The Biblical Application of the Death Penalty

I recently preached a sermon on Numbers 35 and the Cities of Refuge. One of the themes in this passage is the application of the sixth commandment, “you shall not murder”. As you read through this passage, it is clear that this is a strong case, and application, of the death penalty, at least in the case of murder.

 

 

In this passage, we see the main theme and process when someone in Israel kills another, they must quickly flee to a city of refuge in order to receive protection and to be ensured a trial. Then we get the rules for judging between murder, and accidental killing, then the penalties for each. Toward the end we get the reason for all of this, to ensure the only true justice; His!

 

Starting in verse 16 it says, “he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.” And verse 17, “he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.” And verse 18, “he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death.” Verse 19 says, that the “avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death.” And verse 21, “that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.” That is 6 times that it is repeated that the murderer is to be put to death.

 

Then in verse 29, we are reminded that we just heard how the killer was to be judged. It says, “These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.” In verse 30 we start seeing the rules to ensure justice as it reminds us that “no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.” But we go right back to the insistence on the death penalty, in verse 32, there is no substitute, it says, “Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death.”

 

Those are the cold, hard facts. Guilt is determined in a very objective, black and white manner. The penalty is clear, there are no options.

 

Most people misunderstand the death penalty, and the reasons for it.

• Some think the reason is life-for-life in terms of bringing redemption to the family who lost a loved one; but this is only a partial reason which doesn’t satisfy, another life only adds to the loss.
• Some think the reason is the extremeness of the penalty is to deter the potential criminal from the crime; this seems reasonable and pragmatic, but even where the penalty is in play, people still murder, so it’s not entirely effective.

The real reason is given in the end of the chapter, verse 33 says, “bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it.” We are brought back and reminded of the first murder, where Cain killed his brother Able, and God says to him in Genesis 4:10, “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”

 

To understand this better, we look at to David we tells us, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight”. And we look when Moses writes of Noah when he gets off the ark after the flood and God makes a covenant with him in Genesis 9. God tells Noah in verse 6 that “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” then he continues and gives the reason, “for in the image of God has God made man.” When we kill another, we destroy His image! God takes that seriously, that is why “bloodshed pollutes the land” and tells us the ultimate reason, to protect God’s image, God’s holiness, to “not defile the land…where I dwell.” from verse 34.

 

To summarize: The death penalty is put in place not to reconcile man to man, but to maintain God’s holiness, from pollution, and from destroying His image in each of us. When we fail to use God’s law for justice in determining the guilt of the murderer, and fail to implement His judgment, then the cry of the land grows stronger for our injustice and our defiling God’s land.