A Righteous Lie?

 A Righteous Lie? [Part 1 and 2] 

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, April 9, 2026 (Donate) 

Part 1, Letter, unedited: 

You, know I almost hate to do this because I know how much email you guys handle . . . But I want to respond to Bodie Hodge’s “contradictions” article on Rahab’s “lie”.[1] Bodie is almost always right on the mark and is probably my favorite feedback man, but in this case I have to take exception to his saying that it is always wrong to lie . . . The ninth commandment says we should never bear false witness against our neighbor (or anyone). But if the Nazis are looking for Jews, and you know where they are, it would not be wrong to lie, in order to protect them, nor would this be bearing false witness “against” someone . . . I think in the same way the Israeli midwives lied to the Egyptians about the birthing of male babies in Moses’s day . . . I know its a rare exception, but there may be other circumstances when it might be appropriate to “lie”, although obviously, 99% percent of the time it would be wrong . . . Keep up the good work, all of you, your ministry is the most awesome in the world, just blows me away

M.H.

Response:

[FYI: M.H. and I had a great conversation on this topic and have the utmost respect for one another. He was even praying for my wife when she was giving birth, immediately after this last response. J But this shows how Christians can engage in debate in an iron sharpening iron fashion as Christian brothers.]

Ananias and Sapphira lied to God the Holy Spirit and were struck down for keeping back money they pledged; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Thank you for contacting the ministry and thanks for the comments. I know this can be a touchy subject, but please bear with me as I try to explain. Keep in mind that I, too, am not perfect but will try to answer as scripturally as possible. 

A Righteous Lie? Part 1

Bearing false witness is a lie, and in Hebrew the word for false in Exodus 20:16 is sheqer, which literally means “lie.” It is derived from the Hebrew word shaqar, which means “deal falsely, be false, trick, and cheat.” There are many verses in the Bible that reaffirm the Ninth Commandment, and a couple are:

You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another (Leviticus 19:11, NKJV). 

I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth (1 John 2:21, NKJV).

The devil is the father of lies (John 8:44), and one lie to God the Holy Spirit was worthy of instant death for Ananias (Acts 5:3–5). Paul points out that even if he were to lie for the glory of God, he would be deemed a sinner for such an act:

For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? (Romans 3:7, NKJV).

In light of such passages, does a “righteous lie” really exist? The most common example sent to me was envisioning the Holocaust and being placed in the position of lying to potentially protect someone’s life. Like most, if placed in such a difficult situation, it would be very difficult. In fact, I could never be sure what I would do, especially if it were a loved one.

Soldiers are coming! Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

But consider for a moment that we are all already sentenced to die because we are sinners (Romans 5:12). It is going to happen regardless. If a lie helps keep someone alive for a matter of moments compared to eternity, was the lie, which is high treason against the Creator, worth it?

It would be like sitting in a cell on death row and when the guards come to take your roommate to the electric chair, you lie to the guards and say you don’t know where the person went—while your roommate is hiding under their covers on the bed. Does it really help? Since we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), death is coming for us, and there is an appointed time (Ecclesiastes 3:2).

The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment (Proverbs 12:19, NKJV).

Is it worth sinning against God to try to buy a moment of time next to eternity—intentionally lying is foolish and would only harm the extent of your own life (Ecclesiastes 7:17). Let’s look further at Scripture for an example of a situation where a lie could have saved a life. 

Stephen

Stephen in Acts 6–7 preached Christ, and men came against him. This culminated with a question by the high priest in Acts 7:1 who said: “Are these things so?”

At this point, Stephen could have done a “righteous lie” to save his life so that he could have many more years to preach the gospel. However, Stephen laid a long and appropriate foundation for Christ—then preached Christ. And they killed him.

But this event triggered a persecution that sent the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 11:19) and peaked with Paul (who consented to Stephen’s death) coming to Christ and taking the message to the Gentiles and writing several books of the New Testament. The Lord had a greater purpose for Stephen—even though it cost him his life. Keep in mind, however, that this, and other examples, are about the person in question—not another.

Do We Know What God Had in Mind?

