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Awesome Hands – part 83

“The judgments” Part N

August 5th, 2015

Exo 23:7  Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Exo 23:8  And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Exo 23:9  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

The verses in the study today are verses which have very basic and practical uses for our everyday lives, and they also help us formulate our thoughts for what the Lord is going to present to us in the verses following them (which will be covered next study).

False accusations and righteous judgment

Being able to examine a situation and see the forest for the trees can at times be a very hard thing to do. The Lord knew this to be true and set out to give us laws that would help those who were in the place of passing judgments to be able to do this job properly.

We know that the law was given to a “lawless and disobedient” people, but it was also given to several other groups that we are all very familiar with if we are candid with ourselves.

We are going to cover several verses in 1 Timothy chapter 1 with the verses in today’s lesson. First off, I will read the verses together and in context.

1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
1Ti 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
1Ti 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
1Ti 1:7  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
1Ti 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1Ti 1:11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

Given what we just read, I want to connect the concepts here in 1 Timothy to Exodus 23:7-9. These verses in Timothy do not only apply here, but the concepts laid out certainly give us more context on the judgments given to us in Exodus 23.

Exo 23:7  Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

We are told to stay away from a “false matter” for very good reasons.

(ESV) Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.

(GNB) Do not make false accusations, and do not put an innocent person to death, for I will condemn anyone who does such an evil thing.

(BBE) Keep yourselves far from any false business; never let the upright or him who has done no wrong be put to death: for I will make the evil-doer responsible for his sin.

Keeping ourselves “pure heart” and “good conscience” as stated in 1 Timothy is directly connected with realizing that “judges” have an ultimate Judge.

Our Judge will be passing on judgment which comes directly from mouth, and the mouth speaks what the heart is feeling/thinking.

Jer 23:16  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

Mat 12:34  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Mat 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Mat 7:2  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

The two concepts spoken about in Exodus 23:7 tell us to not listen to or partake of false accusations and to not put an innocent person to death. If we disobey these judgments/laws, then we ourselves will be guilty of the “blood on our hands” so to speak.

In 1 Timothy 1:6 that those who stray from a pure heart, a good conscience and faith do so because they “give heed to FABLES and endless genealogies” which only produce MORE questions and do not solve whatever issue is at hand.

Why does a person “give heed” or listen to these things? It is because they give heed to a doctrine that they have not heard before or are straying from the “sound doctrine” that has been proven.

2Jn 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of CHRIST, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Bribes and righteous judgment

Bribes and righteous judgment do NOT go hand in hand.

Exo 23:8  And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

When we consider who it is who sees and who it is that is righteous, these verses become even more pertinent to our spiritual walks with the Lord.

Of course, our spiritual walks are only part of the equation of things to consider, but they also are something we can apply to our daily lives today.

It’s easy to conclude what bribes do to those that need to be able to pass righteous judgment to those who need to be judged. We are talking about the laws given to the judges to judge the people with, so how do bribes affect God’s people if not addressed and seen for what they are?

1Sa 8:1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
1Sa 8:2  Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.
1Sa 8:3  And his sons walked not in his ways (think… DOCTRINE), but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
1Sa 8:4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
1Sa 8:5  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
1Sa 8:6  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

Judgments which can be bought with a bribe are obviously not proper judgments. Worse than that, they lead people to welcoming in even more evil to their lives just like the elders of Israel did when they petitioned Samuel to give them a judge over them.

If the judges would have “walked after Samuel’s way”, then the evil of appointing a king over themselves would not have taken place. Of course, the Lord wanted us to see that we have a “law in our members”, our king that we desire to be our head, that reigns over us because we do not have righteous judgment ourselves.

There are more examples of bribed judgment in scripture, and here are a few of those examples.

Psa 26:1  A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

Psa 26:9  Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:
Psa 26:10  In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.
Psa 26:11  But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

Pro 17:23  A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
Pro 17:24  Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

Isa 1:23  Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

Contrasted with:

Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

So, if we consider that Samuel’s sons didn’t “walk in his way” and then realize that this is a type for us, who’s “Way” should we be walking in?

What does “doctrine” have to do with the items mentioned in Exodus 23? The emphasis and ( ) are mine.

