As many sit on death row at the expense of the state and we the people, we must ask what does scripture say on this matter? Does God believe in capital punishment? The answer may surprise you.

In the most recent case of James Holmes who shot and killed twelve people while injuring over seventy others we see he has been handed the verdict of life on death row. Is this justice that he be allowed to live and have friends and family visit while the families who lost their loved ones have no closure? Scripture tells us that God is for capital punishment in the event of cold blooded murder as only blood for blood will cleanse the land of such an evil act! But in the event of accidental death His judgment is different. This judgment is for ALL GENERATION’S.

1). Cold Blooded Murder………….. (Numbers 35:29-34).  So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel.

2). Accidental Death……….. (Deuteronomy 19:4-6). And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.

It is sad to see the judicial system we have set in place which is able to have the power to carry out justice neglect the true judgment God has written so long ago to give peace in the land.