Innocent blood

Judgment and Justice

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“Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; that saith, ‘I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows;’ and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.  Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?  He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know Me?” saith the LORD.  “But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.”
Jeremiah 22:13-17

Part of the reason for God’s  wrath on Judah and Israel is that they were dividing the people by showing favor to one over another.  Someone with wealth could pay a price (a bribe) and be found “Innocent  of a crime.  Another thing the courts were stacked in favor of the wealthy over the poor.

Let us consider a possible situation –   a man,  a man with a wife and children, rent a spot from a wealthy land owner, the poor man and family have a crisis come into their home which causes them to fail to pay their debt(s).  They have a landlord who is tight with his wealth, and because of the poor man’s debt to him, the land owner takes to man to court, and sues him, sues the poor man, or makes a bond slave of him.  He has come came into the court trusting that there could be a merciful judgment.  Instead there is no mercy because the judge has received some money under the table.  Or the judge renders a verdict in favor of the landowner,

That is not justice.  Justice is to do the right thing. It is judgment, but a  false and evil, rule of corruption.  The Lord GOD, hates this kind of thing among His people.

Our God loves the poor, and He will not long tolerate His people hoarding money and ignoring those whom He loves.  I am not espousing any kind of organization, nor am I starting a new ministry, but I am as simply as I know how, that God cares for the poor, and He will not ignore or forget the ones who come to aid the poor.

Who are the poorest of the poor?  The man or woman without Jesus Christ is a very poor individual  – the poorest of the poor.  The poor person, who has Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their lives, has all that they need.

Jesus was raised in a poor family.  They were rich though. with love, mercy and grace.  He came from the glory and splendor of Heaven a very wealthy place, to become poor that we who believe Him, and become rich in Him.

…Do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow…

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Thus saith the LORD; “Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates.’ ” Thus saith the LORD; “Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,” saith the LORD, “that this house shall become a desolation.”
Jeremiah 22:1-5

Innocent Blood

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“Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? See thou to that.’ And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, ‘It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.’ And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.’ ” Matthew 27:3-10

Seven Things God Hates # 3

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This is the third subject of THE SEVEN ABOMINATIONS WHICH GOD HATES

Hands That Shed Innocent Blood

Proverbs 6:16-19

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,   An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,   A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

If God “Hates hands that shed innocent blood”, then He loves the hands that preserve life.
A self oriented society only values self. The life of others is valueless unless it is for promoting, pleasing, or pacifying self.
A God oriented people see all life as of value – promoting others as having more value; seek to cause others to be pleasing to God; and helps to, and seeks to pacify the needs of others.

The Bible gives us many examples of people who took innocent life;
1. Cain killed Abel: (Gen. 4:5-16); 2. Ahab and Jezebel killed Naboth: (1 Kings 21:1-24); 3. David killed Urriah:(2 Samuel 11:14-21); 4. Saul of Tarsus killed Christians: (Acts 8:1a;9:1-2). These all shed innocent blood, and there are many others in Scripture who is guilty.

Examples we can see in our day..
1. Unborn babies – since 1973 multi-millions slain in their mother’s womb;
2. Parents abusing and killing their small children;
3. Husband and wives killing their innocent spouses – much of the time for money from insurance;
4. Governments killing christians – just because they do not approve of the “religion” of Jesus; “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev. 12:11). These are shedding innocent blood.

A person can even kill or shed innocent blood with the tongue which we already addressed. The person’s character, reputation. Remember, “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue…” How many have been butchered by the tongue? That is usually first on the way to physical death.
A good example of the path of pride is in Ahab and Jezebel…
Pride led to the “Lying tongue” of Jezebel which led to the blood of Naboth being shed; it was the wicked scheming Jezebel which brought about Naboth’s death, there was no hesitation on Jezebel’s part – she was quick to “run to mischief”, she brought in “false witnesses”, and brought in discord among the brethren”.
…Which takes them to destruction just as God warned (1 Kings:21:19, 23ff.).
Anyone who is unrestrained in their pride is also unrestrained in ‘tongue’ and all these other things. There is no respect of life with the ‘Proud’. The proud see all others as an avenue of praise for themselves.
Like the woman who sees her unborn child as her possession, or a mindless mass, rather than a precious life; has a proud look and sees no value in others except for their own benefit and what they can do with “It”.
Take away the “value of life”, and you have the right to kill it.

I. SOME BIBLE EXAMPLES OF THE TAKING OF INNOCENT LIFE.
A. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:5-16).
B. Ahab and Jezebel kill Naboth for a vineyard (1 Kings 21:1-24).
C. King David Kills Uriah the Hitite to try and coverup his adulterous act with Uriah’s wife (2 Samuel 11:14-21).
D. Saul of Tarsus (Acts 8:1a; 9:1-2).
A1. Genesis. 4:1-`16 – “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.   And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.  And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’ keeper?  And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’ blood crieth unto me from the ground.  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’ blood from thy hand;  When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.  And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.  Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy 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 findeth me shall slay me.  And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.  And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.”
B1. 1 Kings 21:5-16 –

“But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?  And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.  And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.  So she wrote letters in Ahab’ name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.  And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:   And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.  And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.  They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.  And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.  Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.  And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.  And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.”

