INTRODUCTION

Increasingly, so-called theologians and Bible critics claim to find what they believe to be blatant contradictions in the Bible. One such passage is found in Ecclesiastes 3:3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
See All... where the Bible says there is “A time to kill.” How can this be reconciled with the sixth commandment that says, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13Thou shalt not kill.
See All...)? The context always determines the meaning, and the type of killing in Exodus 20:13Thou shalt not kill.
See All... refers specifically to murder (see Matthew 19:18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
See All...). At times, God called His people to enter into war with the goal of killing their enemies. The Bible clearly distinguishes between this type of killing and murder. Interestingly, people spend a great deal of time and strength protesting war but refuse to protest the countless murders of the unborn children that occur in the world every day. This fact serves as another of the evidences that men are not opposed to wrong but simply opposed to God and His word.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): God always does right (Genesis 18:25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
  See All...b). He delivered Goliath into David’s hands because the Philistines were Israel’s enemy (1 Samuel 17:45-50 [45] Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. [46] This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. [47] And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands. [48] And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. [49] And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. [50] So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
  See All...). Yet, when David had Uriah killed so he could take Uriah’s wife to be his own, God was very much displeased (2 Samuel 11:14-15 [14] And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. [15] And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
  See All..., 26-27; 2 Samuel 12:9-10 [9] Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. [10] Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
  See All...).
• (For everyone): How can Matthew 19:18He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
  See All... be used prove that Exodus 20:13Thou shalt not kill.
  See All... speaks of a specific kind of killing? Why is it important for us to be able to understand the difference?
• Genesis 9:6Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
  See All... . Why does God place such a high value upon life? What does it suggest when men think so little of life that they are willing to murder others?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Thank the Lord for placing such a high value on your life.
• Ask God to help you have the same concern for life.

HYMN

IN TIMES LIKE THESE

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