We're in the ninth month which means we're onto the penultimate Commandment in this series! Taking a look at, "You Shall Not Bear False Witness" for September's edition. God bless you, Lucy x
Exodus 20:1-17
The Ten Commandments
“And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.””
The Ninth Commandment Exodus 20:1-17
The Ten Commandments
“And God spoke all these words, saying:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
“You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
“You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour’s.””
“You Shall Not Bear False Witness.”
"Behold, The Ten Commandments, recorded in God’s Word!
To think they don’t apply to us would really be absurd!
The wisdom found within these laws, we cannot take away,
So how can we apply these truths within our lives today?
“You shall not bear false witness.” Commandment number nine.
Let us guard our tongues and may they never cross the line.
Should we speak in error or slander one another,
Creating false impressions of a sister or a brother,
This ruins reputations and causes others pain.
May we bear no tales or bring dishonour to their name.
Find no delight in gossip, lend this sin no ear!
Committing all our words to God in reverential fear."
Colossians 3:8-9
“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”
Let’s Pray
Righteous Lord, You understand more than anyone, how damaging a false witness can be. You know the heartache and the pain it causes a person when their character is slandered by the mouths of others. Father, help me to have no part in bearing false witness. Whether that’s in a formal way in a court of law or the many informal ways this can sneak into life. May I have nothing to do with tale bearing, gossip, slander or creating a false impression of another with my words.
Help me also to guard my ears as much as my lips. If I hear a false report of someone through the speech of another, may I not remain silent! Give me the strength to speak out against this wrong and not become a part of their false witness through my silence.
Please help me to only ever speak the truth, in love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
