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Scripture says Judas `was a thief' (John 12: 6). Malachi whose words we have quoted
above says, "Will a man rob God?" (Mal. 3: 8).
The weights and measures of Israel were not beneath Divine legislation, for in them
were set forth the equity and righteousness of the Lord. "Just balances, just weights, a
just ephah and a just hin, shall ye have" (Lev. 19: 36), and this command is immediately
followed by a reference to the Lord Who brought them "out of the land of Egypt".
Deut. 25: 15 puts the same truth in connection with the land of promise:
"Thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have,
that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
Righteousness is the foundation of the throne of God, the basis of the covenant with
Israel, the bed-rock of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, the lasting character of the
new heavens and earth `wherein dwelleth righteousness' when `the tabernacle of God will
be with men and He will dwell with them'. Any system of interpretation that juggles
with good and evil, until at last their distinct difference is bedimmed, must stand
condemned before the simple example of `the just weight and balance'.
(9) Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Satan, the breaker of the
commandments already cited, is also the arch-false witness. `He is a liar, and abode not
in the truth.' Eph. 4: 25 and 28 bring together two of the commands of this table:
"Wherefore putting away the lie, speak every man truth with his neighbour . . . . . Let
him that stole steal no more."
Stealing transgresses righteousness, false witness transgresses truth. The new man of
Eph. 4: is credited in righteousness and holiness of truth. If Satan entered into Judas
the thief, he inspired Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie?" (Acts 5: 3). It
appears from Zech. 5: 3 that among the last phases of the curse of Babylon to the earth
is the condoning of stealing and false swearing. The Hebrew word nakad should be
translated `declared innocent' or `let off':
"For every one that stealeth hath been let off (is written) on the one side according to
it (the curse or the scroll), and everyone that sweareth (falsely) hath been let off (is
written) on the side according to it."
(10) Thou shalt not covet. It has been said the covetousness breaks all the
commandments. It certainly breaks the first, for Mammon is its god. It breaks the
second, for Col. 3: 5 calls a covetous man an idolator. We can well see how many if
not all of the others can be sacrificed upon the altar of this idol. "The love of money is a
root of all evil" (I Tim. 6: 10).
This brief survey enables us to perceive something of the depth of the terms of the
covenant made by God, and entered into by Israel. Israel broke that covenant even before
Moses could reach them with the two tables of stone. It is a feature of the utmost
importance to remember that those broken tables of stone were re-written, and placed in
the Ark. This Ark is called the Ark of the covenant (Deut. 10: 8), and the Ark of the