Introduction
This past Lord’s Day, we considered the Sixth Word, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13), and how God applies it through the case laws given to Israel in Exodus 21. These laws establish three important principles: life belongs to God, justice must be proportional, and love for our neighbor must be active. Underlying each of these principles is the truth that human beings bear the image of God. Consequently, the unlawful taking of human life is not merely an offense against another person, but a grievous sin against the God who created him.
But there is another dimension to the Sixth Word that deserves consideration. Throughout Scripture, God speaks of innocent blood crying out from the ground and even polluting the land upon which it is shed. Murder, then, is not merely a private offense. Its consequences can extend to an entire community, particularly when the shedding of innocent blood is sanctioned or tolerated.
What does this mean for a society in which abortion is practiced and legally permitted? To answer that question, we must begin with the first murder recorded in Scripture.
The Blood That Cries Out
In Genesis 4, Cain murders his brother Abel. When God confronts him, Cain attempts to evade responsibility, asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). God’s response is remarkable:
“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10, NKJV).
Abel is dead. His voice has been silenced. He can no longer testify against his brother or demand justice. Nevertheless, his blood cries out to God.
The Hebrew verb translated “cries out” (tsa’aq) frequently describes those suffering oppression or injustice. It is used when God hears the cries of Israel under Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:7–9) and when He promises to hear afflicted widows and orphans (Exodus 22:22–23).
The point is unmistakable. Abel’s blood bears witness before God to the injustice committed against him. Cain may have concealed his crime from men, but he could not conceal it from the Lord.
Notice also that the ground itself becomes involved. God declares that the earth has received Abel’s blood and that Cain will consequently be cursed in his labor (Genesis 4:11–12). The very ground he cultivated now stands as a witness against him.
Here we encounter an important biblical principle: the shedding of innocent blood creates a demand for justice that cannot simply be ignored. God sees what men conceal, hears what others cannot hear, and holds accountable those who unlawfully take human life.
The Land That Is Polluted
This principle receives further development in Numbers 35:33:
“So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it” (NKJV).
What does it mean for blood to pollute the land?
God is not describing physical contamination of the soil but moral and covenantal defilement. Murder creates bloodguilt, and the land is described as polluted because innocent life has been unlawfully taken. The following verse explains why this matters: God dwells among His people, and the land in which He dwells must not be defiled (Numbers 35:34).
We must recognize that Israel occupied a unique position in redemptive history. God had established His covenant with Israel, given the nation a particular land, and placed His dwelling among them. We should not, therefore, transfer every provision concerning Israel’s land directly to modern nations.
Nevertheless, the underlying moral principle remains. God is not indifferent to the shedding of innocent blood, and murder is not merely an offense against the victim or his family. It is an offense against the God who gives life.
The context of Numbers 35 also distinguishes intentional murder from accidental killing, just as Exodus 21 does. God’s demand for justice requires careful consideration of intention, circumstances, and culpability. But where innocent blood is deliberately shed, the language is unmistakable: murder is a sin that defiles.
The Blood of the Unborn
What, then, does this mean for abortion?
Scripture teaches that human beings are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27; 9:6). It also speaks of God’s intimate involvement in human life before birth. David declares that God formed him in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13–16), while Luke describes John the Baptizer responding to the presence of Christ while both were still in their mothers’ wombs (Luke 1:39–44).
These passages inform the Christian conviction that unborn children possess inherent human dignity. Their worth does not begin with birth, independence, or recognition by others. Consequently, the deliberate destruction of unborn human life violates the Sixth Word.
And here the account of Abel becomes particularly sobering.
Abel’s voice was silenced by his brother, yet his blood cried out to God. Unborn children likewise cannot plead their own cause or defend themselves against those who would end their lives. But their inability to speak does not place them beyond God’s knowledge or concern.
The God who heard Abel’s blood crying from the ground is the same God who sees every child in the womb.
Psalm 106:37–39 provides another disturbing connection. Recounting Israel’s idolatry, the psalmist describes the sacrifice of sons and daughters and declares that the land was polluted with their blood. While the immediate context concerns child sacrifice to idols rather than modern abortion, the passage reveals the seriousness with which God regards the destruction of children’s lives.
Of course, abortion is not the only form of unjust killing that violates the Sixth Word. Homicide, the murder of innocent civilians, and unlawful killings by those entrusted with public authority must also be judged according to God’s law. The image of God belongs to all human beings, and our concern for innocent life must not be selective.
Nevertheless, abortion deserves particular attention because it concerns the lives of those who are utterly dependent upon others for their protection.
When a Society Bears Bloodguilt
Scripture does not restrict its concern about innocent blood to individual perpetrators.
In Deuteronomy 21:1–9, God addresses a situation in which a murdered person is discovered, but the murderer is unknown. The elders of the nearest city must perform a solemn ceremony, declare their innocence, and seek God’s mercy concerning the blood that has been shed.
The community is not automatically guilty of the murder. Nevertheless, the shedding of innocent blood is treated as a matter of public concern that requires acknowledgment before God.
Elsewhere, Scripture connects the shedding of innocent blood with the judgment of entire nations. Second Kings 24:3–4 identifies the innocent blood shed during Manasseh’s reign as a reason for judgment upon Judah. Jeremiah likewise condemns the shedding of innocent blood alongside oppression and the corruption of justice (Jeremiah 7:5–7; 22:3, 17).
These passages demonstrate that rulers and communities can bear responsibility for injustice, particularly when they participate in, authorize, or protect it.
This raises serious questions concerning abortion. If the deliberate taking of unborn human life violates the Sixth Word, what responsibility belongs to those who perform abortions, facilitate them, or authorize the practice?
Certainly, responsibility and culpability are not identical for everyone involved. Scripture requires us to distinguish between the perpetrator, the accomplice, the coerced, and those who merely live within a society where injustice occurs. Yet the biblical teaching concerning bloodguilt challenges the notion that an act becomes righteous simply because it is legally permitted.
Human law does not determine the ultimate worth of human life. God does.
Our Responsibility Under the Sixth Word
How, then, should Christians respond?
First, we must recognize the dignity of every human being. Human worth does not depend upon age, ability, independence, or whether a life is wanted. It rests upon the fact that man bears God’s image.
Second, we must resist indifference toward the destruction of innocent life. Repeated exposure to wickedness can dull our moral senses, making what ought to grieve us seem ordinary.
Third, we must pursue justice according to God’s Word. As we considered in the sermon, the case laws of Exodus 21 teach that intention, circumstances, and culpability matter. Protecting innocent life must never become an excuse for careless judgment or disproportionate punishment.
Fourth, our concern for unborn children must be accompanied by genuine love for mothers and families. The Sixth Word not only forbids murder but also calls us to preserve life and seek our neighbors’ good. This includes practical support for women facing difficult pregnancies, care for families in crisis, and compassion toward those who have suffered.
Finally, we must proclaim the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.
The Blood That Speaks Better Things
Hebrews 12:24 describes Jesus as the Mediator of the new covenant and speaks of His blood as speaking better things than the blood of Abel.
What a glorious contrast! Abel’s blood cried out for justice against the one who murdered him. Christ’s blood speaks of justice satisfied and forgiveness secured for sinners.
And this is especially important for those who have had abortions.
Perhaps you have carried the weight of that decision for years. Perhaps few people know about it, and you have wondered whether God could ever forgive you. If so, hear the good news of the gospel: the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to cleanse even this sin.
As the apostle John declares, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7, NKJV). Not merely some sins, but all sin.
This does not diminish the seriousness of abortion. Rather, it magnifies the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. At the cross, God does not overlook sin; Christ bears its penalty on behalf of His people so that guilty sinners might be reconciled to Him (Romans 3:25–26).
There is forgiveness for those who have had abortions, for those who have encouraged or facilitated them, and for every sinner who repents and trusts in Christ. No sin is too great for the Savior who shed His blood for sinners.
So, if you have had an abortion, do not conclude that your sin is greater than the Savior. Confess it, turn from it, and look to Jesus Christ. His blood is sufficient to cleanse you, His righteousness sufficient to cover you, and His grace sufficient to receive you.
The Sixth Word reminds us that innocent blood cries out for justice and that the shedding of such blood is a grievous offense against God. But the gospel reminds us that there is another blood that speaks, and it speaks a better word.
The blood of Abel cries out for justice. The blood of Jesus Christ proclaims forgiveness to all who repent and believe.
An opportunity to serve: If you are local (Spokane) and desire to pray and interact with women who are considering abortion, please reach out to Steve Bland (65sbland@gmail.com). He and his wife Cheryl visit the local Planned Parenthood on Monday mornings. This is an opportunity to put our convictions into practice by offering prayer, compassion, encouragement and most of all, the Gospel to these women.
HCC Blog: https://holycovenantchurch.com/blog/
Sermon Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUjA6JllYz0&t=6801s
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