Well, I don’t propose that anyone “decide when” to protect your life or anyone else’s. Not at all. There’s no “when” to it. It’s simply — protect life at all times at all costs. Nothing to decide...Regards,
Star TravelerP.S. — And, of course, if you have read some of what I’ve written, you’ll see that I am not talking about a “life for a life” in the case when someone murders someone else and their life is required or in the case when self-defense is required because of an imminent threat to one’s life (and that applies “nationally” too). In those cases, it’s one life for another life, and not merely protecting a life in absolute terms. I have to put that qualifier in there, because it’s also the same type of qualifier that the Bible has on life, too. ~ from post # 293
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
But let's not stop there. How about explaining Exodus 35:2-3 and tell me of its "protect life at all times at all costs" message.
There’s an absolute, vast and overwhelming difference and distinction between God and man (all of mankind). Also, there is an absolute distinction between national Israel, as chosen by God for His purposes, and the Gentiles (the rest of the world). That’s where you go wrong.
God sets the rules and laws, for one thing. Mankind does not. And, God sets the rules and laws differently for national Israel, as compared to the rest of the world, and as His chosen people, and for being the guiding light among the nations (as is God’s plan for the world), and the example to the world (which they failed to do, as the Bible shows and tells us, but they will fulfill it during the Millennium), and for bringing the Scriptures to the world, and for bringing the Messiah to the world.
And those are the laws that He set for national Israel, for the purposes (and plan) He has set out for them (but not for the rest of mankind). Those violations of God’s law that God specifically set up for national Israel had those which were to be punished with death. They were chosen for God’s good reasons, from His complete and unlimited knowledge and knowing all things from the past, present and into the future, and according to His will and His plan for Israel and for mankind.
And since God is the one who is the life-giver (and absolutely no one else is), absolutely all life is in His hands — with all life and death matters — and in no one else’s hands. He shows this by what He says about Himself and how we see the examples of Job, in that Satan had to ask permission from God and God set limits, not allowing Job’s death, but allowing his kids’ death (at Satan’s hands, as Satan wanted to do).
These are things which are *not* in the province of mankind to set for themselves. They are only in the province of God to command or not allow, according to His full knowledge and his knowing the end from the beginning (i.e., all things past, present and future).
Very early, right after the Garden of Eden, God made clear that it was a violation for anyone else to take life, of their own will and at their own hands. But, God, being the Supreme Judge of the Universe and being all-knowing and being the life-giver, has that completely, totally and fully in His own hands, by *absolute right*. No one else does. Only God does.
God has allowed for the corporate punishment of one who takes the life of another at that person’s own hands. And also, self-defense is allowed (if that’s the situation).
Evil and the disobedience of God’s law always has the punishment of death. That was the original judgement in the Garden of Eden — *death* — for violation of God’s command(s). And every last single person on this earth is currently under the *death sentence* by God’s judgement (for violation of HIs laws). Death is already the sentence, by His judgement — but not by mankind’s judgement, except for that which has been delegated to mankind, corporately (as in capital punishment, for taking life). Also, the exception of self-defense, when a life is about to be taken, unjustly.
So, where you totally miss it, is that God has everyone *already* sentenced to death. It’s only by God’s “grace” that you or anyone else is still alive at this moment. You have the death sentence already pronounced on you. The timing of your death is of no consequence to that death sentence you are under, right now, for violation of HIs laws.
Mankind, itself, has no ability, no right and no justification for giving any kind of death sentence — at all — except in the cases noted above. God, on the other hand, has already pronounced that death sentence upon every last single human being on this planet — and your life or death is totally in God’s hands (but not mankind’s hands).
And so, mankind, itself, protects life at all costs, as that is what it is required to do. Mankind has no right to take another life, but only acting under God’s explicit commands, and in no other way. And for us today, as we are Gentiles and as national sovereign Israel (as chosen by God) no longer exists (but will once again in the Millennium), none of those things commanded of national Israel even apply today.
I trust that makes the situation clear for you.
Regards,
Star Traveler