I often wonder if a Nazi soldier asked if someone was there hiding and they told the truth before God, could the Lord have in mind a greater purpose? Could God have used that person to free a great many people who ultimately died in the Holocaust? Or have done something to stop the war earlier? Or cause a great number of Jews and Nazi’s to come to know Christ? It is possible, but we simply cannot know. And one should not dwell too long on “what ifs” anyway.

No doubt, there is great value in the truth (John 8:32). As fallible, sinful human beings, our imperfect thoughts may not be able to comprehend what God has in mind, and we need to strive to trust God when He speaks on this subject, regardless how hard it may be. We need to place our faith fully in Christ and trust in God in all things—and not lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

I’m not saying this to be “preachy,” because I really don’t know what I would do in such a situation. However, I would pray that the Lord would grant me the wisdom to know what to say and how to say it—but more preferably—how to avoid being in that situation in the first place.

If Forced into This Situation . . . What Then?

Let’s consider again the Nazi-Holocaust situation: there seems to be a conflict in the situation to lie before God to try to save someone else’s life. The result is often called the “greater good” or “lesser of two evils.”

I’ve been told in the past that the lesser of these two evils would be to lie to save a life—hence the common phrase “a righteous lie.” This is often justified by appealing to the command to love our neighbor (Romans 13:9).

But how does God view this, remembering that God is a discerner of our motives. To God, a lie for selfish motive was worthy of death to Ananias. But, in fact, just one sin is worthy of death (Genesis 2:17). (This should be a reminder that we should continually praise God for His grace that is bestowed upon us). But let’s look at Scripture again. The two greatest commandments are:

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first [Ed. Meaning greatest/foremost] commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28–31).

Jesus tells us that all the commandments can be summed up into these two statements. But of these two, the first is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. So, this would trump the second. Our actions toward God should trump our actions toward men. Peter also affirmed this:

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

If we love God, we should obey Him (John 14:15). To love God first means to obey Him first—before looking at our neighbor. So, is the greater good trusting God when He says not to lie or trusting in our fallible, sinful minds about the uncertain future?

Consider this carefully. In the situation of a Nazi beating on the door, we have assumed a lie would save a life, but really we don’t know. So, one would be opting to lie and disobey God without the certainty of saving a life—keeping in mind that all are ultimately condemned to die physically. Besides, whether one lied or not may not have stopped the Nazi solders from searching the house anyway.

As Christians, we need to keep in mind that Jesus Christ reigns. All authority has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18), and He sits on the throne of God at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33; Hebrews 8:1). Nothing can happen without His say. Even Satan could not touch Peter without Christ’s approval (Luke 22:31). Regardless, if one were to lie or not, Jesus Christ is in control of timing every person’s life and able to discern our motives. It is not for us to worry over what might become, but rather to place our faith and obedience in Christ and to let Him do the reigning. For we do not know the future, whereas God has been telling the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).

A Righteous Lie? Part 2

Letter, unedited:

Wow, you put a lot of work in to that answer Bodie, and from a biblical basis too. I agree with you 100% about lying to protect yourself, that could be interpreted as mere cowardice, and I think most of your biblical examples dealt with that. However there is a scripture in Exodus ch.1 vs. 15–22, in which the Jewish midwives are told to kill all the male babies they delivered but refused to do so. When asked why they hadn’t destroyed the babies, they told the Egyptians the Hebrew women simply gave birth faster than the Egyptian women, and had the babies before the midwives got there. Vs.17 however says that the Jewish midwives saved the male children alive, so here they are lying not only to save the male babies but probably to escape punishment from the Egyptians. Vs. 20 says that God dealt well with the midwives for doing this. I think this is one of the rare examples or cases where lying would truly not be offensive to our Creator. At any rate, I think this scripture shows that not all lies are equal, at least to my mind. In that most lies are done for self advancement, self protection, greed, etc., but some are done at least with the intention of protecting others, their reputations or physical selves. I can’t fault your stance though, your conscience and the Word must be your guide. Keep up the good work.

M.H.

