Jun 5, 2016
After the importance of order and honor in the family, prohibiting murder (Heb. raw-tsakh, ‘to dash in pieces/slaughter’) was the most essential as it preserved the sanctity of human life. The most basic building blocks of any society is the specialness of humanity. At the beginning of creation God built the earth and instantly produced billions of animals, insects and fish on it. As His last and greatest creation, He built a man and woman in His image who were able to make moral choices and have a relationship with Him (Gen. 1:26). After sin entered the world, anger, hate and jealousy created the possibility of murder which happened with Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:6-14; 23). Though Abel had previously killed an animal for sacrifice bringing no consequences, once Cain killed Abel, he knew he deserved to die. This unwritten rule on the human conscience was in place since the beginning and was later codified in the Ten Commandments.