Thou shall not bear false witness, what exactly did the Lord mean by that and why is it that important that God gave it to Moses in the 10 Commandments? Thou shall not bear false witness against thou neighbor was not just about lying it was about perjury!
Ten Commandments
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall make no idols.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet.
Pretty serious, you would think to lie in general would be listed, but bearing false witness God thought more important that this needed to be recorded. Why?
As we look at what we see today in politics alone, we know what accusing someone has done. Case in point, Judge Moore in Alabama. Leading in the polls, everyone excited to see this straightforward God fearing Judge heading for Washington than the bomb drops, women coming out saying 38 years ago he was inappropriate, and then bam polls drop, Washington is up in arms. Threats of not seating him are being made and over unsubstantiated claims against him. Are these accusations true no one knows, seems sketchy because there are holes in their stories, some have past that is questionable.
We have seen women during the Trump candidacy come out as well, going so far as accusing him of rape all were threatened to be sued for slander and all disappeared. In that case, the people didn’t care and voted him in as President. At this time of this blog the election has not taken place in Alabama, in a couple of weeks, we will see if the allegations took down a potential Senator.
We witness this daily on our news stations, the internet and in newspapers. There is no accountability, you can write or say anything you want about someone with no ramifications whatsoever.
I have myself have experienced false accusations which can cause havoc in one’s life as a victim of malicious lies from people who had hate in their hearts. Truth won out in my life and I was spared what others who were not so fortunate have endured.
There is a reason perjury is a criminal offense, how many are in prison from those bearing false witness against them. This destroys relationships, marriages, careers, and one’s freedoms, at one time people were burned at the stake because of a neighbor’s lies. We see in the middle east to this day, women being stoned to death just on a word of another. It causes some to misjudge others to dislike them on the basis of not facts known but due to someone who has malicious intent. It destroys families turning siblings and parents against each other.
It is such a severe offense God chose to put it on tablets that would become the very foundation for the creation of laws by nations for the people to direct their lives by. As we know without instructions nations are in chaos.
An erroneous witness has been a problem from the beginning of time; today it seems to be the norm in destroying one’s career. We see the Fusion One Dossier that was created on an untruth to take down a presidential candidate and cause innocent Americans rights to be infringed upon. Do we really comprehend that this was a deliberate fabrication that has caused a rift in this country?
Men now do not know what the fall out will be because a date, a co-worker can ruin their lives just by speaking falsely against them. Even paying them an innocent compliment can get them in hot water. We are out of control we need to change perhaps to start with those who are found to bring untrue allegations against someone should serve time in jail.
God saw that without truth there is no trust. We all have experienced sad to say a rift in a relationship because of lies; you no longer look at that person the same, the confidence you once shared has been broken most of the time irreversibly so. The ramifications are devastating due to this.
The following is what God thoughts about false witness:
Exodus 23:1 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.
Proverbs 25:18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
Proverbs 14:15 A false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Proverbs 6:19 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
Proverbs 14:5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
Proverbs 12:17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
Revelation 21:8 ESV But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Whether you believe in God or not this such a dangerous offense that it needs to be addressed much more than it is, there must be consequences when one tries to destroy another with blatant lies.