 

Response:

I looked up the passage about the midwives, and I, personally, don’t believe they lied. Scripture doesn’t say they did. Please see the context:

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?” And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.” Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them. So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.” (Exodus 1:15–22).

Naturally, their fear of God led them to refuse the order to murder. It makes more sense to me that they could have informed the Hebrew wives what the Pharaoh had commanded, and, thus, many of the Israelite women were giving birth before the midwives would arrive so they would not be in a position of killing the child. 

Midwives taking their time; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Perhaps the midwives took their time to arrive as well and spent more time with those still pregnant instead of those who were delivering. That would allow the children to survive and the midwives to speak the truth to Pharaoh.

What would make pregnant mothers more vigorous or lively to have the child born? Make them aware that if they do not give birth quickly their child’s life may be in danger. There are any number of ways the mothers and midwives could have avoided a lie.

With humbleness in Christ,

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. Originally at Answers in Genesis; Edited; Republished by permission.

 

---

[1] Contradictions: A Righteous Lie? Bodie Hodge, Answers in Genesis website, November 3, 2008, http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2008/11/03/contradictions-a-righteous-lie

Joppa

Was Joppa (Japho) The City Of Japheth From Which The Coastline People In Genesis 10:5 Set Sail?

 Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, April 8, 2026 (Donate)

What an interesting and pointed question. Hebraist Dr. John Gill suggested this possibility in his commentary notes in Acts 9:36 saying, "and others derive it from the name of Japhet, because it looks towards Europe, which is inhabited by the sons of Japhet." It caught my attention since I’ve done much research on the Tower of Babel and its aftermath.

For those who don’t know, Japheth is the oldest son of Noah. We really don’t know where he went after the events of Genesis 9-11. His brother Shem lived to the ripe old age of 600 years, but we don’t know how long Japheth lived—some suggest 600, but he could have lived as long as his father (950)—or naturally, anywhere in between.  

Initial seaport after Babel was likely rather rudimentary; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Joppa is the modern seaport city of Jaffa and is essentially absorbed into the modern city of Tel Aviv, Israel today. But it's an ancient city that many label among the oldest in the world and some suggest it is the oldest in the world. But how do we know? Simply put, we don’t; but, this city pops up in ancient writings from time to time. So, it is old.

Jaffa (modern name) or Joppa (~2,000 years ago) was not always called by these names. Its old name was Japho (~3,500 years ago). This is what it was called in Moses' and Joshua’s day. Joshua 19:46 says:

And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho. (KJV)

Of course, Babel is technically a port city but it is a river port on the Euphrates River designed to handle river traffic. Joppa/Jaffa sits on the Mediterranean coast and is designed to set sail for great distances—from there to Mediterranean coasts or out the Pillars of Hercules (the little watery region between Spain/Gibraltar and Africa) to the rest of the world.

Jonah set sail from Joppa (Jonah 1:3) and Peter was there (Acts 10:5). But let’s get back to the antiquity of this city and see it's plausible to have been the very ancient city port that many coastline peoples (descendants of Japheth) used to set sail and traverse to many places in Europe. Genesis 10:5 says,

From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. (NKJV)

The idea that Japheth’s descendants utilized an early coastal staging area after the dispersion at Babel is both geographically and logistically plausible within a biblical framework. Genesis 10:5 describes the “coastland peoples” spreading into their lands, which naturally implies some level of maritime (boat-style) movement.

From the region of Shinar, the most direct, and easiest, route to the sea leads northwest toward the Mediterranean coast and southern Anatolia (Modern day Turkey). They basically follow the Fertile Crescent to the Mediterranean Sea. From there, it is a matter of finding where you think a good port would be.

It’s reasonable that an early group that specialized in boat building would be a hub. It makes more sense than a bunch of different family groups making a bunch of different ports from scratch. Then migrants would have gravitated toward existing or emerging coastal settlements where resources, natural harbors, and seafaring knowledge were available.

