The Covenant Law of Yah Part 9

This is the ninth and final video in a 10-part series that focuses on the covenant law of Yah which was inscribed on tablets of stone at Mount Sinai. What do these laws really mean and how are we to keep them?

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Lying is not in Yah’s nature, because every word that he speaks comes to pass. Many do not understand that Yah doesn’t have a set of laws that he has to live up to. His law is merely a reflection of his character. In other words, his natural characteristics, who he is intrinsically, is expressed in written form via his law. In the book of Isaiah we are told that whenever his word goes out it accomplishes the task it is sent to accomplish.

¹⁰ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹ So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

—Isaiah 55

Because this is his nature, that his word is automatically fulfilled when it leaves his mouth, Yah cannot lie. Therefore, telling the truth is automatically a part of his covenant law, and we’re talking the big ten, one of the laws inscribed on tablets of stone by Yah’s own finger. As to that law we are commanded as follows:

¹⁶ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

—Exodus 20

The way this law is worded speaks to testifying in a court of law against those who are considered our neighbors. A couple verses in Exodus shed more light on this law and give more clarity concerning it.

¹ You shall not raise a false report: put not your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

² You shall not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shall you testify in a dispute to follow after a crowd to pervert judgment.

—Exodus 23

Not only does Yah’s words not return void because they faithfully fulfill his purpose each and every time, but in so doing, his words are also considered truth. After learning through Nathan the prophet of a covenant Yah made with David and his descendants, David, while in prayer, described the words of Yah as follows:

²⁸ For you are Elohim, O Sovereign Yah. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.

—2 Samuel 7

The words of Yah are truth. Yeshua repeated this statement in John 17 verse 17. And David equates Yah’s word of truth to his judgments, which are based on his law.

⁴³ And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in your judgments.

—Psalm 119

Knowing that truth is crucial in determining righteous and just judgments and rulings in court, particularly during a trial, which is what the ninth commandment speaks to, Yah extends this requirement to the people of Israel.

¹⁴ For this is what Yah of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says Yah of Heaven’s Armies.

¹⁵ But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.

¹⁶ But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.

¹⁷ Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says Yah.

—Zechariah 8

We, the children of Israel, are all on trial this very moment, as judgment begins with Yah’s chosen people.

¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with Elohim’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed Elohim’s Good News?

—1 Peter 4

In this trial, Yah has his heavenly messengers recording each and everything we do and every word we speak.

¹⁴ For Elohim shall bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

—Ecclesiastes 12

³⁶ And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.

—Matthew 12

And this is why it is important to guard our tongues in all things, which, if we were able to do, would give us control over our entire being.

² Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

—James 3

Since commandments 5 to 10 are “neighbor laws,” they stress the particulars of our conduct with our fellow believers and those considered as our neighbors. And the ninth commandment paints a fair picture of speaking truth concerning others when we are required to. It is restricted to bearing witness, and another law in the Torah commands:

¹ If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin.

—Leviticus 5

Many today would say that this equates to snitching, but bear in mind that this is a direct command from Yah, and this highlights what is stated in the ninth commandment itself. The ninth commandment, while centered on lying, specifically speaks of not lying as a witness concerning something we have knowledge of our neighbor doing. This, along with all the laws, was and is in place to keep evil from among us as a people. This speaks of those who can be bribed to twist to truth.

⁸ Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.

—Exodus 23

That being said, we are also commanded to not lie to one another.

¹¹ You shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

—Leviticus 19

Deceit is not of Yah. In fact, we are told that:

⁵ Every word of Elohim is pure. . . .

—Proverbs 30

And those who are of Elohim will be like Elohim, meaning they too will not lie but love and speak truth. Concerning these people, the prophet Zephaniah writes:

¹³ The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety, and no one will make them afraid.

—Zephaniah 3

Notice that everything written in Scripture details both the good and bad deeds of our ancestors. We see the valor and honor and worship of King David, and we get the raw account of his many sins. The same goes for his son, King Solomon, and many patriarchs and matriarchs of old. Yah’s word is truth in other words. It shows us what we are to do and warns us against doing that which we ought not. And those who are of truth will hear the Father’s voice. And they will also hear his son.

³⁷ Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Yeshua answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.

—John 18

We know that it is Satan who deceives the whole world according to Revelation 12 verse 9. And he is also the father of lies according to John 8 verse 44. Those who take on the nature of Yeshua will not be able to lie. In fact, we are told what kind of people will be able to worship in Yah’s sanctuary and dwell in his very presence.

¹ Who may worship in your sanctuary, Yah? Who may enter your presence on your pure hill?

² Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

³ Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.

⁴ Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of Yah, and keep their promises even when it hurts.

⁵ Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.

—Psalm 15

You see, Yah and Yeshua will eventually bring their thrones down to earth and live among us, as our ultimate neighbors. When describing what he saw in vision, that being New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven and settling in the East, John the Revelator writes via inspiration:

³ No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.

—Revelation 22

This is exactly what we just read in Psalm 15. What’s more, having Yah and Yeshua as our ultimate neighbors, the remnant will have to bear true witness of both the father and son before the nations of the world, which will be comprised of all the surviving Gentiles.

³ He said to me, You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.

⁶ . . . You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.

—Isaiah 49

The true witness we are to bear now regarding our neighbor already extends to Yeshua as well, who was once our neighbor 2,000 years ago. In Yeshua’s own words we are told:

³² Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

—Matthew 10

This would be considered one of the small matters we are entrusted with in this life, which will prove whether or not we can be entrusted with larger matters in the Kingdom of Yah.

¹⁰ He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

—Luke 16

In other words, bearing true witness of our neighbors, and testifying of Yeshua now, without denying him, will train and qualify us to bear witness of him to the nations in the Kingdom, teaching righteousness to all, until the knowledge of Yah fills the whole world.