by Lois Ryan

Created on: February 20, 2011   Last Updated: February 21, 2011

Sharing the word - capital punishment in the Bible

Before the flood God did not have capital punishment for murders.  There are two known murders in the Bible before God brought down his watery judgment on the ungodly world.  The first is when Cain murdered his brother Abel.  The second is when the ungodly descendant of Cain, Lamech, murdered a man for insulting him.  However, there were many more murders and violence in the world prior to the flood.

When Cain and Lamech committed their murders, while God did not turn a blind eye on them, they were judged eventually.  As far as we know, none of Cain’s or Lamech's descendants made it to the ark.  God could have wiped out Cain on the spot, since man was originally created in his own image.  That is to say that God did not create man so that they would kill each other.  God is not a murderer.  Therefore, to retain our godly image, we must not kill also.

After the flood, God needed to have capital punishment for two reasons.  The first was to prevent the world from falling into the state of decay it was in prior to the flood.  The second reason was that man would be using weapons to hunt animals since God gave them the go ahead to eat meat.  These weapons could be readily available to be used by a human against another human.

Animals of every species and type are also God’s creation.  He loves them almost as much as the being he created in his own image.  Therefore, he does not want man to be cruel to animals.  However, God does not treat animals any differently than man when it comes to capital punishment.

Just like when God punished Cain when he murdered his brother Abel and set up laws and regulations for murder and other crimes, he also set up laws for when an animal harmed or killed an animal.  Take a look at Exodus 21:28-29:

“If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die; then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.  But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death” (KJV).

If an ox kills a human, it is held responsible.  If an ox attacks or kills and individual, it most likely will attack again.  You hear so many news reports about dogs either maiming or killing people.  The best thing to do is to humanely destroy them.  Once they taste blood, they will most likely attack again.  There are owners who have been warned about their dogs.  However, they do not do anything until it is too late.  These dog owners are held responsible for another person’s injuries or fatalities because of their dogs.

Reference:

The Holy Bible.  King James Version.

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