This will ensure that the land where you live will not be polluted, for murder pollutes the land. And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder. You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the LORD, who lives among the people of Israel.” [Numbers 35.33-34]
On this day one year ago, I wrote, God Forgive Us - Abortion Is Murder. That article speaks to the guilt of murder that covers the land and ALL who reside in that land.
Today however, there is another consideration along with that... And no sacrifice except the execution of the murderer can purify the land from murder. Does "no sacrifice" include the sacrifice of Jesus?
Are you ready for this? Please don't read this unless you are ready for your world to be rocked...
It would seem, from the Scriptures (Old and New Testament), that no sacrifice, including that of Jesus, can purify the land of that murder. Interestingly enough, Jesus Himself actually addressed the topic of murder:
“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. [Matthew 5.21-24]
While we have a tendency to include everything "under the blood" of Jesus thereby relieving ourselves and society of responsibility, Jesus actually took it significantly further in the opposite direction! Instead of lessening the judgment upon murder, He expanded the definition of murder! In other words, Jesus made unforgiveness of others (hatred) just as damning as murder itself. But that's not even the end of it! Jesus indicted us if someone else has a problem with us! Whoa! What does this say about every relationship in our lives?
Remember what Jesus said about forgiveness?
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. [Matthew 6.14-15]
We have the instilled tendency to read this only as it pertains to us personally. However, if we look at this passage for all it says, if another person is not forgiving us, it means they are not forgiven - they are lost - they are condemned to hell. It is in this fact that we can see then why Jesus made it so important in Matthew 5.23-24 that we seek to be made right with anyone who has not forgiven us! They need to be saved from their own unforgiveness. It's a two-way street! Effectively, their problem with us is indeed our problem if we are true followers of Christ and genuinely concerned for their souls.
Murder is a much deeper problem than the act itself. Not only are we accountable to not hate others, but we are responsible to insure that our lives are so above reproach that others do not hate us (not my words - but Jesus' words - Matthew 5.21-24).
This revelation about murder certainly complicates modern thought concerning "living and letting live" doesn't it? People who say, "I don't care what others think about me" have missed Jesus' point altogether because Jesus said it does matter... Not caring for what others think about me is pride. Pride, not ironically, is at the top of the list of things God hates (Proverbs 6.16-19).
The real problem with murder then, as Jesus revealed, is the underlying attitude and act of unforgiveness that drives it. The attitudes of withholding forgiveness as well as not seeking forgiveness are just as bad as the act of murder.
Okay, I just need to stop writing...
Father, the more I write, the more I am indicted by what is written. Help me to really see Your opinion and attitude about my responsibility for the relationships in my life. May every ounce of pride in me be revealed and forsaken so that my life is not about me, but entirely about others as Jesus demonstrated on the Cross. So be it.
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