#DailyDevotion The Lord Will Not Put Up With False Witnesses

October 20

Deut 19:1–20

Deu 19:15  “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established…18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,  (19)  then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst…21  Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

 

It was a mighty justice system the Lord had given to Israel. We have adapted many aspects of this system into our lives here in the United States, though many wouldn’t know anything of it. While some parts may seem harsh to us today, it kept many a person from seeking vengeance on others. It also kept justice from going overboard for some would want to exact more than just justice, i.e. instead of eye for eye, they would take both!

 

Another example is the witness system. One person could not bring charges against another person. There needed to be two witnesses, two collaborating witnesses. Of course a lot of people would still get away with stuff on this earthly plane with only one witness, but God would be their judge. We all experienced it on the playground or aspects of life: he said, she said. So nothing gets done. But unjustly punishing an innocent person was seen to be a far worse thing than a guilty person getting away with someone before man. But the guilty party still has a Judge to answer to.

 

Note the severity of bearing false witness. If a person was found bearing false witness than the person(s) bearing false witness would receive the punishment that the accused would have received, nothing less and nothing more. This was to instill fear in the hearts of people to keep men with evil hearts trying to take stuff and lives that did not belong to them through the legal system. The Israelites were to have no pity on those who bore false witness. They were an evil in their midst.

 

God himself knows what it is like to have others bare false witness against him. It is written: Mat 26:59-61”Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, (60) but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward (61) and said, ‘This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’’” Yet the High Priest knew even this was a lie for Jesus never said he was able to destroy the temple (though of course he could). The witness was not enough to accuse Jesus of a crime. Those who were supposed to be ferreting out false witnesses were seeking them. They wanted what Jesus had, the kingdom of God. They were willing to murder him for it. Well they got away with it. But they did not. The Father in heaven would be their judge.

 

Now even as our Lord was falsely accused you can expect nothing less. Jesus said, Mat 5:11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” If you belong to Jesus, if you are joined to him by baptism and faith, you should expect people bear false witness against you. Now do not let this worry you too much. In as much as this happens to you on account of the Lord you are blessed. The kingdom of God which the High Priest sought unlawfully belongs to you.

Heavenly Father, grant us such grace and faith that when other bear false witness against us we may take comfort in your blessing and give us your Spirit that words from our lips may always bear your truth. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.