By Douglas K. Wilson, Ph.D.
Dean of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
God Values Life
Deuteronomy 5:17, 19:4–13
Deuteronomy records a series of messages delivered by Moses to the second generation of adults coming out of Egypt. The first generation died in the wilderness as a result of their rejection of God’s directions and Moses as God’s spokesman.
This next generation would receive the commandments (Deut. 5) and they would be instructed to be intentional about passing on these commands of God to their children (Deut. 6:4–9). Our lesson begins with the commandments.
The 20th century saw the cheapening of human life on an unprecedented scale. The rise of atheistic Communism and social Darwinism saw the rejection of humanity as God’s image-bearers and the worth of individuals reduced to evolved primates.
Since the growing mindset was that human beings had no inherent value, eugenics and physiological experimentation — condemned when the Germans did it — became socially and politically acceptable.
A decade after ending public school-sponsored prayer and Bible reading, the biblical position that human life begins at conception (Ps. 139:13–16) was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in January 1973.
Over the past 47 years, more than 60 million Americans have been legally terminated by American doctors — most before they were born.
This silent holocaust is 10 times greater than the Jewish holocaust. And this does not even account for abortions and euthanasia globally.
Murder Prohibited (5:17)
God’s commandment is clear: “You will not murder.” Classical Hebrew has several verbs which can mean “kill,” including words for execution for a capital crime, wartime death and accidental manslaughter.
The permanent prohibition in this verse could be translated as: “You shall never murder.” This commandment is the first of five consecutive prohibitions affecting other human beings: never murder, never commit adultery, never steal, never bear false witness and never covet.
The intentional taking of a human life is never victimless; humans die, whether we see the evidence or not.
Grace Extended (19:4–10)
This commandment allows room for follow-up questions: What about war? What about the death penalty? These are legitimate questions which arise in a discussion about abortion and euthanasia.
First, we need to recognize that in the Old Testament, God initiated punishment for taking another human life (Gen. 9:5–6). Second, Jesus and the Apostle Paul address the reality of death due to war (Luke 14:31) or punishment for criminal activity (Rom. 13:4).
What about accidental death? The Mosaic law provides stipulations for a person who unintentionally causes the death of another human being. Certain “cities of refuge” were established in the event of such an occurrence, like when an ax-head flies off the handle and strikes down another man. The unintended killer could preserve his own life by fleeing to a city of refuge.
If the elders of the city determined the death to have been an accident, then the man seeking refuge would be safe in the city. Even in the law, God revealed Himself as gracious (Ex. 34:6) and He expected His people to extend grace through the cities of refuge.
Justice Expected (19:11–13)
If it was determined that a man seeking refuge actually committed murder, then justice would be served. He would be handed over to “the avenger of blood,” whose responsibility it was to punish the man for his crime. Once again, we see the character of God revealed here (Ex. 34:7).
In Christ’s death and resurrection, we see the grace and the justice of God displayed together. Someone must die for the sins we commit. After all, when we break one part of the law we have broken the whole law (James 2:10).
By contrast, God extended His grace by offering forgiveness to all who believe in Jesus, repent of sin and trust Him as Lord.
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