Pastor John,
We were reading the law that was given to Moses, and when we got to this verse about a man being killed, in Exodus 21. I felt like a sledgehammer hit me in the chest, and I heard these words, “There, is your ‘accident.’”
The verse is this (13:) “And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.”
I know the world thinks that it has “accidents”, whereby a person, by chance, kills another human being by sheer misfortune. But God said, in Exodus, that He has delivered that man up to die and has placed him in your way to accomplish it. Which means every day that a person lives, is given to them by God, until God takes it away. The experience scared me and left me feeling sober. I looked up some other translations and most that I found, did not confess the truth that I heard. Here are two of them:
N.I.V. “However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.”
NET Bible “But if he does not do it with premeditation, but it happens by accident, then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.”
But God didn’t “let” it happen, nor was it an “accident”. God did it! God killed a man, and we know He is righteous in doing so. Pastor John, there sure are a lot of “accidents” on the news every day.
The verse and its meaning are clearly understood, but the experience with Jesus was alive and new to me, I appreciate you letting me share it.
Jerry
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Hi Jerry,
Here is how we translated that verse from Exodus 21:13. “But if a man lies not in wait, and God delivers him into his hand, I will appoint you a place to which he may flee.”
The world, and especially the self-righteous disdain the thought of fearing God, and sometimes criticize those who declare it as Neanderthal in their thinking. But if that is true, then Jesus was a Neanderthal, too. So, we are in good company. Jesus said (Luke 12:4-5), “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”
The fear of God is good, and the love of God casts out every kind of fear but that one. May God grant us plenty of it!
Pastor John