Topical Bible: Murder: The Wicked: Lie in Wait to Commit

◄ Murder: The Wicked: Lie in Wait to Commit ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Murder, the unlawful and premeditated taking of human life, is a grievous sin condemned throughout the Scriptures. The Bible provides numerous accounts and teachings that highlight the wickedness of those who lie in wait to commit such acts. This entry explores the biblical perspective on the premeditated nature of murder as carried out by the wicked.

Biblical Condemnation of Murder

From the earliest chapters of the Bible, murder is depicted as a heinous act. In Genesis 4, Cain's murder of Abel is the first recorded instance of this sin, illustrating the destructive power of jealousy and anger. God confronts Cain, saying, "What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground" (Genesis 4:10). This passage underscores the gravity of murder and its offense against God.

The Wicked Lie in Wait

The Scriptures frequently describe the wicked as those who lie in wait to commit murder, emphasizing their deliberate and malicious intent. In Proverbs 1:11, the wicked are portrayed as saying, "If they say, 'Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause.'" This verse highlights the premeditated nature of their actions, as they plot to shed innocent blood.

Similarly, in Psalm 10:8, the psalmist describes the wicked: "He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless." This imagery paints a vivid picture of the wicked as predators, lurking and scheming to take the lives of the unsuspecting and vulnerable.

The Heart of the Wicked

The Bible teaches that murder originates from the heart, revealing the inner corruption of the wicked. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, expands on the commandment "You shall not murder" by addressing the root of the sin: "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:22). This teaching underscores that murder is not merely a physical act but a manifestation of a heart filled with hatred and malice.

Divine Justice and Retribution

The Scriptures assure that God sees the wickedness of those who lie in wait to commit murder and will bring them to justice. In Psalm 37:32-33, it is written, "The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking to slay them. But the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned under judgment." This promise of divine retribution serves as a warning to the wicked and a comfort to the righteous.

Conclusion

The Bible consistently portrays murder as a grave sin, particularly when committed with premeditation and malice. The wicked, who lie in wait to shed innocent blood, are condemned throughout Scripture, and their actions are seen as an affront to God's justice and righteousness. Through these teachings, the Bible calls for a heart transformed by God's love, free from hatred and violence.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 10:8-10
He sits in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places does he murder the innocent: his eyes are privately set against the poor.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and ...
... Yea, it is the profession of many, and they scarce lie privily, or ... Certainly it is
murder. ... and providence for the sin of association with the wicked, and being ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section v scriptures showing the.htm

Third Sunday after Trinity Humility, Trust, Watchfulness ...
... he may not kill you again, and murder your souls ... does not shine as does the fascinating
lie of a ... nor despair before Satan, even though that wicked one press us ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/third sunday after trinity humility.htm

Knowing that a Man is not Justified by the Work of the Law, but by ...
... thine own mouth will I condemn thee, thou wicked servant ... of a sovereign on the throne
had committed murder, and was ... it before it was done, or to believe a lie. ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/knowing that a man is.htm

1 John iii. 18-Sep
... man to have, to whom it was granted to lie in the ... "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked
one, and ... his brother, will he also in his heart make light of murder? ...
/.../ten homilies on the epistle of john to the parthians/homily v 1 john iii.htm

The Epistle of St. James
... all other offences such as immorality and murder are avoided ... The former seems to
under-lie the charge, you pass ... it, because you ask with the wicked intention of ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of st james.htm

Fifth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith.
... It would, if possible, actually murder the offender, thus ... of another you also become
wicked, for anger ... be influenced by another to carelessly lie and otherwise ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fifth sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

Christian Perfection
... strong in the Lord, "and "have overcome the wicked one," or ... A man, for instance,
may think of a murder which another ... 13 Hast thou not said, who canst not lie,. ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 40 christian perfection.htm

St. Gregory the Great.
... us, before the army of that most wicked nation take ... cruelly slaughtered; and bishops
who should lie in dust ... vain, too, had Theodorick, after the murder of his ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter v st gregory the.htm

Smerdis the Magian.
... when alarmed by his dream, he sent Prexaspes to murder him ... Like other wicked men,
he found, in the end, that the ... even of a strong man, when he has a lie to carry ...
/.../abbott/darius the great/chapter iii smerdis the magian.htm

Of Evil-Speaking in General.
... for a man, so the company of priests murder in the ... notable reason: "And it shall
be, if the wicked man be ... be beaten, that the judge cause him to lie down, and ...
/.../barrow/sermons on evil-speaking by isaac barrow/of evil-speaking in general.htm