The earliest ships were likely not large wooden vessels at first, but easier-to-build reed-style boats or moderate wooden vessels that were already capable of significant travel. Over time, these were designed into the more advanced wooden ships that enabled broader maritime expansion across the ancient world. Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Given that Noah’s family possessed advanced shipbuilding knowledge through the construction of the Ark, it is also plausible that such knowledge persisted among Japheth and certain people to whom he passed it along in his descendal line. This would contribute to early maritime activity.

However, while the concept of a “launch region” for Japhetic expansion is viable, the attempt to tie this to a specific city such as Japho through name similarity to Japheth remains speculative—even though it is possible. Dr Gill seemed to think it was worthy to mention.

·       Japheth → (יפת)

·       Joppa/Japho → (יפו)

They look similar, where Japheth ends with a tav (ת) and Japho/Joppa ends with a vav (ו)—remember Hebrew reads right to left. Although languages immediately changed at Babel, they continued to vary over time and place. So, while there is no ancient textual evidence directly linking Japheth to Japho. The name merely shows a plausibility. Though I wouldn’t expect much discussion of it because of the antiquity of it—it would be ancient history even in Moses’ day!  

Heber/Eber's language coming out of Babel morphed into Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, Chaldean, Arabic, and even modern Hebrew [and so on], so I expect names to change and not be same. Especially, when various people take control of areas (Canaanites, Phoenicians, etc.) who languages were very different. So, we need to factor in that names can vary.

We also know that Japho became Joppa and then Jaffa in various renderings. So, seeing a variation of Japeth go to Japha or a tav to a vav is easy from a linguistic-historical perspective—if only Dr Gill would have elaborated.

Nevertheless, is it viable for this ancient port city to be the very city from which the coastline people set forth? It is literally between Babel and many European coastline nations of Japhetic descent. Is there any other ancient seaport city that might be in competition for it? Phoenician cities aren't Japhetic for instance and should have post-dated Genesis 10's initial setting forth of Japheth's descendants after the scattering (Genesis 10 is a breakdown of the scattering and splitting from chronological account of Genesis 11:1-9).

It makes sense that coastline people would go to an active initial port and shipbuilder and an ancestor who was a master shipbuilder makes sense. If a port city was being built or had just been built and ship making is available there (by an expert), it’s much easier to go there and set sail, than it is to build a new port city, establish ship building all on your own, learn navigation, all with your own power with your own language and smaller family size. Japheth did help build an Ark was an excellent ship builder with that experience.

Ancient sources, including biblical, Egyptian, and later historical writings, consistently associate Japheth’s descendants with broader regions and peoples that happen to extend away from Joppa. But no ancients directly related this port to Japheth. It was a later assessment.

Perhaps this means that while early coastal hubs likely played a role in post-Babel dispersal, their original names and founders were either lost or transformed beyond recognition. This is possible too.

Thus, it is reasonable to propose that Japheth’s descendants moved into the Joppa regions at the Mediterranean coast and adjacent coastal areas shortly after Babel and from there expanded into Europe and parts of Asia using maritime routes—and then left it behind. This aligns well with both the geography of the ancient Near East and the biblical description of coastland peoples.

Yet, identifying a specific port city as directly connected to Japheth by name goes beyond the available evidence and should be treated as a thoughtful and plausible option but recognize that it is unconfirmed rather than a solid historical conclusion. In other words, it’s nice to think about but don’t hold it too tightly.

 □

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

 

 

A Perfect God, Genesis, and…War?

A Perfect God, Genesis, and…War?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, April 7, 2026 (Donate)

The President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, stated in December 27, 2025:

“In my opinion, we are in a full-fledged war with America, Israel, and Europe; they do not want our country to stand on its feet.”[1]

The United States and Israel (and other nations) are entrenched in war with Iran (Persia). But this is nothing new. Iran has been at war with the United States and Israel since 1979 when US territory was invaded (US Embassy in Tehran) and hostages were taken by Iranians. And with renewed declaration of nuclear weapons and threats to destroy the United States and Israel, elected leaders of the United States and Israel have decided to respond with serious force to that war.

F-16s with a payload; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

But people often ask Christians…why does war exist in God's world? Let’s jump into the early pages of Scripture to get an idea of the origin of war and why it exists in God's originally perfect, but now broken, world.

