“Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.” (Ex 23:1)(KJV)
We have been pointing out that the Civil Law given to Israel is essentially further detail on the 10 Commandments, to enable them to apply it in a practical day to day sense. In addition, it provides rich and fascinating detail on the person and character of the One who gave it. This week’s text provides additional color on the 9th commandment – “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” (Ex 20:16). Lest the Israelites be led to believe that bearing false witness was just restricted to a court of Law, this text actually extends its scope to something much wider and broader.
The word translated “raise" is the Hebrew word “nashsha” (נָשָׂא,# 5375 in the New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words), “to lift up, carry.” This is a word which not only means to lift up – that is to say – pick up, receive, or in other words – start the process of carrying, but also has within itself the concept of carrying itself – that is to say – hold and take an item from point A to point B. The word “false” is the same word we encountered when we were told in the 3rd commandment, not to take the Lord’s Name in “vain”. The word carries the sense of empty, desolate, worthless, false – the translators of the KJV used the English words that would most accurately convey the sense and intent of the Hebrew words used for that commandment in that context, hence the usage of two different English words for the same Hebrew word.
Now we are in a position to see that the first part of the verse actually has the sense of – “Do not pick up, and carry from place to place, a worthless, empty, and false report.” Doing such a thing in our day and age is known by the terms “slander”, “libel” (when slander is printed and circulated), “gossip” (verbal), “backbiting”, “character assassination” …. You get the idea.
It is important to note that two actions are in view here. The first (through the act of picking up) is being a person who is ready to receive (“pick up”) false reports from another person. There is implied a willingness to listen to such reports (because they are sensational, titillating, or just provide entertainment for idle minds), and actually allow them to enter our hearts and minds. The second action is one of distribution, where we now take that same report, and become complicit with the one who gave it to us, by repeating his/her action to whisper it in the ears of others. --- We are now committing the exact same act the original person did, which is why the second part of the verse talks about joining hands with the wicked! In doing so, we have become willing participants with the adversary, one of whose names is - the father of lies. Is that what you want to be in the eyes of God?
God hates lying because He and His Word ARE THE TRUTH. He is not just true, but He is the golden standard by which TRUTH itself is defined! We have said that violating any of the 10 commandments is worthy of capital punishment because that is going contrary to the very nature of our God, and we can see it exemplified in the cases of not only lying under oath, but also slandering our neighbor. Here are some examples (From Nave’s Topical Index under the entry Slander) that talk about what the Word has to say on this topic, and they should provide much food for thought for us all this week.
“Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.” (Ps 101:5).”He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” (Pr 10:18). A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. (Pr 16:28). The Apostle Paul lists it his list of things a reprobate mind indulges in… “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; --- whisperers, Backbiters ----, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents….” (Ro 1:29-30). Idleness encourages it………”And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”(1 Ti 5:13) It is also going to be the tool of the enemy against Christians… Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Mt 5:11).
How are we to deal with Slander?
Easy – A. Don’t receive it. B. Don’t spread it!
If people get to know that you don’t receive fools gladly (God’s words not mine!) they will stop coming to you with their tasty trifles and tripe. Test all things, for in the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses truth shall be established. Exercise wisdom and discretion and guard your tongue as the apostle James has urged us. For the rewards of following the commandment are great!
“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. (1 Pe 3:10-12).
“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. (Ps 15:1-3).
Hallelujah!