Topical Bible: Murder: Persons Guilty of Fearful and Cowardly

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Murder, as defined in the Holy Scriptures, is the unlawful and premeditated taking of a human life. It is a grave sin that violates the commandment, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). Throughout the Bible, various individuals are depicted as guilty of murder, often driven by fear and cowardice. These narratives serve as cautionary tales, illustrating the moral and spiritual decay that accompanies such acts.

Cain
The first recorded murder in the Bible is that of Abel by his brother Cain. Motivated by jealousy and fear of being overshadowed, Cain's act was not only cowardly but also a direct defiance of God's warning. "Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it'" (Genesis 4:6-7). Cain's inability to master his fear and jealousy led to the first murder, marking a tragic beginning to humanity's history of violence.

King Saul
King Saul's fear and insecurity led him to commit acts of murder against the priests of Nob. In 1 Samuel 22, Saul, feeling threatened by David and suspecting the priests of aiding him, ordered the massacre of the priests and their families. "Then the king ordered the guards standing by him, 'Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because they too have sided with David. They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.' But the king’s servants would not lift a hand to strike the priests of the LORD" (1 Samuel 22:17). Saul's cowardice in dealing with his own insecurities resulted in the senseless slaughter of innocent lives.

David
Although King David is often remembered for his faith and leadership, he too succumbed to fear and cowardice, leading to murder. In 2 Samuel 11, David orchestrated the death of Uriah the Hittite to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba. "In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In the letter he instructed: 'Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest battle, then withdraw from him so that he will be struck down and killed'" (2 Samuel 11:14-15). David's fear of exposure and his failure to confront his sin directly resulted in a cowardly act of murder.

Jezebel
Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, is another biblical figure whose fear and cowardice led to murder. In 1 Kings 21, Jezebel orchestrated the death of Naboth to secure his vineyard for Ahab. "Then Jezebel said to Ahab, 'Now, do you really govern the kingdom of Israel? Get up, eat, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.' So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city" (1 Kings 21:7-8). Jezebel's manipulation and cowardly use of authority to achieve her ends highlight the destructive power of fear-driven actions.

Herod
Herod the Great, in his fear of losing power, ordered the massacre of the innocents in Bethlehem. This act of cowardice was driven by his fear of the prophesied "King of the Jews." "When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi" (Matthew 2:16). Herod's fear of a child led to a horrific act of mass murder, demonstrating the extent to which fear can corrupt the human heart.

These biblical accounts serve as sobering reminders of the consequences of allowing fear and cowardice to dictate actions. The Scriptures consistently call believers to courage, righteousness, and trust in God, contrasting the destructive path of those who succumb to fear and commit murder.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 4:14
Behold, you have driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from your face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that finds me shall slay me.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Christ --Our Substitute
... She proposed that when a man committed murder, he should ... resigning its functions
to these excellent persons, and the ... was not sinful; he was not guilty; but, he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/christour substitute.htm

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
... slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they ... SECOND"A DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSONS
WHO ARE ... be drawn into fornication, adultery, murder, theft, blasphemy ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/seasonable counsel or advice to.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... reigned in the court and country"a fearful persecution raged ... be treacherous, and
false, to be cowardly in God's ... to all, and all manner of persons, that any ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... of God, and the anew making of them guilty of sin ... are without (Revelation 21:8).
"The fearful and unbelieving ... as if he had said, Why dost thou commit murder? ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm