The Eighth Commandment

Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

Definition-
Steal- A primitive root; to thieve (literally or figuratively); by implication to deceive: - carry away, secretly bring, steal (away), get by stealth.

Webster's-
STEAL-
1. To take and carry away feloniously, as the personal goods of another. To constitute stealing or theft, the taking must be felonious, that is, with an intent to take what belongs to another, and without his consent.

Let him that stole, steal no more. Eph 4.

2. To Withdraw or convey without notice or clandestinely.

They could insinuate and steal themselves under the same by submission.

3. To gain or win by address or gradual and imperceptible means.

Variety of objects has a tendency to steal away the mind from its steady pursuit of any subject.

So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 2 Sam 15.

STEAL, v.i.

1. To withdraw or pass privily; to slip along or away unperceived.

Fixed of mind to fly all company, one night she stole away.

From whom you now must steal and take no leave.

A soft and solemn breathing sound rose like a steam of rich distilld perfumes, and stole upon the air.

2. To practice theft; to take feloniously. He steals for a livelihood.

Thou shalt not steal. Exo 20.

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Is stealing ever good? Some might say yes. Some might even call stealing good if done for a good cause, or if you're stealing from a thief kind of cancelling out the theft, right? Wrong.

Stealing is based upon deception, right? Of course there are some very bold people who will steal and tell the person exactly what they're doing hoping maybe in some cases to gain permission to steal so it's not really, truly stealing. Not always though, some will steal right in front of you and in doing some almost dare you to do anything about it. Unless you have permission- silent or not silent- unless you have consent to take what belongs to another it is stealing.

Taking what isn't yours.
Satan took what wasn't his and he used deception to do so. Satan took away the innocence of Adam and Eve. If Satan had never deceived Adam and Eve, if Satan had never tempted Adam and Eve, they would not have sinned.

Some might dispute that claim by saying we don't really know if they would have sinned on their own without any promptings, without any temptation to do so. One thing we don't really know is how long they were in that garden before Satan tempted them. But if we really think about it would Satan have involved himself if the pair would sin on their own? It would have been much better for him if they did it on their own, right? It'd be more proof that God was unjust- as Satan was trying to prove and had been since sin was found in him. Satan didn't wait though, he could have waited and yet he chose to tempt Eve to have his hand in the sinning. Man without Satan's prompting would not have sinned and Satan sealed his fate when he involved mankind. Until that point Satan had been found guilty but not yet sentenced to death. When Satan became instrumental in causing man to sin he was given his death sentence.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

There would be an end to Satan. The eternal beings that angels were created to be would no longer have eternity. The angels that chose to disobey would be put to an end, their existence would no longer be.

Satan is a thief.

God created the earth to be man's dominion and Satan stole it from man after tempting man to sin. Satan became the ruler of earth- even to the point of being able to tempt the very Creator of the earth with his possession of the earth.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

ARROGANT THIEF! The audacity of him!

Satan wanted to take the place of God.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

He would take God's place! THIEF!

Would stealing ever be something Jesus would condone? No. So why would Jesus do away with this commandment? He wouldn't. He would NEVER destroy this commandment, just as He would never destroy ANY of the commandments of God.

Taking something that doesn't belong to you is stealing and just as you would not want anyone to ever steal from you- stealing from another is sin- it is the breaking of one of God's ten commandments.

Stealing is something we as a society do not condone and yet so many who steal are never, ever punished, not by man. No unrepentant thief will go without punishment.

Make no mistake you don't have to steal tangible things to be a thief.

Jer 23:30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.

Stealing words.

2Sa 15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Stealing hearts.

Gen 31:27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?

Steal away.

Deceptively done, wrongfully representing, taking without consent from another. How could any of that ever be a good thing? It can't.

Thou shalt not steal.

Don't try to justify taking something - the moment you have to justify taking something warning bells should sound. If something isn't yours to take, if you cannot ask for and receive permission to take something then it's stealing. If you for one moment believe the if you were to ask for something that the person would say no, they don't take it, just don't. We live in a world where it is common to take little things because it's expected. What might be expected isn't necessarily condoned. If you don't know whether or not something is proper to take- find its owner and ask.


Please God help us to realize that stealing is wrong on all levels. Keep us from stealing Lord, please…please.


In Your Love!

Through Your grace!

Amen.