SESSION 4 Honor Life - Razor Planet

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The PointRespect human life as God does.

The PassageExodus 20:13; 1 Samuel 26:7-11,22-25

The Bible Meets Life Ask anyone with little knowledge of what the Bible teaches, and he’s likely to mention one of the Ten Commandments, especially the one about killing. You may have seen a TV courtroom drama where someone shouted at the accused murderer, “Thou shalt not kill!” Or perhaps the defense lawyer used it as a reason not to put the condemned person to death.

It’s almost universally accepted that killing others is wrong, but cultures and governments legislate different ways to interpret that. Life—and the value of life—has never been more debated than they have in recent years. Whether the topic is late-term abortions, euthanasia, or human-trafficking, life is demanding to be noticed and defended.

As we will see in this session, the Bible is clear: life begins at the moment of conception and retains its value from the womb to the tomb. All life. Unfortunately, believers within the body of Christ have not always agreed on this, and we have failed to unify on this all-important area. But God wants us to realize that all life is valuable. We are to see life as He sees life.

The SettingAt Mount Sinai the people of Israel listened to the Lord’s words, the Ten Commandments, which emphasized how they were to live in relation to God and to other people. The sixth commandment called for them to respect human life. Several hundred years later David, whom God had chosen as the next king of Israel, obeyed this command even though King Saul, the first ruler of Israel, sought to kill him.

SESSION 4

Honor Life

46 Se S SIon 4© 2020 LifeWay Christian Resources

Respect human life as God does.T HE P OIN T

5 MINUTES

GET INTO THE STUDYDISCUSS: Question #1 on page 37 of the PSG: “What are some ways you show others they are valued?” Allow time for each person to respond .

GUIDE: Direct group members to “The Bible Meets Life” on page 38 of the PSG . Introduce the importance of human life by reading or summarizing the text or by encouraging group members to read it on their own .

GUIDE: Call attention to “The Point” on page 38 of the PSG: “Respect human life as God does.”

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, prepare a video clip that shows the value of human life .

NOTE: A video option can be found at BibleStudiesForLife .com/AdultExtra .

LEADER PACK: Display Pack Item 4, the “Map of David’s Story in 1 & 2 Samuel” poster, to give background and context to this session .

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Use the Party option on page 55 of this Leader Guide to celebrate the importance of life .

PRAY: Transition into the study by asking God to help the group understand the value of human life and how to communicate that truth to others . Thank Him for the precious gift of life .

BI BL E S T U DI E S F OR L I F E 47© 2020 LifeWay Christian Resources

Exodus 20:1313 Do not murder.

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Exodus 20:13 on page 39 of the PSG .

RECAP: Human life is precious to God—and it should be precious to us . Yet we often give in to the false notion that, just because we do not take part in physical murder ourselves, we are above this command: “Do not murder .” Jesus made it clear in His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that murder can take other forms . We also are not to destroy another’s life through hate or defamation .

DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 39 of the PSG: “What are some ways our society devalues human life?”

RECAP: Christ has called us to live a life of love . When you and I live absent of love for God and one another, we are living in disobedience to God’s highest command: to love . Yet, love becomes difficult to experience in the stench of unforgiveness . Kind words become biting criticisms . Giving gestures begin to be tied to demands in return . The debris of rotting regret, shame, anger, and doubt flood the air producing difficulties in relationships, careers, ministry and virtually every other sphere of life . That’s why finding the ability to forgive is about so much more than forgiving the person who hurt you, or even forgiving yourself for what you now regret . It’s also about regaining the life God intended for you .

GUIDE: Use the commentary for the verses on the next page of this Leader Guide to help explain the meaning of murder .

RECAP: We all know people who seem to overreact to issues that come their way . They overreact because hatred and bitterness are rotting the soul, causing those issues to be tender . This points back to Jesus’ words on murder . Our hate is a form of murder of the other person, but it also affects our own lives negatively . To release any hatred and bitterness, look to the cross and what Jesus did for you . We are all even at the foot of the cross . Jesus died to forgive you, but He also died for the ones you’re tempted to murder with hate .

DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 40 of the PSG: “What are some benefits for society when we value human life?”

TRANSITION: Human life is precious to God—and should be precious to us . In the next verses, we see that we should respect life by acknowledging God’s authority over it .

STUDY THE BIBLE

15 MINUTES

ALTERNATE QUESTION:

What are some core principles that serve as the foundation of this command?

48 Se S Sion 4© 2020 LifeWay Christian Resources

T HE P OIN T Respect human life as God does.

Exodus 20:13 Commentary[VERSE 13] Scripture emphasizes that God made humans, both male and female, in His image (Gen. 1:27; 9:6). As the crown of His creation, God loves and treasures His image bearers. God calls for us to share His view that human life is precious, which is the emphasis of the sixth commandment. This command (along with the next two) is one of the shortest of all the Ten Commandments.

The sixth commandment is written with only two Hebrew words. The Hebrew adverb lo is a negative that can be translated “no,” “not,” or “never”; thus, a literal translation of the Hebrew in this verse could be “no murder” or “never murder.” The commandment, often translated as “Do not kill,” is not a broad prohibition against any type of taking of human life. The Hebrew term for murder (ratzach), which occurs forty-seven times in the Old Testament, has a very specific range of meaning. The term can be defined as referring to unauthorized taking of human life for personal reasons. In the Old Testament, the term ratzach was also used to refer to a person who slew another accidentally and then fled to cities of refuge (Num. 35:6; Josh. 20). However, apart from that exception, the term is used in Scripture exclusively in reference to the malicious, intentional action to kill an innocent person—premeditated murder.

The crime of murder relates in part to human beings being made in the image of God. Speaking to Noah after the flood, God commanded, “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image” (Gen. 9:6). God also made a distinction between murder and killing as the prescribed penalty for various crimes. God commanded the Israelites to put to death those who committed crimes such as murder (Ex. 21:12), adultery (Lev. 20:10), idolatry (Ex. 22:20), and human sacrifice (Lev. 20:1-5). God also allowed for the taking of human life in specific cases: in certain instances killing another person in war was allowable (Deut. 13:15; 1 Sam. 15:3) and some other killings were authorized (such as avenging a death in certain situations—Num. 35:19).

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul noted that governments are established by God and authorized by Him to use “the sword.” They are “God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong” (administers justice against those who break society’s laws; see Rom. 13). Paul’s admonition, “Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice” (Eph. 4:31), is also relevant to this subject. Unfortunately, in far too many cases, uncontrolled feelings of anger and rage lead to various expressions of wrongful violence, including murder.

In our country most people would probably claim to recognize the value of human life, at least in a general sense. But there are exceptions for many of these people. Some use phrases like “no quality of life” as they seek to justify euthanasia (so-called “mercy killing”) for the terminally ill or even for the elderly who can no longer care for themselves. Others debate when a fetus is “viable” or argue about when human life should begin in their support for abortion.

But just because we may not deliberately take another person’s life doesn’t mean we always obey this command. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire” (Matt. 5:21-22). While being angry with someone is not as bad as killing the person, it is still sinful because it doesn’t measure up to God’s perfect standard. Jesus’ words affirm that valuing human life includes our attitudes as well as our actions. Thus we can also violate this commandment when we show disregard for human life through racism, discrimination, defamation, or other hateful attitudes and actions.


STUDY THE BIBLE

1 Samuel 26:7-117 That night, David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. Abner and the troops were lying around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy to you. Let me thrust the spear through him into the ground just once. I won’t have to strike him twice!” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be innocent?” 10 David added, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will certainly strike him down: either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 However, because of the Lord, I will never lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head, and let’s go.”

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Samuel 26:7-11 on page 40 of the PSG .

DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 40 of the PSG: “What do David’s words and actions reveal about his relationship with God?”

RECAP: Although Saul was currently the king, it was clear that God’s hand was on David and he would become king . Saul not only stood in the way of David’s rightful ascension to the throne, but he had also made it his mission to make sure David would never become king .

On this night, as Saul and his men slept, David was nearby . Circumstances were definitely in David’s favor; here was an opportunity to easily kill Saul if he chose to do so . Based on Saul’s actions against David, many people would not have condemned David if he took Saul’s life . It would be seen as an act of war or self-defense: “Kill or be killed .”

GUIDE: Use the commentary for the verses on the next page of this Leader Guide to help explain the importance of Abishai and Abner in these verses .

RECAP: As kingdom disciples, we must not grow complacent in a world where life continues to be devalued . We have been called to speak up for the lives of others—including the most vulnerable—in any and every way that we can .

DO: Direct group members to Engage with “Value for Life” on page 41 of the PSG (page 55 in this Leader Guide) to help them practically apply these truths in our culture .

TRANSITION: In the next verses, we see that we are to respect life by treating every life as equally valuable .

10 MINUTES

ALTERNATE QUESTION:

When have you seen someone benefit by acknowledging God’s authority over life?


Respect human life as God does.T HE P OIN T

1 Samuel 26:7-11 Commentary[VERSE 7] God alone is the one who has authority to bring death and give life (Deut. 32:39). Acknowledging His authority over life is one way we show respect for it. This was what David did on more than one occasion. Though David had been chosen by God and anointed as the new king of Israel, King Saul did not accept God’s will and repeatedly tried to kill David, who threatened Saul’s dynasty.

David was on the run from Saul for several years. On one occasion David was living in the wilderness of Ziph, which was in the Judean hill country. The local people heard about David’s presence and informed Saul, who then set out with three thousand soldiers to find and kill David (1 Sam. 26:1-2).

When David learned of Saul’s presence, he sent scouts out to confirm it (26:3-4). When it was dark and Saul’s party was asleep, David approached Saul’s camp. Abishai, David’s nephew (1 Chron. 2:13-16), was one of the men in David’s mercenary force of at least six hundred men who had joined David while he was hiding in the wilderness from Saul (1 Sam. 23:13). Abishai volunteered to accompany David in sneaking into an enemy camp. The two men quietly made their way through the sleeping soldiers to the center of the camp, where Saul was sleeping. Sleeping near the king was Abner, the king’s cousin who was also commander of the army (14:50).

[VERSE 8] Verse 12 notes that Saul and his men “all remained asleep because a deep sleep from the Lord came over them.” Whether Abishai recognized the Lord’s protection at this time is unknown. But he certainly recognized their great offensive advantage, which he believed was from the Lord: “Today God has delivered your enemy to you.” Abishai may have assumed they had come into the camp to kill the man who was responsible for trying to kill David. He sounds like the men with David sometime earlier who were hiding from Saul in a cave when the king came in alone to relieve himself. Those men interpreted the events as a sign of God’s favor and deliverance,

telling David that God had given his enemy over to him for David to do whatever he wanted to the king. Abishai requested permission to take care of David’s problem. Abishai was certain of his ability. He would thrust the spear, perhaps the king’s own spear, through Saul’s body and into the ground.

[VERSE 9] David, however, would not allow Abishai to carry out his plan because Saul was the Lord’s anointed (as Samuel had proclaimed in 10:1). While David had also been anointed king by Samuel (16:12-13), he wanted to remain innocent in God’s sight—not be liable for God’s judgment because of sin. David also may have realized that killing the sitting king, for whatever reason, could have set a precedent that could later be used against him when he reigned as king.

[VERSE 10] David expressed his trust in God’s sovereignty—His authority and control over the world He had created. In refusing to harm Saul, David showed respect for human life as well as honoring God who has authority over all life. David was certain that God, in whatever way and time He determined, would bring about the king’s eventual death. This might happen through natural causes or in battle where Saul would be struck by an enemy and would perish, but ultimately it would be from God.

