and historical scrutiny better than any other document of Antiquity and this theory of inaccurate transmission fails completely.
We will go over the path of the Exodus in a separate entry since it will take some time and space I’d rather not waste while preparing the usual study.
Fun Fact: Levite cities existed in every tribal area. These cities were surrounded by a buffer zone of just over 5 1/2 miles that were left to the Levites control. An area stretching to just under 3 miles from the city was considered common land for the Levites to keep their livestock and farms.
tomorrow: Numbers 36
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Exodus chapters 19-21
God’s message to me: God created all law, both criminal and civil, understanding His law makes other laws understood and give you a basis to judge those laws for their good or evil.
Promises: Honoring your father and mother brings the blessing of long life.
Commands: 10 Big Ones
1) You shall have no other gods before me
2) You shall make no carved image to bow down to
3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
4) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5) Honor your father and mother
6) You shall not commit murder
7) You shall not commit adultery
8) You shall not steal
9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
10) You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s
There is more, I put it in the in-depth study
Timeless principles: Everyone claims to want God to speak to them. When they do hear Him they fear Him. Most will prefer to have someone else pass His message to them because they can’t handle hearing them themselves. The fact is, it’s a lot easier to ignore the message from a man without fear. When you hear it directly from God the penalty for ignoring it becomes all to clear. People can’t handle the that idea. That’s why they go to church on Sunday morning then let their bible collect dust all week. It’s easy to forget what the preacher said when your out doing things you shouldn’t. Ignoring God is much harder. Preachers might misinterpret, they might be overzealous, they might be just plain wrong. When you hear it directly from God you are (as a friend wrote on his blog) without excuse.
more to learn for in-depth stdy: Guod neither needs nor desires any icons. In fact He commands us not to make any image to be with him. He went so far as to command that the alter of sacrifice be made of dirt and not carved ornately. Any stone alter was to be made of uncut stone with no engraving. nothing was to be made ornate or symbolic for worship because of the potential of making the symbol more important than God. This problem continues today as great works of architecture and art are created with the goal of Honoring God and end up being admired and worshiped above God. How many times have you heard about people praying to a statue or image because it appeared at random or the statue cried. The second commandment condemns this.
Slavery was a 6 year term at best. On the seventh year the slave was freed unless he chose to stay . if he chose to stay he was, essentially, part of the family. A man selling his daughter did so as a bride. if the purchasing man did not take her as wife he had to give her back and had no right to sell her to anyone but her family. If he took her for his son then they followed tradition. She might go to another son and if she had no opportunity to raise up an heir with one of the boys then she would live as if she had been widowed. Multiple wives was common enough in those days but all the wives had to be treated equally. Fail to treat your earlier wife as well as before and she had the right to leave. No payment, no divorce no nothing, just split because you treated her unfairly.
Homicide is Homicide. Kill a man and you will be killed. The death penalty dates back to Cain and Able, though God gave Cain a reprieve. If it wasn’t a planned ambush you might find appeal in a city of refuge but, if premeditation is proven, the appeal is lost and you get killed. Kill your servant/slave. You’re still facing punishment. Cause a miscarriage or premature birth ending in the death of the child, you get put to death.
Honor they father an mother goes farther here. Curse or Hit your mom or dad and you face the death penalty.
Civil penalties are covered. If you hurt but don’t kill you owe the man for lost time when he recovers.
Cause a premature birth but don’t kill the baby. The husband gets to decide your punishment in addition to the judge fining you. If the baby is harmed but not killed, the eye for an eye principle. Any harm done to the baby will be done to you.
Mess with a bull and you get the horns but, the bull gets stoned to death. if the bull was in the habit of attacking and the owner didn’t try to keep it secured then the owner can get the death penalty. He may avoid the death penalty by paying a redemption. Whatever amount is ordered, that is what he pays or else he dies. Slaves can be redeemed for 30 shekels of silver.
If you dig a hole and don’t protect it you are liable for the cost of animals that fall in it. If Your bull kills another animal you split the money for the live bull and split the remains of the dead animal. If you didn’t restrain a bull known to attack then, you must replace the dead animal.
