Bible Question: Thou Shall Not Kill is one of the commandments, but the flood caused many to perish. So why can God kill even though he states the above? |
Bible Answer: Greetings TBTG! Great question! There is a common misunderstanding about the term used in the Ten Commandements (Ex. 20:13). The term used is 'ratsach'. This word occurs 47 times in 40 verses in the Old Testament. The important thing to note about this term is that it refers to murder, whether accidental or premeditated. It does not refer to killing of all types. Thus, one can act in self defense, one can kill in war, one can act as a agent of the State and execute judgement, and of course, God can bring judgement upon man. None of these are a violation of 'ratsach'. In fact, all of the above examples are mentioned, alluded to, described, or even commanded in the Old Testament. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |