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Revelation 21:17--11b |
Revelation 21, Page 22e-11b | ||
Significant Words and Comments: Commentary on Revelation 21:17 expansion (16 August 2008): Commandment or Structure #11: “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” Detail #11:4: Group conspiracy to defraud is a decidedly false witness. A conspiracy is an alliance or binding together, almost always for hurtful, subversive, or evil purposes. Thus Joseph’s brothers, “when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, . . . conspired against him to slay him.” When Saul could not find David, he insisted his courtiers had conspired against him to help David. Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel identified Israel’s apostasy from Yehuveh as an alliance for evil purposes: “Yehuveh said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear My words; and they went after other elohims to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” “There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.” “As troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.” Regardless of the size of the group and the position in it, whether a leader or a follower, if we are involved in any group which is in rebellion against Yehuveh, we are part of the resistance and our witness to Yehuveh’s goodness is false. Take serious thought, then, regarding involvement in any organized church body. Are you, by your very fellowship with those who resist Yehuveh’s revelations, bearing false witness against Him, against yourself, and against those around you? Genesis 37:18; 1 Samuel 22:8; Jeremiah 11:9-10; Ezekiel 22:25; Hosea 6:9. Also: 1 Samuel 22:8-19; 15:12, 31; 1 Kings 12:25; 15:27; 16:9, 16; 22:11-13, 23; 2 Kings 9:14; 10:9; 12:20; 14:19; 15:10, 15, 25, 30; 17:4; 21:23-24; 2 Chronicles 24:21, 25-27; 33:24-25; Nehemiah 4:8; Jeremiah 5:30, 31; 6:13; Lamentations 2:14; 4:13; Ezekiel 13:10-16; Amos 7:10. Detail #11:5: Every false dealing is a false witness to honorable trade. “Ye shall not . . . deal falsely, neither lie one to another. . . . Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.” Commerce and trade collapse under such dealings, for trust is irreparably broken. This was Jacob’s complaint against Laban: “Your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but Elohim suffered him not to hurt me.” Leviticus 19:11-13; Genesis 31:7. Also: Genesis 21:23; 31:41; Jeremiah 6:23; 7:9-11; 22:13; Zechariah 8:13-14; Malachi 3:5. Detail #11:6: Yehuveh forbids wresting judgment by false witnessing. “If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.” “Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger.” “Woe unto them that . . . justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” Every perversion of justice by either a witness or judge violates this commandment and utterly misrepresents Yehuveh’s pure and compassionate justice. Deuteronomy 25:1; Exodus 23:6-9; Isaiah 5:22-23. Also: Exodus 23:2, 3; Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 27:8-9, 19; 19:17-19; 2 Samuel 23:3; 1 Kings 21:13; 2 Chronicles 19:6-10; Job 29:7-17; 31:13, 21, 22; Psalms 58:1-2; 82:2-4; 94:21; Proverbs 17:15; 24:24; 31:4, 5, 8, 9; Ecclesiastes 5:8; Isaiah 1:17, 23; 10:1, 2; 11:4; 32:1, 2; Jeremiah 5:28; 6:28; 7:6; 21:12; Ezekiel 44:24; Amos 5:11, 12; Micah 3:1-4; Habakkuk 1:4, 13; Zephaniah 3:1-4; Malachi 3:5. Gael Bataman Originally Written: 16 August 2008 Latest Update: 16 August 2008 Return to Zadok Home Page Continue . . . Return One Page Go to Revelation Intro |