Deuteronomy 19 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“If a malicious witness testifies against someone accusing him of a crime, the two people in the dispute must stand in the presence of the L_rd before the priests and judges in authority at the time. The judges are to make a careful investigation, and if the witness turns out to be a liar who has falsely accused his brother, you must do to him as he intended to do to his brother. You must purge the evil from you.” Deut 19: 16-19

“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Yeshua, so they could put Him to death. But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward.” Matt 26: 59-60a

Anyone who approaches “the passion story” with an open mind understands the trial of Yeshua was a sham. Perhaps, this passage in Deuteronomy helps us better understand just how much of a sham the trial of Yeshua was…and how much it offended the L_rd.

The chief priests and Sanhedrin were more than lenient toward the false witnesses. They actually went as far as to seek false witnesses out. This is how distorted things had gotten by the time Yeshua came on the scene. Instead of stoning false witnesses, they were hiring them!

Is it any wonder why the people of Israel were crying-out for the L_rd to send Messiah around the time of Yeshua’s advent? It is understandable why the people wouldn’t trust the Roman government, or their pagan neighbors…but what happens when you can’t trust your own religious leaders to act on your behalf in a G_d-honoring way?

To be fair, there was more than one “false testimony” going-on on the evening of Yeshua’s trial.

“Those who had arrested Yeshua led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and the elders had convened. Meanwhile Peter was following Him at a distance right to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and was sitting with the temple police to see the outcome.” Matt 26: 57-58

Peter’s actual testimony preceded the false testimony in the Sanhedrin. None of the testimonies of the Sanhedrin’s false witnesses is recorded in the Bible. But G_d chose to allow Peter’s testimony to be recorded three times.

Perhaps, today’s passage is a stern reminder of how G_d hates a false witness…especially from His children.

Question: When you’re around your non-believing friends, how bold and accurate is your testimony about Yeshua?

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins, Associate Leader, Worship Leader
Shuvah Yisrael
Daily Devotional, Tuesday, July 1, 2014