Sin is a nation’s greatest weakness. When it proliferates, it can overthrow the whole system.
Capital punishment was instituted long before we read about it in Leviticus 20. After the Flood in Noah’s day, God began to establish the basis for human government when men proved their own consciences were not sufficient governors against sin. He then said, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man” (Gen 9:6). This was a universal law, not just for Israel. But after the Sinai Covenant, we have more specific details for the nation. The death penalty in Israel was established for witnessed murder (not accidental killings), family insurrection (by young adults), kidnapping, adultery, incest, bestiality, sodomy, rape of a betrothed virgin, witchcraft, breaking the Sabbath, blasphemy, sacrificing to false gods, oppressing the weak, and other serious transgressions (see Ex 21, 22, 35; Lev 20, 24; Deut 21-24). Let’s remember that the fate of the human race hung on Israel being sufficiently preserved from the rampant wickedness in the nations around them so that “when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,…to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5). These sins were like a cancer and, if allowed to spread, could doom the whole nation. The breakdown of morals, marriage, family structure, worship of God, etc., would be fatal, as we see in our day. How thankful we should be that grace has triumphed over law! Even those guilty of such crimes can today find forgiveness and cleansing in the sacrifice of the Savior (see 1 Cor 6:9-11). “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression…? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy” (Mic 7:18).