The Eighth Commandment
Good Day to one and all of you reading the above lesson—Let us turn our hearts, our minds, and our thoughts to our friends, neighbors and folks in the areas effected by the devastating fires in Australia.
Folks, we must go to God in prayer and ask that He supplies the necessary relief for the people, animals and lands affected in those area. There are animals and vegetation that may become non-existent along with people losing their lives, their homes, their properties and everything they ever had.
This is beyond crucial as these folks need our prayers to the Almighty God to save them from any further harm—I need your help to pray for only God can give these folks what is needed to heal their land. I did a previous lesson on ASK—Ask, Seek and Knock and utilize prayer for God is always open, never closes and is ready to hear from you, but you must knock and seek that his will be done in all things.
The word Pray is found in the concordance 313 times—yes, that is just about every day in a calendar year—Do you make the effort to pray daily of each year? Could you make that a New Year’s resolution?
In all troubling times, we need a bit of humor—I like corny jokes and humor without the foul language and sex—I was watching Red Skelton the other night—Great Humor—wish we had more shows like those!
Vickie’s wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement—not even her parent’s nasty divorce.
Her mom had found the PERFECT DRESS to wear and would be the best dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!
A week later, Vickie was horrified to learn that her father’s new, young wife had bought the same exact dress as her mother!
Vickie asked her dad’s new young wife to exchange the dress, but she refused. “Absolutely not! I look like a million dollars in this dress, and I’m wearing the dress, “she said.
Vickie told her mom who graciously said, “Never mind sweetheart. I’ll get another dress. After all, it’s your special day.”
A few days later, they went shopping, and did find another gorgeous dress for her mother.
When they stopped for lunch, Vickie asked her mother, “Aren’t you going to return the other dress? You really don’t have another occasion where you could wear it.”
Her mother just smiled and replied, “of course I do, dear…. I’m wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night BEFORE the wedding.”
Ah yes, just a bit of humor, but there is no humor in the Eighth Commandment—And what is the 8th Commandment—You shall not steal… Exodus 20:15 (FF)
Four words again like the sixth commandment but instead of not murdering, this involves stealing. The word steal is found 22 times in the New Strong’s Concordance—twelve times in the Old Testament and 10 times in the New Testament.
In the book, Digest of the Divine Law, Howard Rand says the following, Condemnation under this law is passed upon a wide variety of activities in our modern business and financial life. Every phase of human activity that undertakes to secure something for nothing when such acquisition is a loss to others is stealing. Withholding the tithe is stealing from God, according to Malachi 3:8.
Harsh? No, not all—Stealing is stealing, whether it be a paper clip, a store item, food, clothing, car, time, tithe or trying to secure something for nothing when such an acquisition is a loss to others. So tell me, what’s the difference between a white lie and black lie? Just the color. The same applies here in that whether you steal a piece of meat or money from a cashier who overpaid you—Now, you can say that it’s her mistake, but someone must replace that lost money. Now, you can say that it’s her fault, but it is yours if you willfully knew that the cashier gave you too much and instead of letting the cashier know the mistake, you kept it.
How many times has that little voice deep within let you know that was wrong and yet you did not listen?
My wife has said that sometimes I make these lessons out as preaching instead of teaching, but I don’t want to that—The things that I write are things that I did previously, and I am ashamed of doing them afterwards. Sin is sin—Let us remember that God hates sin, not the sinner for he forgives sin, but we must go to him and profess our sin or sins and ask forgiveness.
In the Bible, there are penalties for stealing as well as for any other sin and restitution must be made. Did you think that you would go unscathed? I refer to Mr. Rand’s book –Digest of the Divine Law—Let’s go over some examples of judgements for stealing—
- If oxen or sheep or stolen and found in the thief’s hand, he was to restore double.
- If the thief had sold or killed them, he was to restore five oxen & four sheep for the one ox and the one sheep he had taken.
- When money is stolen, the thief must make double restitution.
Note: The law of the Lord removes all profit from stealing and imposes severe penalties upon those who steal. - In the case of kidnapping or stealing a man or woman to sell them for ransom, the judgment required that the thief should surely be put to death.
What shall be done with the thief who cannot make restitution? Would he go to jail? Would he be put to death? The thief would not be put to death nor placed in jail—He would work out his indebtedness! Wow! Just think of those financiers and company officers who stole millions from the needy, the employees, and their families—they would spend the rest of their lives working to restore double that which they fleeced form their victims.
As for the result and read this very carefully, Under the Law of the Lord, with two, four or even five times increase in restoration over that which was stolen and with double the money taken to be returned by the thief, many would be thieves would fear to do wrong.
I hope the judges who call themselves Christians are reading the above for you, each of you not observing, following and executing the laws of the Lord will answer to the King as to why you did not. What are you going to say? You were put in the position of judge and have been taught God’s laws—Why aren’t you executing God’s laws in accordance to what the Lord states?
The eighth commandment is simple—Don’t steal—if you do and are caught, there are harsh penalties. But most importantly, if you Love the Lord with all your heart and soul and mind, then you will obey my Commandments.
Wherever you are reading this column and whatever you may think, this is not made up or a fantasy world in another galaxy, God has supplied each of us with the Bible as the source for all judgements, all laws, and all statutes. He has given us the blueprint to execute, it is up to fellow Christians to have his commandments put back into operation and followed to the tee.
As I close, I have one question for you reading this column, what will be your explanation, when speaking to the King, as to why you did not follow his laws, statutes and judgements?
Let us tackle the ninth commandment in the next lesson.
May God Bless you and keep you safe always.
Jeff