A Bible Study on Stealing

In today's article we will be going over another one of the ten commandments, this time we are covering thou shalt not steal.

The Command Not To

The commandments in the bible show us how to love one another. We all like having our own things, and I bet nobody enjoys having their stuff turning up missing. The topic that we will be discussing today is about protecting people's personal property. There are several passages in scripture where God commands people not to steal in both the Old and New Testaments including in Exo 20:15,

Lev 19:11, Deu 5:19, Pro 22:22, Mat 19:18, Mar 10:19, Luk 18:20,

Rom 13:9, and 1Pe 4:15.

In the Old Testament those that had servants were told not to keep their servants wages overnight(Lev 19:13), and under the New Testament servants are told not to purloin (Tit 2:10). The webster's dictionary says that that word means to steal, while strong's dictionary says it means embezzle. So we see that it's the clear teaching of scripture that we shouldn't steal, instead we should work so that we can give to those in need (Eph 4:28).

People that have Stolen in the Bible

Now let's take a look and some examples from scripture of people that were guilty of this particular sin. Perhaps one of the earliest accounts of stealing in the bible is in Gen 31:32. Here we see that Jacob's wife Rachael has stolen her father's idols. The next account of stealing that I want to mention was the account in Joshua 7. Here we have the children of Israel unable to stand against the men of AI because a man by the name of Achan stole of the accursed thing.

We also see the men of Sheschem (Jdg 9:25) and the Philistines robbing people (1Sa 23:1).Then there's the account of the men of Jabeshgilead stealing the bones of King Saul from the Philistines (2Sa 21:12). We see that in the Gospels that the people cried unto Pilate to release unto them Barabbas the robber instead of Jesus (Joh 18:40). Finally we see that Paul called it robbery when he took wages from other churches in 2Co 11:8.

The Bible and the act of Restitution

Back in the Old Testament we see that those that were caught robbing another we told to restore what they have took (Eze 33:15). The bible has some very specific laws about how to go about doing it as well. They were to restore oxen fivefold, sheep fourfold if they have sold or killed it (Exo 22:1), and double if the beast was found in their hand alive (Exo 22:4). Concerning money or stuff thieves were to pay back double (Exo 22:7). The book of Proverbs instructs us that a thief is to pay back sevenfold (Pro 6:30 -31). See also Isa 42:22

What is the Punishment for Stealing?

Now let's take a look at some of the penalties for thievery. In Deu 24:7  we see that if you steal a person (kidnapping) you would have been put to death. We see in Jeremiah chapter 7 that the Lord warn's Israel what he would do to his temple if they continued their wicked works (including stealing) and yet still came to the Lord's house thinking that they are delivered to do those abominations (Jer 7:11, Mat 21:13, Mar 11:17). Jer 23:30 declares that the Lord is against the prophets that steal his words. We see in Eze 22:29-31 that the Lord poured out his indignation upon the inhabitants of the land because they exercised robbery as well other things.

Then there is the curse that will go into the house of the thief which consumes it with the timber and stones (Zec 5:4).

There's that popular bible citation of Mal 3:8-9, which tells us that Israel has robbed God in tithes in offerings which resulted in being cursed. There were two thieves that were crucified with Jesus (Mat 27:38, Mar 15:27), and 1 Corinithians teaches us that thieves will not inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 6:10). See also Pro 9:17-18, Isa 10:2-4,  Isa 17:14,  Eze 18:10 -13, Hos 4:2-3, Amo 3:10-11, Nah 3:1

More On Stealing

So what else does the bible say about stealing? Well, in Gen 40:15 we have Joseph saying how he was kidnapped from his native country. If someone was caught in the act of burglary at night and was killed, the murderer wasn't to be put to death on the count of him. Unless that is, the sun was risen upon him (Exo 22:2 -3). Pro 28:24 shows us that it is indeed a sin to steal from your parents, and Pro 29:24 tells us that that whoever is partner with a thief hates their own soul. Joe 2:9 and Joh 10:1 are two verses of scripture that show a thief's aversion to using doors.

Mat 6:19 -20 and Luk 12:33 teach us that we ought not to lay up our treasure here but in heaven where thieves don't break in/steal. There's the account of the chief priest and pharisees asking Pilate to set guards over Jesus' tomb for fear of the disciples stealing away his body and saying he is risen from the dead (Mat 27:62-64). Next we have the story of the man who fell among thieves (Luk 10:30).    

  

The bible also tells us that all those that came before Jesus are thieves and robbers (Joh 10:8), and that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy (Joh 10:10). We learn in John's gospel that Judas Iscariot asked Mary why she didn't sell the expensive ointment that she anointed Jesus with, not because he was concerned for the poor but because he was a thief (Joh 12:4-6).

Here we have a passage condemning hypocritical judgment (Rom 2:21-23). One awesome passage I like to use to prove Jesus is God is  Php 2:6, which shows Jesus thought it wasn't robbery to be equal with God. The bible teaches that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night (1Th 5:2, 2Pe 3:10, Rev 16:15), this means it will come unexpectedly (Mat 24:36). We see that when God pours out his wrath in the book of Revelation the people still won't repent of their thefts (Rev 9:21).   

In conclusion we see that as followers of Christ we are not to take what doesn't belong to us but instead labor and work so that we can provide for the needs of others. That way we will be storing up treasure in heaven that cannot be stolen.

Extra Relevant Verses: Gen 30:33, Gen 44:8,  Lev 26:22, 2Sa 19:3, Job 5:5, Job 18:9, Job 24:14, Job 30:5, Psa 50:18, Psa 62:10,
Pro 17:12, Pro 21:7, Pro 30:9, Isa 1:23, Isa 10:13, Isa 61:8, Jer 2:26, Jer 50:37, Eze 39:10, Hos 7:1-2, Oba 1:5, Mat 24:43, Mat 26:55, Mar 14:48, Luk 12:39, Luk 19:46, Luk 22:52, Rev 3:3

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