Two of the four chapters I see the Holy Spirit highlighting this year are Jeremiah 24 and Matthew 24. I want to launch this study from the key verse below, but what is revealed at the end of this study connects to Jeremiah 24.
“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5)
Now this verse has heavily been preached and taught as a warning of those who personally come claiming to be the Messiah. It’s also been said beware of those who come claiming their anointing. I say yes to both, however slow down and read it again. Do you see it? Many will come in the name of Jesus, claiming to be in Christ, professing to know Jesus, to walk with Him and even declaring He is the Christ and will deceive many!
In this study I want to bring to light something greater with a phrase we see in scripture, preached at times, but rarely expanded upon. It’s what is called a false witness, is there something greater the Holy Spirit desires to reveal in this?
The first time this phrase is used is found in the Ten Commandments
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)
The word false in Hebrew is “šeqer” which means, to lie, deceive, disappoint, fraud, wrong, testify falsely. The word witness in Hebrew is “ēḏ” which means witness, testimony, evidence.
As we can see above it says “against your neighbor”, and so as many have taught and it is true a person following Jesus Christ should not commit this act against their neighbor. However is there more to be revealed, a greater conviction and warning to the children of God?
Let’s start in the Old Testament and look at a few scriptures. This is not exhaustive and I’m only going to give a few from Isaiah as that is where I have been camped when the Lord stirred this back up.
“You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me.” (Isaiah 43:10)
“I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the Lord, “that I am God.” (Isaiah 43:12)
“Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.” (Isaiah 44:8)
Clearly in these three Old Testament verses the children of God are called to be witnesses. What are we a witness of? The Lord Jesus and His Kingdom! Now let's look at the New Testament.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
Teaching others what they have “witnessed” first hand from the Lord Jesus!
Jesus says “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
You see, a true witness is someone who has first hand knowledge of a situation or in this case a person, that being Jesus Christ! They testify and reveal the truth and not falsehood. So when a person is not revealing the truth of a person, again Jesus, they are in fact a false witness! If someone does not have first hand knowledge and they begin to testify, they are not just bearing false witness they are also gossiping! Scripture is clear all throughout about gossip, so I will just give a few verses.
“Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.” (Proverbs 26:20)
“For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.” (2 Corinthians 12:20)
“For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.” (1 Peter 3:10)
Again, it is easy to point to others and say they are gossiping about someone else, but have we in our personal lives gossiped about Jesus, told others something about Him that isn’t true? Friends the Word of God has two edges, yes it is comforting, but the other side is convicting! We must allow the Holy Spirit to have His work within each of us!
We even see in the story of Job the Lord rebuke Job’s friends for this.
“And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” (Job 42:7)
Many don’t mind pointing the finger towards who they think or are told is a false teacher or a false prophet, yet what about examining ourselves and being honest if we are somehow bearing false witness of Jesus in our lives? Like the old saying goes “every time you point a finger towards someone else, there are three pointing back at you” OUCH!
I believe one of the greatest ways in how this is shown forth is a people who know all the right things to say, yet their actions and their lives do not actually reveal what they speak. They are quick to give all the verses about peace, yet chaos and turbulence continually follow them! They say Jesus heals, yet they are the first in line at the doctor when an ailment comes to them! They quote the verses on forgiveness, yet bitterness and anger season their words when the squeezing comes! Scripture says, “And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” (Isaiah 29:13)
Let’s look at this passage that’s heavily spoken on.
“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16-19)
Now depending on how this is read or taught one could think that by the phrase “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him” that of these seven attributes listed, the Lord hates six of them. Or some have read that maybe there’s a contradiction, that the author wasn’t quite sure like they thought “six… no wait seven…” but is there more to be seen?
Now in many translations those who translated it place subheadings above specific passages to help designate them or help with context, yet in the book of Proverbs this isn’t the case in most translations. Some have the chapter labeled, others do have subheadings but they aren’t really around this portion, a few actually subhead at verse sixteen making it seem like the full context is found in verses sixteen to nineteen, as shown above.
I think the New King James does a great job breaking this out beginning with verse twelve, and labels the subheading “The Wicked Man”.
“A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:12-19 NKJV)
So once verses 12-15 are brought in something fresh is revealed and the phrase “These six things the Lord hates” becomes clear!
Six attributes found in verses 12-15:
- Walks with a perverse mouth
- Winks with his eyes
- Shuffles his feet
- Points with his fingers
- Desires evil continually
- Sows discord
Although there may be a tendency to make “perversity is in his heart” a point, we must connect it with the first point, the perverse mouth. Why? Let’s see what Jesus says!
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
Seven attributes found in verses 16-19:
- A proud look
- A lying tongue
- Hands that shed innocent blood
- A heart that devises wicked plans
- Feet that are shift in running to evil
- A false witness who speaks lies
- One who sows discord among brethren
So we actually see thirteen attributes and although a few may at first appear duplicated or overlapping they are not, press in and see what the Holy Spirit would speak to you!
So we see six, which reveals flesh, and seven, which reveals completion. So one revelation shown within this portion of scripture is a complete work of the flesh, and we know what the Word of God says about the flesh! The thirteenth Hebrew letter is “Mem” and one of its meanings is chaos. So we can clearly see how chaotic a life would be that is marked with these characteristics!
Now look at this, within this we see, a heart, a mouth, hands, feet, and eyes. These are all parts of a body, or a person. So what could the Holy Spirit be trying to reveal? I believe it is a specific person! All of the attributes shown begin to add up and reveal what is given in the last verse of the passage, a false witness! A person bearing these attributes (fruits), although claiming to know Jesus, and walk with Him is testifying falsely. If the fallen fruit of the flesh revealed in this portion of scripture continually marks a person's life they are in need of self examination and to humble themselves to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to bring transformation, which only comes when one genuinely beholds Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18)
These wrong attributes don’t just sow discord (v.14), but discord among brethren (v.19). True witnesses bear good fruit—> Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control (Gal. 5:22-23), Righteousness, Truth (Eph. 5:9) and Praise (Heb. 13:15).
Remember Jesus only taught of two trees, which bear two kinds of fruit!
“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:16-20)
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit”, those whom the Holy Spirit dwells within will bear good fruit, as long as they abide in the True Vine!
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)