DWDP - Gen 9; 5-6 Capital Punishment-God's Command

Blood shows up everywhere in our stories, our movies, and our arguments but Genesis treats it with a gravity most of us have forgotten. We sit with Genesis 9:5–6 and slow down long enough to hear what God is actually saying: blood represents life, and life is sacred because people are made in the image of God. That single claim reshapes how we think about violence, dignity, and what we owe each other when harm is done.

From that foundation, we talk about justice in the real world. Genesis 9 doesn’t hand us a full legal blueprint, but it does establish human government under God and a clear accountability for murder. That takes us into a careful look at capital punishment and the death penalty, including an honest acknowledgment that our judicial systems can be broken. We explain why flaws in human institutions don’t cancel God’s moral standard, and why the passage rejects personal revenge while calling society to ordered justice.

Then we ask the hard question: is there room for mercy? Scripture’s own stories answer yes, and we look at what mercy looks like without pretending sin is small. We close by tracing the Hebrew word for “shed” (Shapak) through the Bible until it lands on Jesus, the one whose blood is poured out for us. If this helped you, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review. What stands out most to you: the call to justice or the invitation to mercy?

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to More Than Minutes, where Jesus is more than enough for the ills that plague our culture and our country. Hosted by author and physician, Dr. Robert Jackson.

hy Drinking Blood Is Forbidden

urder And The Role Of Justice

ercy Inside A Broken System

hapak And The Blood Of Christ

losing Prayer And How To Connect

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Papa, can you tell me a story? Do you really want me to tell you a story? Well, you go get your brother and your sisters, and I will tell you a story. Welcome to Devotions with Dr. Papa. Gather around, grab your Bibles, and let us look into the written word which reveals to us the living word, who is our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we're at Genesis chapter 9, verses 5 and 6. Surely I will require your life blood from every beast I will require it, and from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed. For in the image of God he made man before I begin to be today's lesson, I want to finish a thought from verse four from last week's lesson. Let me read verse four again. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is its blood. This applies to not just eating but also drinking. Now why do I say that? It's because the of the popularization in books and movies of an ancient pagan notion that a warrior who kills a wild beast or a human enemy and then drinks his blood can take on the life characteristics of the vanquished foe. Let me state that this is categorically false and unbiblical. More than that, in verse four, it is strictly forbidden. Why? Because of the life principle. Their blood represents their life, which in the case of animals could be sacrificed in the place of a guilty or sinful man. There's also the notion of reverence for that creature as made by God with Nefesh, a living soul, not just an item for food, but there's also an understanding that a human being's life is in their blood, and their life must be respected. And more than that, the scripture tells us that this man is made in the image of God, and the image of God he made man. So I just wanted to speak to that because you're gonna run up in that when you read books, when you look at movies, you will you will see that being practiced. And I I just want you to understand that it's not true, nor is it biblical. Now let's move to verse five and verse six. Man's blood represents his life. Say that with me. Man's blood represents his life. He is more sacred than the animals. Why would I say that? Because he is made in the image of God. Unlike the animals, man has a spirit which sets him apart from the animals. Therefore it's clear from this verse, talking about verse five, that neither beast nor man would be allowed to shed or pour out man's blood. The word require here in verse five is a judicial term. Our God is the righteous judge of all the earth, and he exacts a strict and exacting penalty for infraction of a sacred God given law. If a man kills another man, especially in a premeditated form, then by every man's brother, he must be put to death. This phrase every man's brother does not justify family blood feuds, family blood revenge, but instead stresses that all men are responsible to ensure that justice is executed. At this time all men were actually brothers, the three sons of Noah. Of course, we are all descendants of these three men and their wives. So all men are brothers. Therefore this command delegates to all of us the authority to establish a formal system of human government to ensure justice, especially in the case of murder. The authority to execute this judgment of God on a murderer was thereby delegated to man. Lesser crimes, such as robbery, adultery, violation of property rights often lead to murder. The authority for capital punishment generates authority to create laws that regulate these lesser crimes that can lead to murder. No specific form of legal system is spelled out, but the fact of human government exercised under God is clearly established. Some of you, my listeners, know that I minister to men who are in prison and have recently left prison. It's a very rewarding ministry. Almost universally, these men are opposed to the death penalty, and it's due to the perceived flaws in the judicial system. I admit freely that there are flaws in our broken judicial system that these men have encountered face to face. However, the corrupt system of man cannot negate the eternal word of God, which clearly prescribes the death penalty for any man who sheds another man's blood. Read verse six Whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God he made man. And just because the institutions of man are flawed, that cannot negate the eternal command of God. So I beg to differ with those organizations that seek to overturn state death penalty legislation, no matter how well meaning they may be. Now let me ask you another question. Is there room for judicial mercy? Well, of course there is. God had mercy on King David because of his repentant heart, although he was clearly guilty of adultery and premeditated murder in the affair of Bathsheba and Uriah, both offenses of which were subject to capital punishment. Also Jesus had mercy on the woman called in adultery in the New Testament. Seeing her repentant heart, he forgave her and bid her to go and sin no more. In today's world we have judges whose job it is to discern and pass judgment in difficult cases. Sometimes mercy is the appropriate decision in certain circumstances. But here is the key takeaway. Man is delegated the responsibility of human government. With this comes the recognition that human life is sacred and that capital punishment is the just and legal punishment for murder. Now, the Hebrew word for shed in chapter 9 and verse 6 is Shapak. S-H-A-P-H-A-K Shapak. This is the first time it is used in Scripture. It even also it may also be translated poured out or poured forth. It is used in Psalms 69 and verse 24 to describe the pouring out of the wrath of God. And in Joel chapter 2 and verse 28, it's used to describe the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. In Leviticus chapter 4 and verse 30, this word Shefak describes the pouring out of the blood of the animal sacrifice at the base of the altar. The psalmist used the same word shefak prophetically to describe Jesus a thousand years in advance. When he said in Psalms twenty two and verse fourteen, I am poured out like water, describing his life's blood being Shefok poured out for you and me. Now I want you to ponder this carefully. The first mention of this word Shefok in Genesis nine and verse six impresses upon us not only the sacredness of human life, but it points way into the future to Jesus, to the one who was most perfectly and eternally made in the image of God, and whose blood would be shed judicially by divine decree, though utterly unjustly by a corrupt corrupt human government authority, the Jewish hierarchy and the Roman authorities. But who in the marvelous counsels of God thereby made his soul an offering to God? Oh hallelujah. Glory, hallelujah. Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. Therefore, brother and sister, let us join the feast. You're listening to devotions with Dr. Papa. If you like what you hear, I pray that you would follow, like, or share, download, tell some of your friends. And until next week, remember, Jesus loves you and your doctor loves you. And until next week, I pray that the Lord will bless you real good.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

Thank you for listening to this edition of More Than Medicine. For more information about the Jackson Family Ministry or to schedule a speaking engagement, go to their Facebook page, Instagram, or webpage at Jackson Family Ministry.