Protecting Your Own Land & Livestock
This study was a bit of a personal one for me as I have an ongoing circumstance with keeping sheep, free range chickens, guinea fowl and trying to have honey bees. And there are a few neighbors that have dogs and they let them free roam. This has recently shown its self to be a problem as one of the dogs attacked some of my birds.
I wanted to study out in the word of God, rather or not it is good for me as a Christian to defend my own. Also to answer if the will of God according to his word permits the dispatching of a beast attacking my livestock. Now obviously our first instinct at least mine was to say yes why wouldn't it be lawful? Notwithstanding, I wanted to confirm it in studying out the matter in the word of God.
Here are some scriptures to consider for such a thing, each dealing with the law for an eye for an eye.
Exodus 21:24 KJV
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
....
Exodus 21:35-36 KJV
(35) And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
(36) Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
Leviticus 24:20-21 KJV
(20) Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
(21) And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
... But Jesus says in the New Testament ...
Matthew 5:38-39 KJV
(38) Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
(39) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
... Yet still Jesus also says ...
Luke 22:36 & 38 KJV
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
(38) And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
In this video Bible study we will be looking at these passages and more breaking them down and rightly dividing the word of God to know what is for us today regarding this topic.