[VERSE 11] The phrase Because of the Lord can be understood as an oath (the Hebrew words are literally, “Yahweh forbid”). David reiterated his vow that he would never do anything to injure Saul, the Lord’s anointed. Then David commanded Abishai to get Saul’s spear and the water jug by his head. The spear was an important element for Saul’s power while the water jug (actually its contents) was an important element for his life. David figuratively held both of these in his hands. David could use them to emphasize what might have happened, and perhaps cause the king to end his pursuit of an innocent man. After securing these personal items, the two men left Saul’s camp.


STUDY THE BIBLE

1 Samuel 26:22-2522 David answered, “Here is the king’s spear; have one of the young men come over and get it. 23 The Lord will repay every man for his righteousness and his loyalty. I wasn’t willing to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today. 24 Just as I considered your life valuable today, so may the Lord consider my life valuable and rescue me from all trouble.” 25 Saul said to him, “You are blessed, my son David. You will certainly do great things and will also prevail.” Then David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Samuel 26:22-25 on page 43 of the PSG .

RECAP: Every single life bears the stamp of God . Granted, we have marred that image through our sinfulness, but His image is stamped in each of us . This reality gives life its value . This truth ought to dictate not only how we view and treat ourselves but also how we view and treat others . We are to respect life by treating every life as equally valuable . David modeled this in his interaction with Saul .

Saul had a momentary heart change . He called David his son and spoke of great things that David would go on to accomplish . In fact, David’s refusal to kill Saul when he had the chance encouraged Saul to return home and stop the chase, at least for the time being .

GUIDE: Use the commentary for the verses on the next page of this Leader Guide to help explain David’s loyalty to Saul and the Lord .

SUMMARIZE: Highlight the main points from page 43 of the PSG . Consider how we can live out this truth in how we honor all life:

> Acting justly includes doing so toward the vulnerable, seeking to protect their lives .

> Loving faithfulness involves consistently and faithfully pursuing life and liberty for those who are at risk of losing both .

> Walking humbly means we consider others more important than ourselves .

DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 43 of the PSG: “What are some practical ways we can lift up the value of life before others?”

GUIDE: Refer back to “The Point” for this session: “Respect human life as God does.”

10 MINUTES

ALTERNATE QUESTION:

Whom do you know who really lives out the value of life before others?



1 Samuel 26:22-25 Commentary[VERSE 22] After retreating to a distant mountain, David shouted to Abner, the king’s general. David noted the king’s missing spear and water jug and said the commander (and all the soldiers with him) deserved to die because he had not protected Saul, the Lord’s anointed. After Saul acknowledged David’s voice, David emphasized his insignificance and declared he was innocent of any wrongdoing against the king. Saul then confessed his sin and noted his foolishness. He then vowed he would never harm David again and he asked David to “come back” (1 Sam. 26:21).

David had learned not to trust Saul’s words, so there would be no reconciliation. Though David would not go over to the king, he held up the king’s spear and offered to return it if one of Saul’s young men (perhaps a servant) would come over and get this symbol of the king’s authority.

[VERSE 23] The Hebrew verb for repay is often translated return, restore, or bring back. Here it pictures the Lord rewarding people for their actions. This idea is similar to Paul’s words about sowing and reaping (Gal. 6:7-10). Righteousness, as used here, means right behavior based on God’s standards (His law), especially in human relationships. The Hebrew word for loyalty (emunah) was used in Exodus 17:12 to describe the steadiness of Moses’ hands when Aaron and Hur supported them during Israel’s battle with the Amalekites. As David used the word it can picture someone who supports or upholds what God has said—who is faithful or loyal to the Lord and to His covenant stipulations.