God’s Perfect World

God is perfect, and His works reflect that perfection. Scripture declares:

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NKJV, emphasis added)

When God finished His creation, it wasn’t flawed or violent—it was “very good”:

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31, NKJV)

In that original world, there was no death, no suffering, and certainly no war. Man lived in harmony with God, with each other, and with creation. There was no need for conflict because there was no sin.

The Fall: The Root Of Conflict

This peace was shattered in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve (our respective grandparents) rebelled and sinned against God, committing high treason against our Creator. As a result, sin entered the world, and with it came death, corruption, violence, and disorder (Genesis 3).

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12, NKJV)

The curse affected [not only mankind] but all of creation (Genesis 3:17–19, Romans 8:20-22). Our sin-prone hearts became increasingly evil, prideful, and sadly, man became all about themselves. When sin reigns, problems follow. War, therefore, isn’t part of God’s original design—it’s the natural outworking of fallen man.

High treason in a bite! Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

War Before The Flood?

While Scripture doesn’t explicitly describe wars before the Flood, it gives a picture and a hint of the extent of widespread violence:

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5, NKJV)

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11, NKJV)

Violence means more than isolated wrongdoing—it means ongoing conflict, oppression, repeated evil, and bloodshed. Though specific battles aren’t recorded, it is reasonable to believe that disputes, clashes, skirmishes, and even proto-warfare occurred in this deeply corrupt world—perhaps even large-scale wars!

One early example of violence is Cain murdering Abel (Genesis 4:8). Later, Lamech boasts of killing a man in vengeance (Genesis 4:23–24). These accounts show escalating aggression and retaliation, which are foundational aspects of warfare.

Ultimately, God Himself brought judgment against this violent world through the Flood:

“So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…’” (Genesis 6:7, NKJV)

In this sense, the Flood was a holy response or a battle if you will, to unrepentant, violent sin.

War After Babel

After the Flood, man again rebelled at the Tower of Babel. Instead of spreading across the earth as commanded (Genesis 9:1), they united in defiance:

“Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves…” (Genesis 11:4, NKJV)

God judged this rebellion by confusing their languages and scattering them:

“Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth…” (Genesis 11:9, NKJV)

Tower of Babel; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

This division of languages and scattering of family units had two major effects. First, it restrained unified rebellion against God. Second, it caused cultural and linguistic barriers that can lead to misunderstanding, division, and eventually conflicts—like war.

One of the earliest post-Babel figures associated with conquest is Nimrod:

“He was a mighty hunter before the Lord… And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh… From that land he went to Assyria…” (Genesis 10:9–11, NKJV)

Nimrod’s expansion suggests early imperial aggression—what we might call the beginnings of organized warfare and territorial conquest. Historically, Nimrod’s kingdom stretches across many parts of the Middle East. After his death, his kingdom split apart into many petty kingdoms vying for power.

Abraham rescues Lot; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The first explicitly recorded war in Scripture occurs in Genesis 14. A coalition of four kings fought against five kings (e.g., some of these petty kingdoms were still fighting!), and Lot was taken captive. Abram (Abraham) intervened:

“Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants… and pursued them…” (Genesis 14:14, NKJV)

Abram defeated the invading kings and rescued Lot. This means that warfare had become an established reality in the post-Fall, post-Babel world.

Is Killing In War Murder According To The Bible?

The Bible makes a clear distinction between murder and killing in other contexts. The commandment states:

“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13, NKJV)

The Hebrew term here refers specifically to unlawful, intentional killing—murder. It doesn’t apply to all forms of killing (e.g., self-defense).

Scripture recognizes that there are situations where taking life isn’t classified as murder. For example, governing authorities are given the responsibility to execute justice (Genesis 9:6):

“For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain…” (Romans 13:4, NKJV)

In the Old Testament, God even commanded Israel to engage in warfare at specific times as an act of judgment against wicked nations (for example, Deuteronomy 20). These weren’t acts of personal vengeance but judgments commanded by God. One can’t help but recall David killing Goliath at the onset of a battle between the Israelites and the Philistines.

