Words As Weapons
Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know. Psalm 35:12
Malicious Witnesses – Yeshua reminds us not to fear the one who can kill our bodies. We are to fear the one who can take our lives and also destroy our souls (see Matthew 10:28). That’s a good Greek expression communicating the Hebrew idea that the real issues have little to do with existence. The real issues in life are about sovereignty, authority and citizenship. Until you can answer the great question, “Lord, what do you demand of me?” you have not understood life at all. In fact, those who are occupied with existence often find that there is nothing worth salvaging at the end.
In a Hebrew culture, a man would rather die than lose his reputation. In fact, loss of reputation was serious social leprosy. An outcast, rejected, often feared, repulsive and alone – such a man wandered the edges of community, without home or comfort. There are worse things than death. Ask the liar, the adulterer or the thief.
In this verse, the psalmist is attacked by verbal terrorists. These are edei hamas, literally, testifiers of violence. They use words as weapons of assault, destroying the reputation of their victims. In the Hebrew culture, these people might as well have been carrying backpack bombs. The damage they inflict is far worse than death or dismemberment. They take away a man’s integrity. They strip him of his dignity. They inflict him with community expulsion. If you thought that sticks and stones could break your bones, but words would never hurt you, you don’t live on this planet. No wonder the Bible is replete with warnings about the tongue.
Notice that these edei hamas do not accuse the victim. They simply humiliate him. They ask him to answer questions which he is unable to answer. He might not know because of ignorance. He might not know because the question does not allow an honest answer (“When did you stop beating your wife?”). He might not know because the answer is forbidden (“Think not on these things”). It doesn’t matter to the edei hamas. They are not interested in the answers. They are interested in subjugation by verbal inundation. Point blank execution with verbal accusations is always effective, and very destructive.
Do you know one of these terrorists? Probably. Probably this reptilian substitute for a human being is lurking somewhere inside of you. Well educated in the art of intimidation, accusation and insinuation, the serpent lies dormant until there is a useful opportunity to strike, to cause irreparable harm to another. To humiliate. To castigate. To destroy. Were it not for our personal proximity to such dark creatures, we would claim that all such behavior is anathema.
When did you stop using words as weapons? (How can you answer that?) If forgiveness is not a part of your daily vocabulary, you might be a linguistic terrorist.
Topical Index: malicious witnesses, edei hamas, words, Psalm 35:12
LAST CHANCE. SPACES ARE LIMITED. COME ON DOWN AND MEET THE REST OF US IN 4 DAYS OF FUN AND FELLOWSHIP. THE FAMILY REUNION! CLICK HERE.
As a counselor I encounter people everyday who have divided themselves with cutting, harsh words. They come into my office alienated, bleeding, and ready to do to others what has been done to them. This is a great WORD for those who have misused words, and who have been misused by words. “The real issues in life are about sovereignty, authority and citizenship.”; were particularly insightful to me (continuing the Micah 6:8 theme). When I visit with people it usually begins with some circumstance in life they are seeking help with, but after a time it is revealed that the “real” issue lies somewhere underneath. They are wrestling, it is just not with the one they thought. Like Jacob, they are wrestling with God and with themselves.
Skip,
Extreemly timely. I have forwarded your article to a church in Oregon that is undergoing just such an attack of words. Thanks a lot.
On a bit of a tangent from the prime point of the article…
The transliteration “hamas” certainly brings to mind the political situation in the Middle East. If I understand the context from Skip above, “hamas” = violence. I expect that would not be lost on Hebrew-speakers in the region. All the more interesting because the group that adopted that name is not full of Hebrew-speakers and thus would have had to have chosen that moniker solely for it’s impact on Hebrew-speakers, as opposed to meaning to the group’s (I presume) predominatly Arabic-speaking members.
I watched an interview with Netanyahu over the weekend, and he unequivocally stated that he would not be negotiating with Hamas. It’s interesting to me that this is the first time I’ve ever been exposed to material that equates the name of that group with its Hebrew meaning. It becomes a bit clearer now why Netanyahu makes that assertion so stridently.
Don’t forget that Arabic and Hebrew are both middle-Eastern languages with the same root stock. A word in Hebrew often has a parallel word in Arabic
Most excellent commentary Skip!
I might add that I am amazed, as usual, when things are delved into from a Hebraic perspective. For instance the root word proximity of violence חָמָס and “leaven/chametz חָמֵץ … especially in the context of “rising up” , might not be viewed as coincidental despite David’s use of קוּם (quwm) … as in “false witnesses STOOD against him”!
We know how Sha’ul warned that a little leavening will contaminate the entire loaf/batch!
We also know how Yeshua warned how the Kingdom does suffer “violence” … Matthew: 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Unfortunately (IMO) the Greek “βιαστής” – “biastés” from biazó … meaning violent men loses “umph” in translation. How much more effective is it when the possible Hebraic perspective is applied … as in asher chamas?
How much more appropriate is the connection to violence and leaven … in the context of how the Kingdom suffers and by what mode of attack? Could put much context of where the real battle lies (pun intended)?
Perhaps my thoughts herein are not well expressed but this message Skip enabled me to dig up some pondering from a way back! Pondering which led me to consider that the suffering of the Kingdom is as much the result of violent and vile leavening from WITHIN as it is from direct assault from the OUTSIDE.
Perhaps the body of Mashiach needs to be looking for “chamas” as well … both inside and outside? … Then again it is quite sad state when we have Christian denominations siding with Israel’s enemies … quite sad!