(054) – DIFFERING WEIGHTS AND DIFFERING MEASURES

 

Jehovah prohibited his people of using differing weights and differing measures. “You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a large and a small. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a full and just weight; you shall have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Jehovah your God gives you” (Deut. 25:13-15). “A false balance is an abomination to Jehovah, but a just weight is His delight” (Prov. 11:1). “Differing weights and differing measures, both of them are abominable to Jehovah” (Prov. 20:10,23).

Jehovah demanded a lot of his people “Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and twist everything that is straight, who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with violent injustice. Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price, and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on Jehovah saying, ‘Is not Jehovah in our midst?’” (Mic. 3:9-11). “Hear this, you who trample the needy, to do away with the humble of the land, saying, ‘When will the new moon be over, so that we may buy grain, and the Sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller and the shekel bigger, and to cheat with dishonest scales, so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, and that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?’ Jehovah has sworn by the pride of Jacob, ‘Indeed, I will never forget any of their deeds’” (Amos 8:4-7).

It is hard to believe that Jehovah demanded integrity and character from his people when he, claiming to be a just god, makes use of differing weights and differing measures. Moses defines the character of Jehovah in the following words: “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness, and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32:4). “For time and chance overtake them all” (Eccl. 9:11).

“The rich and the poor have a common bond, Jehovah is the maker of them all” (Prov. 22:2). If time and chance belong to all, why did Jehovah make one poor and one rich? He used differing measures for men who are equal. Speaking of riches, let us read two more verses: “Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God” (Eccl. 5:19). “a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, but God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a sore affliction” (Eccl. 6:2). Jehovah used differing weights and differing measures with these rich men.

An evident situation in which Jehovah uses differing weights and differing measures is the situation of Salomon. Let us first read the ordinance of Jehovah: “You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him” (Lev. 19:13). Well, the riches of Solomon were wrenched from the poor people. They amounted to 666 talents of gold. When Solomon died, the people, tired of being oppressed and robbed by him, begged of the new king to ease the heavy tributes that burdened them: “Your father made our yoke hard; therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you” (1 Kings 12:4). It is terrifying! Jehovah prohibits the oppression and the spoliation of the poor, but taught Solomon to use this abominable method (1 Kings 3:13).

Speaking of Solomon, let us talk about idolatry. In the law, Jehovah commands to stone to death the person who entices a brother to serve other gods. The recommendation of Jehovah is that there should be no compassion with such a person (Deut. 13:6-11). Well, there was no greater idolater than Solomon, but he was not stoned, because of David. Frankly! Jehovah has differing weights and differing measures (1 Kings 11:1-12).

Let us talk about adultery. “If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friends wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 20:10). David, the anointed of Jehovah, was inflamed with a carnal passion for Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, the Hittite, one of his thirty valiant men. He sent for her and practiced adultery with her. She got pregnant and David ordered the death of Uriah. It was a revolting crime. But it is astonishing that Jehovah forgave David because he was his favorite (2 Sam. 11:1-17; 2 Sam 12:13). How can a God yield to such a thing, chastising, afterwards, the people that practices what they have seen him do?

Let us register the worst of the cases, which disqualifies Jehovah as God. Paul, the Apostle, declares by the Holy Spirit: “FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD” (Rom. 3:23).All” are “all”: Assyrians, Caldeans, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Hebrews; all of them are alike, and under the same condemnation, since Adam: “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men” (Rom 5:18). Well, if all of them are condemned and sinners (Rom. 15:12)it is absurd for Jehovah to have chosen Israel and condemned Egypt. He even declares to have made distinction between the two people “that you may understand how Jehovah makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel” (Ex. 11:7). The apex of differing measures and differing weights is that Jehovah predestined some for damnation and some for glory (Rom. 9:21-24).

The God and Father of Jesus Christ is different. He wants all to be saved (1 Tim. 2:3-4). He ordained grace, bringing salvation to all men (Titus 2:11). He reconciled all men to himself (2 Cor. 5:19). He loves all, even enemies and sinners (Rom. 5:8-10).

The Apostle John testifies of the Father: “And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

By Pastor Olavo Silveira Pereira

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