"Thou shalt not kill"...what about the sacrificial lamb?

Question

What exactly does God tell us not to kill...it doesn't say "Thou shalt not kill humans." Before you get angry with this question...think about it...

Answer 1

The Hebrew is used only in reference to murdering people. A different word is used for killing animals -- and that's allowed.

oh, and was jesus the passover sacrifice OR a sin-atonement sacrifice?

Answer 2

The context that commands are given in should also be taken into thought. People were killed through wars years and years ago and the tithe or tenth comes from God's command to take a tenth from the top of the spoils of war, the best of the bounty, and present it to the Church and Government as a show of appreciation for God's leadership into battle. Many animals are killed yearly for sacrifice for sins as the Bible also said that sin is not atoned for or forgiven unless there is shedding of blood which can only be done by killing the animal. Sacrifices were also made to God whereby the killing of an animal was done. Humans though are the only creatures that kill for no other reason than hate. Even animals which fight out of jealousy will usually stop before death of the other animal but continue until total submission. I don't feel that God ever said or meant do not kill anything but meant the command with reference to Man or Human kind. The reason is that unlike animals the Human/Man/Woman has a created inner spirit that lives and is contained within the physical body. It is this spirit that lives eternally and makes us unique. Animals do not have that spirit.

Answer 3

In Genesis it says that after the flood we were allowed to eat flesh except to pour the blood on the ground. Then later Animal sacrifice was pleasing to god so long as it was the best of the flock . But all this prefigured the ransom sacrifice of Jesus who was a sacrifical lamb of god to take away sin from the world. Animal sacrifice was acceptable before this but human sacrifice was not in fact people sacrificing humans to foreign gods like Baal were exterminated from the Land of Canaan primarily for this reason.

Answer 4

Whose god? Seriously none of the cammandments were meant to apply to the actions or to have ultimate effect on anything but human beings. Thou shall not kill refers only to the killing of people. It has been only very recently that the life and well being of animals have come to mean anything.

Answer 5

thou shalt not kill (humans)

if u r thinkin about animals, then reconsider even plants have life. so wat r u going to finally eat.

as far as sacrificial lamb is concerned, it was God's order. no mortal can judge it or point a finger at it. dont u know y they sacrifice lamb.

dun tell me u never heard of the story of abraham(pbuh)

may Allah bless us all and guide us on the straigth path and shower His mercy on us.

Answer 6

Humans. I did think about it...and have been a Bible reader for years. The sacrificial lamb was killed for the atonement of our sins. The Ultimate Sacrifical Lamb was Jesus Christ...who was God in "skin". It was the sacrifice once and for all.

Answer 7

You're right, the original text in the Bible was structured to mean specifically the killing of humans, because obviously the Israelites still ate meat like goat, cow, and poultry and you have to kill those things in order to eat them. Which doesn't acount for all the wars the Israelites fought in and killed, but's that's religion for you.

Answer 8

Actually, the real translation from Hebrew means "Thou shalt not MURDER". That being the case, it DOES refer to human beings only.

Answer 9

One of the problems that we have in a light reading of the Bible is that our English translations do not necessarily convey the meaning of the original texts. God's commandment is actually "You shall not murder". There are times when killing is necessary and prop per.

However, Jesus goes on to elaborate on this. "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." (Matthew 5:21)

"John tells us that if we hate our brother we have murdered him in God's sight (1 John 3:15). And that is really true. What it is really telling us is that we refrain from killing the ones we resent only because we fear the reprisal that would come to us." - Ray Stedman http://www.raystedman.org/genesis/0321.html

Answer 10

Just another quote for the christians to twist to suite their fancy. Which God would have you take the life of a living creature and you be bless? 'Thou shall not kill, period'.