Widows and Brothers The Eighth Commandment These laws made perfect sense in ancient Israel. Deuteronomy 25:5-10 “‘If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and ...
Inheritances The Eighth Commandment Inheritances must be passed on intact. Numbers 27:8-11 “And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ...
Stewards for the Sake of Others The Eighth Commandment We must care for our property with others in mind. Exodus 21:33, 34 “When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit ...
Our Neighbors’ Stewardship The Eighth Commandment We are stewards of our neighbors’ lost property. Deuteronomy 22:1-4 “‘You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he ...
Guard against Negligence The Eighth Commandment Negligence can be a form of stealing. Exodus 22:6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.” James 3:5, 6 Exodus 22:5 “If a man causes a field ...
A Call to Stewardship The Eighth Commandment God calls each of us to a stewardship of property. Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.” Deuteronomy 5:19 “‘And you shall not steal.’” All things have been created to serve God’s purposes in bringing glory and honor to His Name (Ps. 119:89-91). God distributes His blessing among men as He ...
In the Place of God The Eighth Commandment Stealing can take many forms. Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.” Deuteronomy 5:19 “‘And you shall not steal.’” The eighth commandment is accompanied by more statutes, rules, and precepts than any other of the Ten Commandments. What does this say about human beings? Many things: we are not easily ...
Utterly Destroy The Eighth Commandment Deuteronomy 20:10-18 “‘When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it. And if it responds to you peaceably and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall ...
Exemptions from War The Eighth Commandment Deuteronomy 20:1-9 “‘When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land ...
Family First The Eighth Commandment Deuteronomy 24:5 “‘When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken.’” We note here, first of all, ...