Exodus 20: Life, Death, and the Image of God
“You shall not murder.” — Exodus 20:13
Few commandments are as short—and yet as profoundly misunderstood—as the sixth commandment. At just two words in Hebrew (lo tirtzach), it appears simple on the surface. Don’t murder. Most people feel they pass this test easily.
But Scripture does not allow us to stay at the surface.
This command is not merely a prohibition — it is a revelation. It unveils what God treasures most in His creation. It exposes the darkness within the human heart. And ultimately, it points us to the only One who can transform death into life.
A Command That Reveals God’s Heart
The Ten Commandments are not arbitrary rules. They are a portrait of God’s values. When God says, “You shall not murder,” He is not merely forbidding an act—He is declaring something sacred: God loves life.
This command only makes sense when you understand two foundational truths:
1. Life Belongs to God
Scripture is clear that life is not self-originating. It is given.
“The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” — Job 33:4
Every human life is breathed into existence by God Himself. This means life is not ours to create at will or destroy at will. It is entrusted to us, but it belongs to Him.
To take innocent human life is not merely a social crime. It is cosmic rebellion. It is an attempt to seize authority that belongs only to God.
2. Every Person Bears God’s Image
“So God created man in his own image…” — Genesis 1:27
This is the foundation of all human dignity.
Every person—regardless of status, intelligence, ethnicity, or belief—carries the imprint of God. To harm them is to deface His image. To destroy them is to strike at something that reflects Him.
This is why murder is so grievous. It is not just violence against a human being—it is violence against the image of God Himself.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
The psalmist declares:
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:14
We often read this verse devotionally—but rarely do we stop and consider just how true it is.
The human body is a masterpiece beyond comprehension. Your brain contains roughly 86 billion neurons, forming trillions of connections. Your heart beats about 100,000 times a day, pumping life through a vascular system that could stretch tens of thousands of miles. Your immune system is constantly identifying and neutralizing threats you never even notice.
And yet, Scripture says this is not random. It is intentional.
“You knit me together in my mother’s womb… In your book were written… the days that were formed for me.” — Psalm 139:13,16
God is not distant from human life. He is intimately involved in its formation, its duration, and its purpose. This is why the commandment carries such weight. When human life is diminished, God’s craftsmanship is despised.
The Bible’s Dominant Theme: Life Over Death
From the opening pages of Genesis, God is revealed as the giver of life. Where there is nothing, He speaks, and life appears. His first command to humanity?
“Be fruitful and multiply.”
Produce life. Multiply life. Fill the earth with life.
This theme continues throughout Scripture:
Sin leads to death.
Obedience leads to life.
God’s presence brings life.
Separation from Him brings death.
And then comes the ultimate declaration from Jesus:
“I AM the way, and the truth, and the life.” — John 14:6
Jesus does not merely give life; He is life. The gospel itself is the story of life triumphing over death. The resurrection is not a side note—it is the climax of history.
So when we diminish life, whether physically or relationally, we are aligning ourselves against the very nature of God.
A Sobering Reality: Humanity’s Drift Toward Death
It is easy to assume that valuing life is universal. It is not.
History tells a different story. Cultures across time have normalized infanticide, human sacrifice, genocide, and systemic dehumanization. Entire societies have operated on the assumption that certain lives are expendable. Even in Scripture, we see this immediately. Cain murders Abel in the first generation of humanity.
Why?
“Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.” — 1 John 3:12
Murder does not begin with the hand. It begins with the heart. Envy. Pride. Bitterness. Entitlement. These are the seeds.
Even the most advanced societies—rich in philosophy, science, and culture—have descended into unimaginable evil. The problem is not intelligence. The problem is the human heart.
Jesus Deepens the Command
If the Old Testament gives us the command, Jesus gives us its full meaning.
In the Sermon on the Mount, He says:
“Everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” — Matthew 5:22
This is startling. Jesus is not lowering the standard; He is raising it. He shows that murder is not merely an action. It is a condition of the heart.
The Progression of Murder
Jesus outlines a progression:
Anger – internal hostility
Contempt – dehumanizing others (“empty,” “worthless”)
Condemnation – declaring someone beyond redemption
This is the pathway.
Murder is simply the final expression of a heart that has already devalued life.
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.” — 1 John 3:15
This means the sixth commandment confronts all of us. We may not have taken a life, but have we diminished one? Have we harbored hatred? Have we spoken with contempt?
If so, the roots are there.
The Hidden Forms of Breaking the Commandment
The commandment extends far beyond physical murder. Scripture identifies multiple ways we violate its spirit:
1. Hatred and Malice
Uncontrolled anger, bitterness, and resentment are not minor sins. They are the seeds of destruction. We live in a culture where contempt is normalized—where entire groups are dismissed, mocked, or dehumanized. This is not harmless.
It is the soil in which violence grows.
2. Dehumanizing Speech
Words matter. To call someone worthless, to strip them of dignity, to reduce them to an object of scorn—this is a violation of the image of God.
Jesus treats this with shocking seriousness.
3. Negligence Toward Life
Scripture even addresses indirect harm.
“When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof…” — Deuteronomy 22:8
Why? Because failing to protect life—even unintentionally—makes you responsible.
This principle extends to how we build, how we work, how we lead, and how we care for others. A disregard for safety, for well-being, for the flourishing of others—this too violates the command. God calls His people to be protectors of life, not merely avoiders of violence.
The Ultimate Violation—and the Ultimate Hope
There is a moment in history where humanity commits the ultimate act of murder.
We kill God. Jesus Christ—the author of life, the perfect image of God, the only truly innocent man—is executed by sinful humanity. And yet, in that very act, God accomplishes redemption. The cross reveals both the depth of our sin and the magnitude of God’s grace.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” — Luke 23:34
The One we murdered becomes the One who saves us. The resurrection declares that death does not have the final word.
Living as Agents of Life
If we are in Christ, we are not merely forgiven; we are transformed. We are called to be agents of life in a world saturated with death.
This means:
We must value every human being as made in God’s image.
We must resist the pull toward anger, contempt, and division.
We must speaking words that build rather than destroy.
We must act in ways that protect and preserve life.
We must extend grace as we have received grace.
The question is not simply, “Have I avoided murder?” The question is: “Am I promoting life?”
Key Takeaways
God deeply values human life because He is its author.
Every person bears the image of God, giving them inherent dignity and worth.
Murder begins in the heart through anger, envy, and contempt.
Jesus expands the command to include hatred, dehumanizing speech, and inner hostility.
Scripture calls us not only to avoid harm, but to actively protect and promote life.
Human history demonstrates that apart from God, societies drift toward devaluing life.
The cross reveals both our guilt (we murdered Christ) and our hope (He died to save us).
Christians are called to be agents of life, grace, and restoration in a broken world.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You are the author of life, the giver of breath, and the One who has formed each of us with purpose and care. Forgive us for the ways we have diminished life—not only in our actions, but in our hearts.
Search us, O God, and reveal any anger, bitterness, or contempt that we have allowed to take root within us. Teach us to see others as You see them—fearfully and wonderfully made, bearing Your image, and worthy of dignity.
Lord, we confess that apart from You, our hearts drift toward selfishness and destruction. But we thank You for Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the penalty for our sin and rose again to give us new life.
Transform us into people who love what You love. Make us agents of life in our homes, our churches, and our communities. Help us to speak words that build up, to act in ways that protect, and to reflect Your grace in all that we do.
May our lives be marked not by death, but by the abundant life found in Christ.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.