Jul 10, 2016
The nation of Israel, who had just come from being slaves, had no rights and had only experienced the Egyptian justice system which was dictated by the Pharaoh. After being rescued by the true God, He related the new justice system which was founded upon truth. Before forensics, the most vital and potentially damaging part of the justice system was an eye-witness, as a person’s livelihood or their very lives might be on the line. For this reason, two or three witnesses were required and punished if found to be lying (Deut. 19:15-21). The root of the command to not be a false witness was the desire or ability to lie about a situation to escape judgement or for personal gain. Truth without prejudice is at a premium in any society, especially among God’s people (Ex. 23:1-8).