With these words David declared he was innocent of any wrongdoing related to Saul. David recognized that favorable circumstances in his eyes did not constitute permission to kill Saul. God alone has authority over human life, therefore He should be the one to decree if or when a life can be taken. This is why David did not lift [his] hand (take action) against the Lord’s anointed.

In asserting his innocence David essentially highlighted Saul’s guilt. Saul had not done what was right (as he had confessed in 1 Sam. 26:21), nor had he been loyal to God’s covenant demands. Thus he, too, would ultimately receive his due from the Lord for his sinful actions. Perhaps this situation prompted David’s proclamation in Psalm 54:5 where he declared that God “will repay my adversaries for their evil.”

[VERSE 24] David didn’t ask the king to stop chasing and trying to kill him. In fact, he expected it to continue (see 1 Sam. 27:1). But in what were likely the last words he ever spoke to Saul—his father-in-law and king of Israel—David essentially made a request of God. David asked that God would treat him as he had treated Saul. David had considered Saul’s life valuable. David didn’t presume upon God, but he knew the Lord respects human life and thus asked God to value his life.

David also asked the Lord to “rescue me from all trouble.” This was more than wishful thinking; it was confidence in the Lord’s character and ability, which David had known throughout his life. As a youth he asserted to King Saul, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Sam. 17:37). Later David proclaimed God as “the one who has redeemed my life from every distress” (2 Sam. 4:9).

[VERSE 25] In what seemed like heartfelt words, for the third time in a few minutes (vv. 17,21) Saul addressed David as my son. The king then spoke a blessing on David (or perhaps acknowledged how God had blessed him). While Saul declared that David would do great things, this time he did not mention his certainty that David would be king, as he had said after the incident in the cave (24:20). Yet there may be an allusion to David’s future role as Saul noted David would prevail, that is, triumph or be victorious. After these words, the two men left to go their separate ways.


Free additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesforLife .com/AdultExtra

GUIDE: Direct group members to page 44 of the PSG . Encourage them to choose one of the following applications:

> Check your attitude. If you privately consider some people more important than others, confess that to God and repent . While the world deems countless people as inferior or less important, we are called to see all people as God sees them .

> Check your words. Examine your involvement in devaluing life through the words you speak to others or about others . Words of anger, malice, bitterness, or even apathy do not honor the lives of those God loves, so repent and determine to speak only that which lifts up .

> Check your actions. Look for concrete ways you can affirm the value of life in your spheres of influence . Practical actions can include counseling at a pro-life pregnancy center, helping a parent with a disabled child, or bringing joy to the forgotten in a nursing home .

Wrap It UpTRANSITION: Read or restate the final paragraph from page 44 of the PSG .

All life has value . It’s up to each of us to validate and affirm this value in what we think, say, and do . This requires us to get out of our comfort zones and be more active in affirming the value of life—just as God has commanded .

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): Use the Pregnancy Clinic option on page 55 of this Leader Guide to share options for group members to get involved with this important movement to protect human life .

PRAY: Thank God for the value He places upon human life . Ask Him to help us recognize where we can step in to make a difference for life in our culture and to have the courage to do so .

LIVE IT OUT

5 MINUTES

EXTRA!



ENGAGEValue for Life. God values all human life. As His children, we reflect His character when we value all human life as well. List some ways you see our culture devaluing life and some ways we as Christians can intervene.

CULTURE CHURCH

Unborn children:

The elderly:

The handicapped:

Minorities:

Immigrants:

Genders:

Other:

BONUS CONTENTACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, bring some good food to your gathering and throw a quick “5 Minute Party” to celebrate God’s gift of life. Simply encourage your group members to enjoy the privilege of being alive as a way to honor God for His gift.

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, invite a pro-life pregnancy clinic representative to visit the

group and share ways various organizations are working to protect human life. If no one is available, obtain brochures from two or three such groups to share with the group. Lead members to discuss ways they can participate in efforts to protect human life.


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SESSION 4 Honor Life - Razor Planet