Exo 23:7  Keep thee far from a false matter (MIND and DOCTRINE); and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Exo 23:8  And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise (EYES that SEE, EARS that HEAR), and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Exo 23:9  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger (SOUL), seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

“Don’t be involved with false accusations, don’t slay an innocent man, take no gifts or bribes and don’t oppress strangers.” All of these concepts are rooted in doctrine, in the mind that has given us our doctrine, but it may not appear to be the case on the surface and in the letter.

1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

1Ti 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

The Lord has continued to give laws to Moses to give to the Israelites. In turn, the Israelites will have judges who are being given directions on how to judge properly.

Likewise, we have been given a law of Christ that we use to judge all situations in our lives each and every day.

What we DO NOT want to do is turn aside our judgment to “vain jangling”, so what is “vain jangling?”

Strongs:

G3150

mataiologia

mat-ah-yol-og-ee’-ah

From G3151; random talk, that is, babble: – vain jangling.

From G3151:

G3151

mataiologos

mat-ah-yol-og’-os

From G3152 and G3004; an idle (that is, senseless or mischievous) talker, that is, a wrangler: – vain talker.

Thayers:

G3150

mataiologia

Thayer Definition:

1) vain talking, empty talk

Part of Speech: noun feminine

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G3151

Citing in TDNT: 4:524, 571

From G3151:

G3151

mataiologos

Thayer Definition:

1) an idle talker, one who utters empty senseless things

Part of Speech: noun masculine

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G3152 and G3004

Citing in TDNT: 4:524, 571

G3152

mataios

Thayer Definition:

1) devoid of force, truth, success, result

2) useless, of no purpose

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from the base of G3155

Citing in TDNT: 4:519, 571

G3004

legō

Thayer Definition:

1) to say, to speak

1a) affirm over, maintain

1b) to teach

1c) to exhort, advise, to command, direct

1d) to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say

1e) to call by name, to call, name

1f) to speak out, speak of, mention

Part of Speech: verb

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: a root word

Citing in TDNT: 4:69, 505

So “vain babbling” is to speak something that is devoid of truth and has no purpose which is what those who turn from sound doctrine do.

What then is sound doctrine so that we know what it is we should be saying, thinking and applying/judging in our lives and in all situations we encounter or are asked about by others?

1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound (G5198) doctrine (G1319);

G5198

hugiainō

hoog-ee-ah’ee-no

From G5199; to have sound health, that is, be well (in body); figuratively to be uncorrupt (true in doctrine): – be in health, (be safe and) sound, (be) whole (-some).

G5199

hugiēs

Thayer Definition:

1) sound

1a) of a man who is sound in body

2) to make one whole, i.e. restore him to health

3) metaphorically teaching which does not deviate from the truth

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from the base of G837

Citing in TDNT: 8:308, 1202

G837

αὐξάνω

auxanō

Thayer Definition:

1) to cause to grow, augment

2) to increase, become greater

3) to grow, increase

3a) of plants

3b) of infants

3c) of a multitude of people

3d) of inward Christian growth

Part of Speech: verb

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: a prolonged form of a primary verb

Citing in TDNT: 8:517,*

I know that is all a bit technical when drilling down into the roots of the words, but the end result is that “sound doctrine” is not deviating away from the Truth.

Jesus Christ gave us His TEACHING, His doctrine. The root “sound” doctrine is that which causes and INCREASE.

How does this allow hearken back to Exodus 23:7-9?

Exo 23:9  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

We know what it is like to not have proper judgment or consideration given to us. “Strangers” in the land aren’t afforded the same consideration as someone who is a native to the land.

Strangers a lot of times may be unaware of the “laws of the land” they are guilty of breaking. When they do break the laws, they may not know the penalties or technicalities associated with breaking those laws and they may not be able to afford counsel or representation in a “court of law”.

When then does this leave a judge?

As spiritual judges, who know the “heart” of a stranger, we are told to hearken to the teaching of Christ and apply that you our judgments, both of ourselves first and foremost and then on the will the Lord is working out in other’s lives.

The English word used as heart here isn’t very revealing. This word would be better translated “soul” as it is the other 400+ times in Hebrew. I am not going to include them all here for the sake of space, but I’ll show the first 416 entries.