David taking out Goliath; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Therefore, while all human life is sacred, not all killing is categorized as murder in Scripture. And think that distinction should be understood.

Why War Is Bad, Yet Sometimes Necessary

War is inherently tragic because it is a direct result of sin. It brings death, suffering, and destruction—none of which were part of God’s original creation. James explains the sinful root cause of conflict:

“Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” (James 4:1, NKJV)

Wars arise from sinful desires—greed, pride, envy, and lust for power. Yet in a fallen world, war can sometimes serve as a means of restraining evil (in WWII, war against Hitler and his cronies with their racial-based death camps was definitely warranted). Governments are ordained by God to maintain order and justice (Romans 13:1–4). In certain circumstances, warfare may be necessary to defend the innocent, uphold justice, or stop greater wickedness.

Even so, Scripture reminds us that war in our broken world points forward to a time when war will cease entirely:

“He shall judge between the nations… They shall beat their swords into plowshares… Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4, NKJV)

Final Remarks

War isn’t part of God’s perfect design—it is the outcome of human sin that began in Genesis 3. From the violence before the Flood, to the divisions and invasions after Babel, to the first recorded battles in Abraham’s day, Scripture shows a consistent pattern: where sin increases, conflict follows.

Yet the Bible also reveals hope. Jesus Christ entered this broken world to deal with sin at its root. Through His death and resurrection, He provides peace with God:

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1, NKJV)

One day, Christ will return and there will be a new heavens and new earth, that will be perfect forever (Revelation 21-22). War, violence, and death will be no more. Until then, believers are called to pursue peace—sadly, sometimes that is through war, uphold justice, and remember that true and lasting peace is found only in Christ.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. 

---

[1] Gregory Svirnovskiy, Iran at war with the West and Israel, says Iran's president, Politoco, December 27, 2025, https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/27/iran-war-israel-trump-00706976. 

Genesis And The Resurrection: When The Passover Lamb Comes Back To Life

Genesis And The Resurrection: When The Passover Lamb Comes Back To Life

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, April 5, 2026 (Donate)

Happy Easter! Or as many of say, Happy Resurrection Day! Today, the ultimate and final Passover lamb—Jesus Christ—was resurrected about 2000 years ago. What a glorious day. Jesus proved He had power over life and death.

And of course, He did—He is God incarnate who took on flesh—a task all-to-easy for an all-powerful God. Jesus came to rescue us because we have fallen into sin. What an amazing love He had for us in that while we were still sinners, He died for us. None of our works are worthy, but His is!

The Empty Tomb; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The Bible presents a unified account of history, beginning with a perfect creation and culminating in a restored creation through Jesus Christ. Christ’s work began in Genesis and culminated on the cross. Let’s go back to Genesis—particularly Genesis 3—and explore when man fell into sin and see some of the connections that pertain directly or indirectly to Christ and His work on the Cross.

Life…Death…And Life Again

In Genesis, God declared His creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31). A God of life made a perfect world full of life. There wasn’t any death, no corruption, and no suffering. Humanity, made in God’s image, lived in harmony with Him. Yet this perfection was shattered when sin entered the world through Adam (Genesis 3). From that moment, all of creation fell under the curse, and death spread to all men.

However, Genesis doesn’t merely record the problem; it sets the stage for the solution. The same God who pronounced the curse also promised redemption. This promise ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ—the Passover Lamb who not only died…but rose again.

Dust and Decay

One of the clearest parallels between Genesis and the resurrection is found in the issue of death and decay. God told Adam, “for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19, NKJV). Ever since, human bodies have returned to the ground in corruption.

Yet Christ stands in contrast. Speaking prophetically of Him, Scripture declares, “Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10, NKJV; cf. Acts 2:31). Though Jesus truly died, His body didn’t decay. His resurrection is the firstfruits of a coming restoration in which death itself will see its final defeat.

Thorns And Thistles: A Crown Of Thorns

The curse brought a physical change in Genesis as it brought forth thorns and thistles: “Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you” (Genesis 3:18, NKJV). These thorns show the painful consequences of sin.

