Today we finish the fourth book of the Bible. Most people stop reading while still in the Book of Genesis. The main reasons include lack of relevance, boredom and not understanding what they are reading. I hope sharing my thoughts with you, even when you may not agree with my perspective, is helping you stay engaged.
Our actions impact others
In chapter 35, we read that there are to be six cities of refuge. These are places where someone can flee when being pursued for killing someone unintentionally. We call that manslaughter. It is tragic, but it happens.
When I was recovering from my car wreck, I shared a room with a local celebrity. While feeling depressed, he had walked in front of a vehicle. I felt great contempt for anyone who would put the driver of that car through the guilt and trauma they suffered. He was oblivious to the impact his actions had on anyone other than himself.
Now imagine if he would have perished. Lack of sufficient evidence may have proven the guilt of a criminal conviction. Fortunately, there were no charges, and he survived.
The Bible clearly states that any intentional killing constitutes murder, and the avenger of blood shall put any murderer to death. This is not a job I would relish. I agree with the death penalty, but the weight of taking life after life would have to be heavy.
Keeping the law
There were only six refuge cities, three on each side of the Jordan. Was it that people would flee across the river for protection, or was there more killing on the west side? Only two and a half tribes chose not to cross. Was their unwillingness to follow God’s earlier command reflected in continued lawlessness?
This bothers me about immigrants to the U.S. I have family members whose families were immigrant farmers. When they came here, they did everything necessary to become citizens and have all become significant members of their communities.
I appreciate anyone seeking an opportunity for a better life. America’s founders established it as the land of such opportunity.
When an individual has already established a lack of respect for the law, why do we believe they will become law abiding after getting here? It would be like a carnivore saying if we give him one cow, he will become a vegetarian. This lacks logic.
Grace is the answer
Verse 35:31 tells us to not accept a ransom for the life of a murder. Only Jesus can pay a ransom for such a sinner. Aside from that, we must execute them. Some states have prisons filled with murderers who have been there for decades and will be for more. This is not pursuing God’s will, but the will of man.
Verse 33 says we should not pollute our lands with bloodshed. The text says that tolerating such activity prevents atonement for these places. This is another example of how men like to usurp God.
These were old testament teachings, but God has not changed. He provided Jesus as a fulfillment of the Law. All people can receive forgiveness because of grace.
While this means that we no longer have to marry within our clan, like Zelophehad’s daughters. I believe we take more liberty with this than we should. Only Jesus can pay the ransom for the murderers, and there are many serving life sentences who want nothing to do with Jesus.
They have not received eternal forgiveness, nor should they in this life. We must try to introduce them to Jesus, but when they reject Him, that is their choice and the consequences are their own.
