Proverbs Pt. 25 God hates murder.

Tonight we are receiving some much needed rain. We are thankful for the refreshment that it brings. 

Proverbs 6:16-19  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. 

We are pressing onward in our study of the seven things that God hates. The first three items singled out on this list are all connected to Satan. Pride ultimately resulted in Lucifer's expulsion from the presence of God. Satan is identified as the father of lies and his lying tongue resulted in mankind falling into sin. Today we will look at murder and see its connection to the devil.

Satan was murderous from the beginning.

John 8:44 - Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was at the feast of tabernacles which was a celebration at the same time the religious leaders were planning to kill Him. He addressed them directly and told them Satan was their father because he was the first murderer. Therefore, their plot to murder the Messiah was a reflection of who their father really was. 

Genesis 3:4-7  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7)And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 

Satan lied to Eve  and contradicted what God said by saying that she would not die if she ate fruit from the tree God said not to eat. Adam and Eve did not die immediately but they surely did die. Also, their relationship with God died because of sin and it would never be the same as it originally was. 

Genesis 4:8  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 

The impact of Satan as a murderer from the beginning is seen in Genesis 4 where Cain and Abel made an offering to God. However only Abel's offering was accepted by God because it met His requirements. What did Cain do? He murdered his brother and this is directly related to Satan enticing Eve to sin. 

Death became part of the human experience.

Genesis 5:5  And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. 

Genesis 5 through 9 is a genealogy of human history from Adam through Noah. The phrase "and he died" is used 9 times in these chapters.  They died because Satan deceived Eve into sinning and death became part of the human experience. The Bible says "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and all mankind has sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Sin is devastating. It is the reason that there is so much hardship and difficulties in life. Every one of us is born to die. That is, our body is on a trajectory toward death the moment we are born. This is the impact of sin on the human race. Paul used an economic term in saying sin has wages that will be paid out. The payday of sin is death. 

All people are dead in sins until they are born again.

Ephesians 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Ephesians 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Colossians 2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

The texts above from the Apostle Paul show us that each born again believer used to be an unbeliever who was dead in trespasses and sins. It takes the mighty power of God to impart spiritual life to those who are spiritually dead. 

The Good News of Eternal life through Jesus Christ.

John 3:16-21  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. 

This text contains probably the clearest, most succinct explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God so loved the world that He set His plan of redemption in motion before He created anything and before man fell into sin. 

The wages of sin is death and Jesus Christ came to satisfy the holy law of God in every respect and then He voluntarily gave up His life on the cross to pay for our sins. Christ had power to lay His life down on the cross and to take it up again at His resurrection (John 10:17-18).

The gospel is exclusive in that mankind can come to God only through Jesus Christ and none other. Yet, it is inclusive in that the world (all people) can respond to the gospel and be saved. 

Those who remain in unbelief are still dead in trespasses and sins and are under condemnation from God. Why do people reject the gospel? Because men love darkness rather than light. Their deeds are evil.

Those who believe are no longer under the condemnation of God because of faith in Jesus Christ. They have come from darkness into light. They are empowered to do truth by living according to gospel truth. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

God hates murder and murder is all around us. Popular culture (movies, music & TV) glorifies gratuitous death and dismemberment.  

Matthew 15:18-19  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 

What about people who think murderous thoughts toward someone else? Jesus taught that evil thinking precedes evil acts that can include murder. Some people hate others based upon their race, religion, ethnicity, faith, vocation or a host of other reasons. We have seen many instances of ethnic cleansing in other nations based upon parameters noted above. 

Satan is the original liar and original murderer. He hates you and me and will do all that he can to end our life before we have a chance to hear the gospel and be born again. 

I pray that we will stand with God and hate the things that He hates and do our best to be witnesses to people who do not know the Lord. 

Bob