At the crucifixion, Roman soldiers unwittingly crowned Jesus with this very symbol of the curse: “And when they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head” (Matthew 27:29, NKJV). What began as a mock coronation was, in truth, a profound theological statement—Christ bore the curse of sin upon His own head.

Crown of Thorns; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Yet, this is not the end! Scripture promises that the curse will be removed entirely: “And there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3, NKJV). The thorns of Genesis are answered by the triumph of Christ.

Eve And Mary Experienced Sorrows In Childbearing

Pain and sorrow also entered the world through the Fall, particularly in childbearing: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children” (Genesis 3:16, NKJV). This no doubt refers to an increased pain from the moment their eyes were opened. Secondly, it includes the physical pain in actual childbirth.

However, it also refers to sorrows in childrearing that few ponder. No parent wants to see their child die. Eve, the mother of all living, experienced the devastating effects of sin in her sons—particularly when Cain killed Abel. This murder was possible because of Adam and Eve’s sin.

This sorrow finds a striking parallel in Mary, the mother of Jesus. She witnessed the suffering and death of her Son on an excruciating cross—fulfilling Simeon’s words that a sword would pierce her own soul (Luke 2:35).

Eve saw a blessing of new life when Seth was born and replaced Abel. This type, is a small taste of what Mary also witnessed in the risen Christ. Her sorrow was not the end. Instead, Jesus’ resurrection transformed grief into and eternal hope.

Nakedness And Shame

Before sin, Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed (Genesis 2:25). After the Fall, shame entered, and they wanted to cloth themselves in a hurry! As a side note, they chose fig leaves (which are a terrible choice), but they were in a hurry and being rash—when Jesus rode into Jerusalem people chose palm leaves rashly hoping for a conquering king to save them from Rome.

Though Adam and Eve’s clothing choice was wrong, God clothed them with garments of skin (Genesis 3:21), hinting at the necessity of sacrifice to cover sin. Jesus, the true sacrifice, was stripped of His garments at the crucifixion, and soldiers cast lots for His clothing (John 19:23–24). The One who provides covering for sin was Himself exposed, bearing the shame that humanity introduced. As Scripture declares, He “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV).

Casting Lots; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Shame itself is another major theme connecting Genesis and the cross. Adam and Eve hid from God because of their guilt (Genesis 3:8). Sin fractured their relationship with their Creator. On the Cross, Jesus took that guilt and shame upon Himself. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV). The shame that began in the Garden of Eden to the first sacrifice was fully dealt with from the Garden of Gethsemane to Calvary.

Mortal And Immortal

God originally designed human bodies for life, not death. Though Adam was created with the potential for ongoing life, sin brought mortality. As Paul explains, “the body is sown in corruption… it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42–44, NKJV). Through Christ’s resurrection, believers are promised transformation.

At His second coming, mortal bodies will put on immortality: “this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53, NKJV). What was lost in Genesis is restored—and even glorified—in Christ.

Genesis 3 marks humanity’s passage from life into death. But through Christ, the direction is reversed. Jesus declared, “He who hears My word and believes… has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24, NKJV). The resurrection is not merely an event in history; it is the turning point of all history. Through Christ, those dead in sin are made alive.

Baptism serves as a public declaration of this transformation. It symbolizes identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection: “we were buried with Him through baptism into death… even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, NKJV). While baptism itself does not save, it visibly proclaims the believer’s union with the risen Savior.

The Two Seeds

At the center of Genesis 3 is the first promise of redemption. After pronouncing judgment, God declares to the serpent: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15, NKJV). This “Seed” is ultimately Christ.

The bruising of His heel points to the suffering of the Cross, while the crushing of the serpent’s head points to His decisive victory through the Resurrection and crushing of those following Satan (Matthew 3:7, 12:34, 23:33, 27:25; Luke 3:7; John 8:44; Romans 16:20). What appeared to be defeat was, in truth, the overthrow of Satan’s power.

