Topical Bible: Murder: Not Concealed from God

◄ Murder: Not Concealed from God ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Murder, the unlawful and premeditated taking of a human life, is a grievous sin that is explicitly condemned throughout the Bible. From the earliest chapters of Genesis, the sanctity of human life is established, and the act of murder is shown to be an affront to God, who is the Creator of life. The Bible consistently affirms that murder is not hidden from God, and He holds individuals accountable for such acts.

Biblical Condemnation of Murder

The prohibition against murder is clearly articulated in the Ten Commandments, where God commands, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). This commandment underscores the value God places on human life, created in His image (Genesis 1:27). The act of murder is a direct violation of God's law and an attack on His creation.

Cain and Abel: The First Murder

The first recorded murder in the Bible is the killing of Abel by his brother Cain. In Genesis 4:8-10 , we read, "Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let us go out to the field.' And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'I do not know,' he answered. 'Am I my brother’s keeper?' 'What have you done?' replied the LORD. 'The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.'" This passage illustrates that God is fully aware of the act of murder and the blood of the innocent cries out to Him for justice.

Divine Justice and Accountability

God's awareness of murder is further emphasized in the account of David and Uriah. King David orchestrated the death of Uriah the Hittite to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba. Despite David's attempts to conceal his sin, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront him, saying, "Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife as your own" (2 Samuel 12:9). This narrative demonstrates that God sees all actions and holds individuals accountable, regardless of their status or attempts to hide their wrongdoing.

The Heart and Intentions

The Bible also addresses the heart and intentions behind murder. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expands the understanding of this commandment by teaching that even harboring anger or hatred towards another is akin to murder in God's eyes. Jesus states, "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:22). This teaching highlights that God not only sees the outward act but also discerns the inner thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God's Omniscience and Justice

The omniscience of God assures that no act of murder is hidden from Him. Proverbs 15:3 declares, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good." This truth is a sobering reminder that God is aware of all human actions and will bring every deed into judgment. The assurance of divine justice is further affirmed in Ecclesiastes 12:14 : "For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil."

Hope and Redemption

While murder is a grave sin, the Bible also offers hope and redemption through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul, once a persecutor and accomplice to murder, found forgiveness and transformation through faith in Christ. His life is a testament to the power of God's grace and the possibility of redemption for even the most grievous sins. As Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:15-16 , "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life."

In summary, the Bible unequivocally teaches that murder is not concealed from God. He sees, knows, and will judge all acts of murder, yet He also offers forgiveness and new life to those who repent and turn to Him.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 26:21
For, behold, the LORD comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 2:34
Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but on all these.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Fulfilling of the Law in the Higher Sense. --Particular Examples ...
... passion which, when full-blown, causes murder, is punished in the bud of revengeful
feeling, whether concealed in the ... its members; a love which not only impels ...
/.../section 155 fulfilling of the.htm

Martyrdom of the Saints Eusebius, Nestabus, and Zeno in the City ...
... and by instigating one another to the murder of the ... But they were not long concealed;
for a Christian woman, who was an inhabitant, though not a native of ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter ix martyrdom of the saints.htm

God's Glory in Hiding Sin
... When for instance a murder has been committed and the ... in its detective forces" yet
it is not to the ... Nothing is concealed from him; the whole universe is but ...
/.../spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/gods glory in hiding sin.htm

The Judges Said: He Has Given Demonstration Enough of the Origin ...
... to what I have said, and have not concealed either your ... The devil, however, was not
able to manifest ... he effected the beginning of murder, introducing himself ...
/.../the acts of the disputation with the heresiarch manes/33 the judges said he.htm

Again on the Calamity of the City of Antioch. ...
... 1626] He tells us that the snare is concealed; for this is ... who prohibits murder,
become himself a party to the murder. Not so much do I lament and weep, when I ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily xv again on the.htm

How David, when He had Twice the Opportunity of Killing Saul did ...
... it was that David with his four hundred men were concealed. ... regard to thee and to
thy house, and not to believe ... how to compass my life and to murder me, which ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 13 how david when.htm

The Open Fountain
... it; the gospel at this day is not concealed in Latin ... though I had been guilty of
adultery, of murder, of crimes ... mercy, and a reason why we should not believe in ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the open fountain.htm

Li. Dining with a Pharisee, Jesus Denounces that Sect.
... Their hypocrisy concealed their true nature, so that men were ... for the words spoken
by Jesus are not found in any ... His murder is described at Genesis 4:1-8, the ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/li dining with a pharisee.htm

Psalm XL.
... [1154] The one extolled his own merits, and concealed his wounds; the ... against great
ones; you do not now commit adultery, or murder; you do not plunder the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xl.htm

John v. 6, 7
... Yet he neither concealed this, nor said that, nor asked for pardon ... Thou indeed now
killest not, but thou dost many things worse than murder, desiring that ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxxvii john v 6.htm