In the book of Zechariah, Zechariah wrote concerning the people of Judah and Israel, “these are the things that you shall do; Speak you every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates”, and in chapter eight and verse seventeen of Zechariah, Zechariah shared how the LORD said to Judah and Israel, “let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor” where we read,
And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor;
and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.
The verse reads, “And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor;” Zechariah began with the words, “and let none of you imagine evil” or “and allow and permit not one person whether male or female in the midst of you, people of Israel and Judah, to plan, calculate, invent and value bad, disagreeableness, malignancy, unpleasantness and wickedness” “in your hearts” which means “within your, the people of Israel and Judah's, souls, minds, wills, desires, consciences, living beings and seat of emotions and passions” “against his neighbor” or “in opposition to his, the people of Israel and Judah's, fellow-citizens, companions, friends and associates”. Zechariah shared how Jehovah God instructed the people of Israel and Judah not to in any way plan wickedness within their souls and minds in opposition to their fellow-citizens.
The verse goes on to say, “and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.” Zechariah continued with the words, “and love no false oath” or “and do not in any way have affection and passion for curses and swearing filled with deception, fraud and wrong”; “for all these are things” which means “because, since and on account that each, every, the whole and everyone of these behaviors and attitudes exist as behaviors” “that I hate” or “what I, Jehovah God, loathe, detest and consider odious and as foes and enemies”, “says the LORD” which means “utters, declares and proclaims Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True God”. Zechariah shared how Jehovah God told the people of Israel and Judah not to have a passion for swearing deceptively because that behavior and the ones listed previously exist as ways that God considers odious and as His enemies.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Zechariah how Jehovah God continued to instruct the people of Israel and Judah as to how they were to care for one another. They were not to devise wicked plans against their fellow-citizens, and they were not to be passionate toward lying and fraudulent speech. God “hates” these things, and because people violate His two main laws, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” (See Luke 10:27) with the penalty for these sins being death (See Romans 6:23), God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we surrender our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a desire and passion to love what He loves and to “hate” what He “hates” in the world.
Next time Zechariah says, “the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me” again, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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