Reading assignment: Exodus chapters 22-24
Since I forgot to mention it yesterday, look at Exodus 17:14. As you can see God commanded Moses to put things in writing even before He wrote the 10 commandments. Oral tradition is not the only history the Israelites had.
Promises: Honoring your father and mother brings the blessing of long life.
Commands: 10 Big Ones
1) You shall have no other gods before me
2) You shall make no carved image to bow down to
3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
4) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5) Honor your father and mother
6) You shall not commit murder
7) You shall not commit adultery
8) You shall not steal
9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
10) You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s
There is more, I put it in the in-depth study
Timeless principles: Everyone claims to want God to speak to them. When they do hear Him they fear Him. Most will prefer to have someone else pass His message to them because they can’t handle hearing them themselves. The fact is, it’s a lot easier to ignore the message from a man without fear. When you hear it directly from God the penalty for ignoring it becomes all to clear. People can’t handle the that idea. That’s why they go to church on Sunday morning then let their bible collect dust all week. It’s easy to forget what the preacher said when your out doing things you shouldn’t. Ignoring God is much harder. Preachers might misinterpret, they might be overzealous, they might be just plain wrong. When you hear it directly from God you are (as a friend wrote on his blog) without excuse.
more to learn for in-depth stdy: Guod neither needs nor desires any icons. In fact He commands us not to make any image to be with him. He went so far as to command that the alter of sacrifice be made of dirt and not carved ornately. Any stone alter was to be made of uncut stone with no engraving. nothing was to be made ornate or symbolic for worship because of the potential of making the symbol more important than God. This problem continues today as great works of architecture and art are created with the goal of Honoring God and end up being admired and worshiped above God. How many times have you heard about people praying to a statue or image because it appeared at random or the statue cried. The second commandment condemns this.
Slavery was a 6 year term at best. On the seventh year the slave was freed unless he chose to stay . if he chose to stay he was, essentially, part of the family. A man selling his daughter did so as a bride. if the purchasing man did not take her as wife he had to give her back and had no right to sell her to anyone but her family. If he took her for his son then they followed tradition. She might go to another son and if she had no opportunity to raise up an heir with one of the boys then she would live as if she had been widowed. Multiple wives was common enough in those days but all the wives had to be treated equally. Fail to treat your earlier wife as well as before and she had the right to leave. No payment, no divorce no nothing, just split because you treated her unfairly.
Homicide is Homicide. Kill a man and you will be killed. The death penalty dates back to Cain and Able, though God gave Cain a reprieve. If it wasn’t a planned ambush you might find appeal in a city of refuge but, if premeditation is proven, the appeal is lost and you get killed. Kill your servant/slave. You’re still facing punishment. Cause a miscarriage or premature birth ending in the death of the child, you get put to death.
Honor they father an mother goes farther here. Curse or Hit your mom or dad and you face the death penalty.
Civil penalties are covered. If you hurt but don’t kill you owe the man for lost time when he recovers.
Cause a premature birth but don’t kill the baby. The husband gets to decide your punishment in addition to the judge fining you. If the baby is harmed but not killed, the eye for an eye principle. Any harm done to the baby will be done to you.
Mess with a bull and you get the horns but, the bull gets stoned to death. if the bull was in the habit of attacking and the owner didn’t try to keep it secured then the owner can get the death penalty. He may avoid the death penalty by paying a redemption. Whatever amount is ordered, that is what he pays or else he dies. Slaves can be redeemed for 30 shekels of silver.
If you dig a hole and don’t protect it you are liable for the cost of animals that fall in it. If Your bull kills another animal you split the money for the live bull and split the remains of the dead animal. If you didn’t restrain a bull known to attack then, you must replace the dead animal.
Reading assignment: Exodus chapters 22-24
Since I forgot to mention it yesterday, look at Exodus 17:14. As you can see God commanded Moses to put things in writing even before He wrote the 10 commandments. Oral tradition is not the only history the Israelites had.
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