(Exodus) Exodus 21:12-25

Now, we have here a series of laws that have to do with injuries to a person. I think it's well to note this, verse 12, "...he that smiteth a man so that he die shall be surely put to death." Now, this is the basis for capital punishment. Now, great many today, especially these young people, have been fed a bunch of malarkey today, a bunch of propaganda, and they are told that thou shall not kill means you can't become a soldier.

May I say that the Lord says that a government has a perfect right. "...he that smiteth a man so that he die shall be surely put to death." The nation Israel could put to death any murderer. It's well to look at the total Word of God, by the way.

And then verse 13, "...and if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand, then I will appoint thee a place where he shall flee." Now, we're going to come to that later, the cities of refuge. "...but if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor to slay him with guile, thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die." In other words, if the murder is premeditated, the man is to be executed. Now, if he does not do it maliciously, and I think oftentimes in self-defense that a man without premeditation attempts to defend himself, I would say that that would not merit an execution at all.

Now, will you notice how God protected the family? Verse 15, "...he that smiteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death." God certainly protected the home. "...and he that stealeth a man and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death." God did not approve slavery at all. It was the system in that day, and God always dealt with those things.

But it doesn't mean that he approves them. In fact, it's quite obvious he condemned it. "...he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

If a man strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed," why, then, he's to reimburse him. You see, here's the basis of the laws of our land. Now, I'm not going to go down through all of these, but I would recommend that you read this because here is the basic of law and order, and any nation must have something built on this, my friend, if they're to have a civilized nation.

And it's in here, verse 24, "...eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." In other words, friends, there is this law of reciprocity. This is a law that must be enforced if there is to be law and order and protection of human life and property. And thank God, though, that there is one who is prepared, though, to extend grace to us that we might be saved.