C 1. 2 Samuel 11:14-21 –

“And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.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.  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;  And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,  And if so be that the king’ wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”

D1. Acts 8:1ff –

“And Saul was consenting unto his death.”

9:1-2 – “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”

“Whoso sheddeth man’ blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” (Genesis 9:6).

“Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13).

II. EXAMPLES OF THE TAKING OF INNOCENT LIFE TODAY.

A. Unborn babies – since 1973 over 40 million have been slaughtered
B. Parents who abuse and killed their small children.
C. Husbands and wives killing their spouses – not in self-defense, but for wealth or to continue an adulterous relationship.
D. Children killing children in schools, etc.
E. Governments which approve of and endorse the killing of Christians – just because they do not approve of the “religion” of Jesus.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10).

“Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.” (Numbers 35:30).

”But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8).

II. WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE IN THE FUTURE?
A. We are seeing the beginning of tomorrow today.
B. Jesus said, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
C. Paul wrote to Timothy of “Perilous times”.
1. Love for self – selfishness;
2. Covetous – longing for things which usually belong to others;
3. Arrogant and loud;
4. No respect for God; or His name;
5. No “Natural affection”, and other improprieties –

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”. (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

D. There is no promise of things improving in this sin soaked world.
1. There is much evidence for false teachers and teaching,

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13).

IV. IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE ON EARTH?
A. Not in anything of this earth.
B. There is supernatural help in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
C. The One who formed all life has all life in His hands.
D. In Jesus one gains respect for life.
1. That means considering others before self.
2. It also means loving God through loving others.
3. That means, also, using the means God has given (finances, home, car, buildings, lands, etc) to glorify the Lord’s name, by helping those less fortunate.
E. Jesus loves all – He died even for those who have shed innocent blood [taken “innocent blood”].

V. THE MOST INNOCENT OF BLOOD WAS SHED ON THE CROSS.
A. It was the worst of man that shed this most innocent of blood.
B. It was the best of God that shed this most innocent of blood.

C. There is forgiveness for all sin at the cross of Jesus – even for HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD.

Seven Things Which God Hates

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Some want to think that God hates nothing.  However, if there is not hate, then what is love, and the apostle John says that “God is love”.  Since God is love there must of necessity be some things which He hates, and the Bible in Proverbs gives us seven of them; which seems to cover every gamut of evil in the world.

Hear the wisdom of the ages –

“These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”  Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV)

I preached a seven part series of sermons in 2006 on this and you can find them by clicking on this sentence.

I do not believe I have ever seen a time in my life when there is such a pride and arrogance, especially among leaders.  Leaders in the business world, leaders in politics, leaders of Nations; and even leaders in churches who profess to know God and His Son Jesus.  With noses in the air they walk around defying God and His Word.

Lies, lies, and more lies are seen.   A person can tell a lie until it becomes the truth in their own mind.  The lying tongue has intent to deceive and defraud.  “Lie” – any statement or act designed to deceive another person, and or harm them, their reputation or possibly even bodily.

There are hands shedding innocent blood.  Mothers killing their own babies; before they are born and after they are born.  Sons killing fathers; fathers killing sons – sometimes neither are not so innocent blood.  Governments killing Christians for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Husbands and wives killing the innocent spouse for insurance money or to get another spouse.

With the heart of imagination men have designs against God, His Word, His people, His land, and His future.  “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1).  I have news for the ones imagining to overthrow Israel, and set up a quote “Palestinian Nation”.  It will not succeed.  God’s covenant stands forever.  The United Nations will fail.  Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Turkey, Russia, Libya, the United States of America, etc. will all fail and fall; but our God and His Word will stand forever.

There are feet that are swift for destruction.  Evil feet are feet that move with haste without much thought as to its outcome and destruction of life to oneself or others.  Mostly for acquiring material gain.  Swift at running to mischief.  Looking for the next party; the next drunken brawl; the next adulterous affair.  Swift to move toward evil.

A false witness speaks lies in order, usually, to gain for ones self.  There is usually a malicious – intent to do harm – cause behind a false witness.  Jezebel lied about Naboth in order to gain his vineyard for king Ahab, and caused Naboth’s death (1 Kings 21).  Does that happen in courts and politics today?  Does that happen in families today?  Has that happened to you?  Have you been the one who committed the abomination?

Sowing seeds of discord is an act of  “terrorism” among families.  It does not do any good for churches neither.  If it is no good for these then, why would it be good for Local governments, State governments, or federal governments?  It is not.

If you will notice all of these are called an “Abomination unto Him”.

There is only forgiveness and eternal life through the One who died on the cross for our sins; was buried taking away our sin, guilt and condemnation; and rose bodily from the grave, and is one day soon returning to set things right in this world and the hearts of men.  His name is Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God.

-Tim A. Blankenship