H5315

nephesh

Total KJV Occurrences: 749

soul, 416

Gen_2:7, Gen_17:13-14 (2), Gen_19:20, Gen_27:4, Gen_27:19, Gen_27:25, Gen_27:31, Gen_34:3, Gen_34:8, Gen_35:18, Gen_42:21, Gen_49:6, Exo_12:15, Exo_12:19, Exo_30:12, Exo_31:14, Lev_4:2, Lev_5:1-2 (2), Lev_5:4, Lev_5:15, Lev_5:17, Lev_6:2, Lev_7:18, Lev_7:20-21 (4), Lev_7:25, Lev_7:27 (2), Lev_17:10-12 (3), Lev_17:15, Lev_19:8, Lev_20:6 (2), Lev_22:3, Lev_22:6, Lev_22:11, Lev_23:29-30 (3), Lev_26:11, Lev_26:15, Lev_26:30, Lev_26:43, Num_9:13, Num_11:6, Num_15:27-28 (2), Num_15:30-31 (3), Num_19:13, Num_19:20, Num_19:22, Num_21:4-5 (2), Num_30:2, Num_30:4-8 (6), Num_30:10-13 (4), Num_31:28, Deu_4:9, Deu_4:29, Deu_6:5, Deu_11:12-13 (2), Deu_11:18, Deu_12:15, Deu_12:20-21 (3), Deu_13:3, Deu_13:6, Deu_14:26 (2), Deu_26:16, Deu_30:2, Deu_30:6, Deu_30:10, Jos_22:5, Jdg_5:21, Jdg_16:16 (2), 1Sa_1:10, 1Sa_1:15, 1Sa_1:26, 1Sa_2:16, 1Sa_17:55, 1Sa_18:1 (3), 1Sa_20:3-4 (3), 1Sa_20:17, 1Sa_23:20, 1Sa_24:11, 1Sa_25:26, 1Sa_25:29 (2), 1Sa_26:21, 1Sa_30:6, 2Sa_4:9, 2Sa_5:8, 2Sa_11:11, 2Sa_14:19, 1Ki_1:29, 1Ki_2:4, 1Ki_8:48, 1Ki_11:37, 1Ki_17:21-22 (2), 2Ki_2:2, 2Ki_2:4, 2Ki_2:6, 2Ki_4:27, 2Ki_4:30, 2Ki_23:3, 2Ki_23:25, 1Ch_22:19, 2Ch_6:38, 2Ch_15:12, 2Ch_34:31, Job_3:20, Job_6:7, Job_7:11, Job_7:15, Job_9:21, Job_10:1 (2), Job_12:10, Job_14:22, Job_16:4, Job_19:2, Job_21:25, Job_23:13, Job_24:12, Job_27:2, Job_27:8, Job_30:16, Job_30:25, Job_31:30, Job_33:18, Job_33:20, Job_33:22, Job_33:28, Job_33:30, Psa_6:2-4 (3), Psa_7:2, Psa_7:5, Psa_11:1, Psa_11:5, Psa_13:2, Psa_16:10, Psa_17:13, Psa_19:7, Psa_22:20, Psa_22:29, Psa_24:3-4 (2), Psa_25:1, Psa_25:13, Psa_25:20, Psa_26:9, Psa_30:3, Psa_31:7, Psa_31:9, Psa_33:19-20 (2), Psa_34:2, Psa_34:22, Psa_35:3-4 (2), Psa_35:7, Psa_35:9, Psa_35:12-13 (2), Psa_35:17, Psa_40:14, Psa_41:4, Psa_42:1-2 (2), Psa_42:4-6 (3), Psa_42:11, Psa_43:5, Psa_44:25, Psa_49:8, Psa_49:15, Psa_49:18, Psa_54:3-4 (2), Psa_55:18, Psa_56:6, Psa_56:13, Psa_57:1, Psa_57:4, Psa_57:6, Psa_59:3, Psa_62:1, Psa_62:5, Psa_63:1, Psa_63:5, Psa_66:8-9 (3), Psa_66:16, Psa_69:1, Psa_69:10, Psa_69:18, Psa_70:2, Psa_71:10, Psa_71:13, Psa_71:23, Psa_72:14, Psa_74:19, Psa_77:2, Psa_78:50, Psa_86:2 (2), Psa_86:4 (2), Psa_86:13-14 (2), Psa_88:3, Psa_88:14, Psa_89:48, Psa_94:17, Psa_94:19, Psa_94:21, Psa_103:1-2 (2), Psa_103:22, Psa_104:1, Psa_104:35, Psa_106:15, Psa_107:5, Psa_107:9 (2), Psa_107:18, Psa_107:26, Psa_109:20, Psa_109:31, Psa_116:4, Psa_116:7-8 (2), Psa_119:20, Psa_119:25, Psa_119:28, Psa_119:81, Psa_119:109, Psa_119:129, Psa_119:167, Psa_119:175, Psa_120:2, Psa_121:6-7 (2), Psa_124:4-5 (3), Psa_124:7, Psa_130:5-6 (2), Psa_138:2-3 (2), Psa_139:14, Psa_141:8, Psa_142:4, Psa_142:7, Psa_143:3, Psa_143:6, Psa_143:8, Psa_143:11-12 (2), Psa_146:1, Pro_2:10, Pro_3:22, Pro_6:30, Pro_6:32, Pro_8:36, Pro_10:3, Pro_11:17, Pro_11:25, Pro_13:2, Pro_13:4 (2), Pro_13:19, Pro_13:25, Pro_15:32, Pro_16:17, Pro_16:24, Pro_18:7, Pro_19:2, Pro_19:8, Pro_19:15-16 (2), Pro_19:18, Pro_20:2, Pro_21:10, Pro_21:23, Pro_22:5, Pro_22:23, Pro_22:25, Pro_23:14, Pro_24:12, Pro_24:14, Pro_25:13, Pro_25:25, Pro_27:7 (2), Pro_29:10, Pro_29:17, Ecc_2:24 (2), Ecc_4:8, Ecc_6:2-3 (2), Ecc_7:28, Son_1:7, Son_3:1-4 (4), Son_5:6, Son_6:12, Isa_1:14, Isa_3:9, Isa_10:18, Isa_26:8-9 (2), Isa_29:8 (2), Isa_32:6, Isa_38:15, Isa_38:17, Isa_42:1, Isa_44:20, Isa_51:23, Isa_53:10-12 (3), Isa_58:2-3 (3), Isa_58:5, Isa_58:10-11 (3), Isa_61:10, Isa_66:3, Jer_4:10, Jer_4:19, Jer_4:31, Jer_5:9, Jer_5:29, Jer_9:8-9 (2), Jer_12:7, Jer_13:17, Jer_18:19-20 (2), Jer_20:13, Jer_31:12, Jer_31:14, Jer_31:25 (2), Jer_32:41, Jer_38:16-17 (2), Jer_38:20, Jer_50:19, Jer_51:6, Jer_51:45, Lam_1:11, Lam_1:16, Lam_2:12, Lam_3:17, Lam_3:20, Lam_3:24-25 (2), Lam_3:58, Eze_3:19, Eze_3:21, Eze_4:14, Eze_18:4 (3), Eze_18:20, Eze_18:27, Eze_24:21, Eze_33:5, Eze_33:9, Jon_2:4-5 (2), Mic_6:7 (2), Mic_7:1, Hab_2:4, Hab_2:10, Zec_11:8

Exo 23:9  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the soul of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

What it means to know the soul of a stranger, spiritually speaking, is to understand that the Lord has caused us all to be who we are, to experience what we experience, and to be trapped as SLAVES to the Will of God in our lives.

When judging things that are set in front of us to judge, we should be looking toward what we have been freed from in order to then look to the cross of Christ and realize that Jesus Christ has “sat us on judgment bench” to be able to represent Him as ambassadors.

Exo 23:7  Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
Exo 23:8  And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Exo 23:9  Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

The points of Exodus 23:7-9 are we cannot possibly hope to make proper judgments in our lives if we lean only toward our own understandings. We need witnesses and guidance to make proper assessments. Otherwise, we spiritually kill those whom we give advice to since we are not founded in the truth.

We are able to be bribed and influenced and this happens because our eyes can be blinded. They must be “open” and not shut by influences/bribes over us. We must always stick with wise and righteous Words, the word of God, to know we are indeed not being blind in judgment.

If we don’t remember where is it is we have come from remembering what we have been set free from when we were slaves, then we are in now shape to be able to judge situations properly.

These laws precede the verses coming next week which give to us the various time tables and feasts the Lord has given us when we follow His laws and become His people.