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Is The Taking The Life During WAR or DEATH PENALTY Wrong?
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Lots of people make the mistake of what the Bible says, “You shall not kill,” and then seeking to apply this command to war or the death penalty. However, the Hebrew word literally means “the intentional, premeditated killing of another person with malice; murder.”
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
The Almighty often ordered the Israelites to go to war with other nations. The Almighty ordered the death penalty for numerous crimes.
1Sa 15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
Jos 4:13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before YHWH unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Exo 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exo 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
So, The Almighty is not against killing in all circumstances, but only murder. War is never a good thing, but sometimes it is a necessary thing. In a world filled with sinful people, war is inevitable...
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after Elohim.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Rom 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Rom 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Rom 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of Elohim before their eyes.
On many occasions YHWH ordered his people to go to war...
Num 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
Deu 20:16 But of the cities of these people, which YHWH thy Elohim doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as YHWH thy Elohim hath commanded thee:
1Sa 15:18 And YHWH sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
It is an error to say that YHWH never supports a war. Yahushua is not a pacifist. In a world filled with evil people, sometimes war is necessary to prevent even greater evil. If Hitler had not been defeated by World War II, how many more millions would have been killed? If the American Civil War had not been fought, how much longer would African-Americans have had to suffer as slaves?
It's very obvious that YHWH is not against war and His Son Yahushua is always in agreement with Him, therefore the argument that war was only for the old testament can not be made because YHWH never changes!
Exo 15:3 YHWH is a man of war: YHWH is his name.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Mal 3:6 For I am YHWH, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
The most important thing A BELIEVER can be doing in a time of war is to be praying for YHWH's wisdom for our leaders, praying for the safety of our military, praying for quick resolution to conflicts, and praying for a minimum of casualties among civilians on both sides.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto YHWH.
Php 4:7 And the peace of YHWH, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through the Messiah Yahushua.
As for capital punishment, THE DEATH PENALTY, it is YHWH that instituted it!
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of Elohim made he man.
YHWH has the highest standard of any being. He is PERFECT. This standard applies not only to us but to Himself. Therefore, He loves to an infinite degree, and He has mercy to an infinite degree. We also see that He has wrath to an infinite degree, and it is all maintained in a perfect balance.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of YHWH: the powers that be are ordained of YHWH.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of YHWH: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of YHWH to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of YHWH, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are YHWH's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Believers should never rejoice when the death penalty is employed or a choice is made to go to war, but at the same time, Believers should not fight against the government’s right to execute the perpetrators of the most evil of crimes or going to war!
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