Most of us easily agree with Scripture that murderers are worthy of death. They took another person’s life; they brought death upon themselves. In societies like our “advanced” one, it is, perhaps, more difficult to agree with Scripture that those who commit sexual immorality are worthy of death.
Today, we will see a few other sins to which God gives the death penalty. Do you agree with God on these? Why or why not? What are the consequences of not agreeing with Holy Scripture?
Stubborn and Rebellious Sons
The first commandment with a promise is “Honor your father and your mother” (Deut. 5.16). This is the first commandment in the second table of the law, the last six commandments which mandate our societal responsibilities towards one another. It is first for a reason. When children no longer respect and honor their parents, hell breaks loose and society crumbles. Children who do not honor their parents will not, do not, and cannot honor God.
Therefore, Moses directed in Deuteronomy 21.18–21:
“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.”
That may sound harsh, but it is God’s direction. We must adjust our sense of justice to His. Open rebellion against parents is worthy of death in a healthy society.
“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death” (Ex. 21.15).
“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death” (Ex. 21.17).
“For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him” (Lev. 20.9).
Kidnappers
A kidnapper literally steals another person (Duet. 24.7). God says this is worthy of death.
“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death” (Ex. 21.16).
Human trafficking falls under this heading. Traffickers should be permanently removed from society.
The Grossly Negligent
Negligence is bad, but gross negligence can be worthy of death. If someone loses their life because of an animal which has already hurt other people or is known to be violent, then both the animal and its owner should be put to death (Ex. 21.28–29). When an animal shows itself to be violent towards people or hurts people, the owner has a responsibility to put that animal down or confine it so it will not be able to hurt anyone.
Sorcerers, Fortune Tellers, Necromancers, Etc.
Here is a woman who dabbles in the dark arts, in communing with demons, in attempting to access powers not of God. She should not be allowed to live (Ex. 22.18).
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. (Deut. 18.10–12)
The statement “there shall not be found among you” shows that God intended for the Israelites to cut these people off from themselves, again commanding the death penalty.
But We Don’t Exact the Death Penalty for These Things
These civil laws are to be enforced by our government. An individual has no authority from God to exact vengeance upon another for the things mentioned above. God has instituted governments of men to be an arm of His vengeance (Romans 13.1–7).
But many governments don’t put people to death for fortune telling or necromancy or being disobedient to parents. What is to be done, then?
We should keep God’s law continually before those who set and execute the law because they are the ones to whom God has given His sword of justice. If they are not carrying out justice, God will punish them in His own way and time.
We should take the time to preach the gospel to everyone, even those who commit sins worthy of death. Many holy men and women of scripture were saved from hell’s pit by God’s word and mercy towards them. Even though a person may face the death penalty here on earth, he can still repent and save his eternal soul by God’s grace! God turns messy and impossible situations into His beautiful art every day. Preach the gospel, and see what He does!