1403. The Sixth Commandment

The Sixth Commandment

"Thou shalt not kill" (Exo_20:13).

We now come to that commandment which says, "Thou shalt not kill."

Our illustration will be taken from the Bible statement of the first murder

The account reaches far back in the history of the race. It is a story of Cain, and it is given in the 4th chapter of Genesis.

Abel was a keeper of sheep; Cain was a tiller of the ground. In the process of time, Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto God. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock. The Lord had respect unto Abel and unto his offering; but, unto Cain, and to his offering, He had not respect. Then was Cain wroth, and his countenance fell. In a fit of anger, as Cain was talking with his brother, Abel, he rose up against him and slew him. The Lord said unto Cain, "What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth" (Gen_4:10-12).

The illustration antedates the giving of the Law, but the illustration shows that God dealt with Cain under the basis of the Law, and Cain passed out under the curse and under the sentence of death.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR