Lesson 10: The Eighth
Commandment
Exodus 20:15 You
shall not steal.
Ephesians 4:28 Let
him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with
his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give
to him who has need.
Steal
1. To take and
carry away, feloniously; to take without right or leave, and with
intent to keep wrongfully; as, to steal the personal goods of
another.
3. To gain by
insinuating arts or covert means.
“steal.”
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language
1913.
The Main Points for This Lesson:
We steal different things in different
ways (Leviticus 19:11-12). Some take without asking; by threatening,
force, or violence; by telling a lie to get something; by swearing
falsely (remember the third commandment: some swear falsely in God's
name, or use God's name to get what they otherwise could not get); by
deceiving someone by not telling the whole truth and allowing the
other to believe a lie; by borrowing and not returning (Psalm 37:21);
by not giving what we owe (such as giving to Caesar what is
Caesar's); by helping someone else to steal something in one way or
another (Proverbs 29:24); etc.
Some forms of stealing seem terrible,
such as using violence to take something. Some forms of stealing seem
harmless, as if it is not really stealing, such as copying music
without permission. All forms of stealing are still stealing. God
said, Do not steal.
God's word tells us that we can even
steal from God. We steal from God in two ways. 1) God provides for
our needs. We are to give back to God some of what he gives us. When
we don't give something back to God from what we earn, we steal from
God, who provides all good things for us (Malachi 3:8-10). 2) We are
made in the image of God. The Son of God died and rose again for us.
Christians are to give themselves to God (Luke 20:24-25), and to no
longer live for themselves but for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15).
We steal from God when we do not give ourselves to him and live for
him as we ought.
Stealing comes from the heart (Matthew
15:19), and leads to habits. We should be careful not to let our
hearts be filled with coveting (wanting what others have).
Instead of stealing we should work so
that we have something to share with others, especially those in need
(Ephesians 4:28). We should learn to be content with what God has
provided for us. And instead of coveting someone else's things, we
should learn to take care of another person's property (Deuteronomy
22:1-4).
Suggestions:
Open each lesson with prayer for the
teacher and the students and this class time.
You can ask the children if they can
think of different ways that people steal things. They may like to
write a list on the chalkboard. You could ask them if it would be
okay if someone stole from them one way instead of another way. This
can be used to explain to them that all forms of stealing are wrong.
Use the story of Gehazi (2 Kings
5:9-27) stealing from Naaman to illustrate this commandment. You
could ask questions about the story: How did Gehazi steal from
Naaman? Wwhat did he steal? Why did he steal from Naaman? Naaman
didn't know that Gehazi was lying to him, does that mean it was okay
for Gehazi to take those things from Naaman? What did Gehazi's first
lie lead to? What happened to Gehazi in the end?
All the children will likely understand
the idea of stealing. For the younger children, it may be helpful to
apply this to their own level of life experience. Do they take
someone else's toy without asking, or in some other way? Has someone
taken something from them?
Close the lesson with prayer related to
the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's Prayer together.
Stories:
2 Kings 5:14-27 [14] Then went
he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to
the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the
flesh of a little child, and he was clean. [15] He returned to the
man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him;
and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the
earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your
servant.” [16] But he said, “As Yahweh lives, before whom I
stand, I will receive none.” He urged him to take it; but he
refused. [17] Naaman said, “If not, then, please let two mules’
burden of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will from
now on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but
to Yahweh. [18] In this thing may Yahweh pardon your servant: when my
master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans
on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. When I bow
myself in the house of Rimmon, may Yahweh pardon your servant in this
thing.” [19] He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from
him a little way.
[20] But Gehazi the servant of
Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this
Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he
brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something
from him.” [21] So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman
saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him,
and said, “Is all well?” [22] He said, “All is well. My master
has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of
the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please
give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” [23]
Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and
bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of
clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them
before him. [24] When he came to the hill, he took them from their
hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they
departed. [25] But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha
said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your
servant went nowhere.” [26] He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go
with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a
time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and
vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female
servants? [27] Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and
to your seed forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as
white as snow.
Gehazi did
not take the silver or clothing from Naaman by force. In fact, Naaman
willingly gave the items to Gehazi. Nonetheless, Gehazi stole these
items, in that he obtained these things by telling a lie. Not only
did he lie to Naaman, but one lie led to another. In his desire to
keep the items, he lied to Elisha as well. Yet he was found out, and
received Naaman's
leprosy for what he had done.
More Stories and Examples:
Genesis 21:25 – Abraham
complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s
servants had violently taken away.
Genesis 27 – Jacob steals
blessing from his father; also, Rebekah is one who organizes the
stealing of the blessing
Genesis 29,31 – Laban takes
advantage of Jacob in the matter of his daughters, and in the matter
of payment.
Genesis 31:17-19,30-37 [17] Then
Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives on the camels, [18] and
he took away all his livestock, and all his possessions which he had
gathered, including the livestock which he had gained in Paddan Aram,
to go to Isaac his father, to the land of Canaan. [19] Now Laban had
gone to shear his sheep: and Rachel stole the teraphim that were
her father’s.
[30] Now, you want to be gone,
because you greatly longed for your father’s house, but why have
you stolen my gods?” [31] Jacob answered Laban, “Because I was
afraid, for I said, ‘Lest you should take your daughters from me by
force.’ [32] Anyone you find your gods with shall not live.
Before our relatives, discern what is yours with me, and take it.”
For Jacob didn’t know that Rachel had stolen them. [33] Laban went
into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two
female servants; but he didn’t find them. He went out of Leah’s
tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. [34] Now Rachel had taken
the teraphim, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them.
Laban felt about all the tent, but didn’t find them. [35] She
said to her father, “Don’t let my lord be angry that I can’t
rise up before you; for I’m having my period.” He searched,
but didn’t find the teraphim. [36] Jacob was angry, and argued with
Laban. Jacob answered Laban, “What is my trespass? What is my sin,
that you have hotly pursued after me? [37] Now that you have felt
around in all my stuff, what have you found of all your household
stuff? Set it here before my relatives and your relatives, that they
may judge between us two.
Genesis 35:16-19 [16] They
traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to
Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor. [17] When she was
in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now
you will have another son.” [18] As her soul was departing (for she
died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin. [19]
Rachel died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (the same is
Bethlehem).
Not too long
after the events in Genesis 31, in which Jacob cursed whoever stole
Laban's idols, Rachel died in childbirth. Some consider her death the
result of her theft and the curse put upon her as the one who stole.
Judges 17-18 – This is the
story of Micah, who stole from his mother, and eventually that money
was stolen from him.
1 Kings 21 – Jezebel takes
Naboth's vineyard for Ahab. Ahab gladly receives what was taken by
deceit and violence.
Proverbs 1:7-19 [7] The fear of
Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom
and instruction. [8] My son, listen to your father’s instruction,
and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching: [9] for they will be a
garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck. [10] My son,
if sinners entice you, don’t consent. [11] If they say, “Come
with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; let’s lurk secretly for the
innocent without cause; [12] let’s swallow them up alive like
Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit. [13] We’ll
find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder. [14]
You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.” [15]
My son, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your foot from their
path, [16] for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood. [17]
For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird: [18] but
these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own
lives. [19] So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It
takes away the life of its owners.
Luke 19:1-10 [8] Zacchaeus stood
and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the
poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore
four times as much.” [9] Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation
has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.
It seems
that Zacchaeus had stolen by charging people more taxes than they
actually owed. He would keep the extra tax money he charged the
people for himself.
John 12:1-8 [1] Then six days
before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who
had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. [2] So they made him a
supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at
the table with him. [3] Mary, therefore, took a pound of ointment of
pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped
his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of
the ointment. [4] Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his
disciples, who would betray him, said, [5] “Why wasn’t this
ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?”
[6] Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because
he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put
into it. [7] But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept
this for the day of my burial. [8] For you always have the poor with
you, but you don’t always have me.”
Other Verses:
Exodus 22:1,4 [1] “If a man
steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall
pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. [4]
If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox,
donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.
Leviticus 6:1-7 [1] Yahweh spoke
to Moses, saying, [2] “If anyone sins, and commits a trespass
against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a
matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or
has oppressed his neighbor, [3] or has found that which was
lost, and dealt falsely therein, and swearing to a lie; in
any of all these things that a man does, sinning therein; [4] then it
shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that
which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by
oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost
thing which he found, [5] or any thing about which he has sworn
falsely; he shall restore it even in full, and shall add a fifth
part more to it. To him to whom it belongs he shall give it, in
the day of his being found guilty. [6] He shall bring his trespass
offering to Yahweh, a ram without defect from the flock, according to
your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest. [7] The
priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be
forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”
Leviticus 19:11-12 [11] “‘You
shall not steal. “‘You shall not lie. “‘You shall not deceive
one another. [12] “‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and
profane the name of your God. I am Yahweh.
Deuteronomy 27:17 ‘Cursed is
he who removes his neighbor’s landmark.’ All the people shall
say, ‘Amen.’
The
landmarks marked the borders of each family's property. Moving a
landmark was a way of enlarging your own land (by shrinking the size
of your neighbor's property) without paying for the new additional
property. It was a deceitful method of stealing.
Luke 20:22-25 [22] Is it lawful
for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” [23] But he perceived their
craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me? [24] Show me a
denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered,
“Caesar’s.” [25] He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the
things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are
God’s.”
STEALING FROM GOD
Malachi 3:8-10 [8] Will a man
rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’
In tithes and offerings. [9] You are cursed with the curse; for you
rob me, even this whole nation. [10] Bring the whole tithe into the
storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and test me now in
this,” says Yahweh of Armies, “if I will not open you the windows
of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room
enough for.
Matthew 22:15-22 [15] Then the
Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his
talk. [16] They sent their disciples to him, along with the
Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach
the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t
partial to anyone. [17] Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it
lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” [18] But Jesus perceived
their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?
[19] Show me the tax money.” They brought to him a denarius. [20]
He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” [21]
They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give
therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God
the things that are God’s.” [22] When they heard it, they
marveled, and left him, and went away.
The denarius
bore the image and inscription of Caesar. Jesus said to give to
Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Implied is what we find in the
beginning at creation (Genesis 1:27), that man bears the image of
God. Thus, Jesus says that we must give to God the things that are
God's. We must give ourselves to God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 [19] Or
don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which
is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, [20] for
you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body
and in your spirit, which are God’s.
2 Corinthians 5:15 He died for
all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to
him who for their sakes died and rose again.
INSTEAD OF STEALING
Deuteronomy 22:1-4 [1] You shall
not see your brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide yourself
from them. You shall surely bring them again to your brother. [2] If
your brother isn’t near to you, or if you don’t know him, then
you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall be with you until
your brother comes looking for it, and you shall restore it to him.
[3] So you shall do with his donkey. So you shall do with his
garment. So you shall do with every lost thing of your brother’s,
which he has lost, and you have found. You may not hide yourself. [4]
You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by
the way, and hide yourself from them. You shall surely help him to
lift them up again.
Luke 3:10-14 [10] The multitudes
asked him, “What then must we do?” [11] He answered them, “He
who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has
food, let him do likewise.” [12] Tax collectors also came to be
baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?” [13]
He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed
to you.” [14] Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about
us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by
violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your
wages.”
Ephesians 4:28 Let him who
stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working
with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something
to give to him who has need.
Hebrews 13:16
But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for
with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
No comments:
Post a Comment