This promise also introduces a great division in history—the enmity between two kingdoms—two seeds. From Genesis onward, there is a conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. This conflict reaches its climax at the Cross, where sinful men, influenced by darkness, crucified the Lord of glory. Yet this act, though evil, fulfilled God’s sovereign plan (Acts 2:23). The Resurrection then reveals the triumph of Christ’s kingdom over all opposing powers (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 16:18).

The Tree And The Tree

Another profound connection is seen in the theme of the tree. In Genesis 3, humanity fell through disobedience associated with a tree—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By taking what was forbidden, Adam brought death into the world.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and its fruit in an old display at the Creation Museum; Photo by Bodie Hodge

In contrast, Christ bore sin “in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV). Where Adam took and brought death, Christ gave Himself and brought life. One tree was an instrument that man used to ruin creation and bring sin; another became the instrument of redemption when Jesus took curse upon Himself (Galatians 3:13).

A Veil Of Separation

The Fall also resulted in separation from God. Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden: “So He drove out the man” (Genesis 3:24, NKJV). Fellowship was broken, and access to the tree of life was no longer possible (we don’t have access to it again until Heaven per Revelation 22:2).

Yet through Christ, that access is restored. The Bible says that we now have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19, NKJV). The veil that once symbolized separation was torn at the moment of Christ’s death (Matthew 27:51), and the Resurrection confirms that the way back to God is open. The Bible says that the veil is taken away form our eyes when receive the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:16) but remains on those who don’t (2 Corinthians 3:14-15).

Angelic Beings In Genesis And At The Tomb

In Genesis, cherubim were placed to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). The path to life was closed.

But at the resurrection, angels are again present—not to block the way, but rolled the stone away and to proclaim it open: “He is not here; for He is risen” (Matthew 28:6, NKJV). The guarded garden gives way to the open tomb.

The Scale Of Curse To The Scale Of Restoration

The curse pronounced in Genesis extended beyond humanity to creation itself: “Cursed is the ground for your sake” (Genesis 3:17, NKJV). The world became subject to decay and frustration. Yet the work of Christ reaches beyond individual salvation to cosmic restoration.

The creation itself will be delivered “from the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21, NKJV). The Resurrection is the beginning of that renewal, guaranteeing that what was cursed will one day be fully restored.

Sweat Of The Brow,  The Blame Game, And The Last Adam

Even the details of human toil find fulfillment in Christ. Adam was told, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19, NKJV). Labor became burdensome under the curse. In Gethsemane, as Christ prepared to bear sin, “His sweat became like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44, NKJV). He entered fully into the weight of the curse, taking upon Himself the suffering that sin introduced.

Human response to sin in Genesis was marked by blame and avoidance. Adam blamed Eve; Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:12–13). Responsibility was pushed to another. In contrast, Christ took upon Himself the guilt of others: “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV). Where Adam shifted blame, Christ bore it.

The First Adam and the Last Adam; Image from Presentation Library

Finally, Scripture presents Christ as the “last Adam.” “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:21, NKJV). Adam brought sin, death, and separation. Christ brings righteousness, life, and restoration. The first Adam led humanity into ruin with sin and death crouching at our every step; the last Adam lifts humanity into an eternal hope.

Final Remarks

The Passover Lamb who was promised in the beginning has come, has died, and has risen. And because He lives, the account that began in the Garden of Eden and passed through the Garden of Gethsemane end sin a new heaven and a new earth where life, fellowship, and righteousness are fully and finally renewed to perfection with God and our resurrected Christ.

Finally, the image of God, marred by sin, is being restored through Christ. Humanity was created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26–27, NKJV), but sin distorted that image. Through sanctification by the Holy Spirit, believers are progressively transformed “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29, NKJV). This process will be completed at Christ’s return, when we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).

The account of Genesis 3 doesn’t merely describe the entrance of sin into the world. When read carefully, the Fall and the resurrection aren’t disconnected events, but intricately interwoven within God’s redemptive plan of salvation!

From Genesis to the resurrection, God tells one cohesive story: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. The Passover Lamb who was slain has risen. And because He lives, the broken world introduced in Genesis will one day be made new.

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.