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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We are in Genesis Chapter 9. The Flood is past. The cataclysmic devastation is over - never to be repeated. God has dealt with a world which had become so wicked and evil, and through this period of judgement God had kept eight people secure and safe in the ARK - with the animals which had been brought together - so that Creation would be preserved.
Noah emerged. The first thing he did was build an altar, and worshipped the living God Who had preserved and saved his family - and the worship which arose from the earth was pleasing to GOD. Desire to worship the living God. Noah begins with communion with GOD - and as GOD receives worship, HE blesses Noah.
Verse 2 - God continues to speak to Noah, and he is reminded that he is to be in charge of Creation, and to rule it.
If we walk near a bird or a rabbit it has a certain fear as we approach it - and fear in the animals is for the safety of man too.
We are reading of eight people in a world of animals, and God deals with that.
God also explains to man that from now on he can eat anything. Man had been a vegetarian, but now he becomes a hunter and a killer.
Things have changed since Noah and his family went into the Ark.
Verse 4 - God continues - but you must not eat the blood - life giving blood is sacred.
Because of the wickedness and violence which had been going on in the world before The Flood - God says - "Whoever shed the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."
If a man murders his fellow man, he must lose his life, because he has attacked the image of God. A killer must be killed - legally. God requires this. God demands this. Now - here is what we call Capital Punishment and it is stated very clearly in the Word of God.
God ordains this to uphold the sanctity of human life. Man is sacred. Man is made in the image of God - therefore murder is sacrilege. Man is made in the image of God and to attack man it to attack God.
This task is delegated to man. Here is basic human government. Here is a fundamental human law. Does this change when Jesus Christ comes? NO.
In Romans Chapter 13 verse 4, we read of the governing authority bearing the sword - and that was not for spanking people. The sword is a symbol of authority.
We belong to two kingdoms, and this must not be argued emotionally but rationally with our reasons based upon God's Word.
Who was it Who introduced death - but our gracious God.
When man disobeyed God had to set a limit upon the length of his life. Capital Punishment is a principle of God which goes right through into the New Testament - for the good and welfare and well-being of society.
This is another area where we have to get away from feelings to FACTS. What we may feel about this is irrelevant. What are the FACTS in the Word of God? What has God said over the years in His Word?
This is God's justice. It is not vengeance and it is not a deterrent. It is not to deter man from murdering - it is more than retribution - it is a principle of Justice given to man to carry out.
It will be hard to get back to this. We have moved far away from God's Word.
When Jesus Christ was on the cross He did not say that once He was resurrected and risen from the dead this matter of Capital Punishment would be rectified. Once an order or command is given, it remains in operation until it is revoked.
These verses from Genesis dealing with The Flood have much to teach us.
“Loving Father, our gracious God – forgive us for wandering far away from what You have laid down in the Scriptures. Open our eyes and minds to see important principles here in the Old and New Testaments. Help us to be rational and logical and objective, and holding fast to what You have said. We pray in Jesus Name. Amen.”
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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