In consequence of continual transgression, the moral law was repeated in awful grandeur from Sinai. Christ gave to Moses religious precepts which were to govern the everyday life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon man in every age as long as time should last. These commands were enforced by the power of the moral law, and they clearly and definitely explained that law. Review & Herald, May 6, 1875
It is interesting to take notice of how some of these Statutes explain the Law. Here is an example:
The Ninth Commandment:
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Exodus 20:16
The Statutes that clarify and explain the Law:
Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Exodus 23:1
If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. Deuteronomy 19:16-19
God expects strict truthfulness and equity in the justice system. Here are three instances where this Law was deliberately broken:
The plot against Naboth–
And she (Jezebel) wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 1 Kings 21:9, 10
The plot against Jesus–
Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. Matthew 26:59-61
And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. Mark 14:55-59
The plot against Stephen–
Then they suborned men (induced them to perjury), which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. Acts 6:11-14
It is quite clear how important it is for the truth to be told in the courtroom. Falsehood destroys justice. The Jews have another, slightly different perspective on this Statute as it is stated in Exodus 23:1: a transgressor shall not testify. Based on this understanding, a person with unconfessed and unforgiven sin in his own life cannot be a witness in a case involving someone else’s sin. This provides additional insight when we read certain Bible passages that involve legal decisions.
The Adulterous Woman–
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:3-11
In the Jewish legal system, testimony in a case of capital offense was accepted only from someone who had personally witnessed the crime, and that witness was then given the responsibility of throwing the first stone to kill the criminal. (Deuteronomy 17:7) In the case described for us here, Jesus knew that these “witnesses” were sinners themselves. Whatever he wrote on the ground revealed to each of them (without revealing to anyone else) that they were legally disqualified from being witnesses. He referred to both Statutes (Exodus 23:1 and Deuteronomy 17:7) when He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Since another Statute required at least two witnesses in order to condemn a person (Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15) and all of these “witnesses” were disqualified, the woman was acquitted and heard those wonderful words, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Joshua, the High Priest–
And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by. Zechariah 3:1-5
In this scene, Satan is pictured as the accuser. Again the ancient Jewish legal system provides insight into this cosmic court case. There was no “prosecuting attorney” to argue the case. The prosecution consisted of the actual witnesses, and the judge(s) were the defense. In spite of the fact that Satan knows all the facts about our sins and could be a very accurate witness in our case, he is a sinner himself. This disqualifies him and he is rebuked by the Judge.
The Saints–
And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:10, 11
In this passage, Satan is again described as the accuser. But not only is he disqualified as a witness because of his own sin, his case is dismissed for other reasons. We are told here that the brethren overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of the Lamb provides pardon for them. Like the woman who was accused in the story above, they have heard those wonderful words, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” That reassurance of pardon and the injunction that follows it have been their rule of life. Satan’s case is thrown out of the court because (1) he is attempting to bring suit against those who have already been pardoned by the blood of the Lamb, and because (2) their testimony, the record of their lives, shows that they have been living a life of purity for God rather than a life of evil.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1
The people of God have been in many respects very faulty. Satan has an accurate knowledge of the sins which he has tempted them to commit, and he presents these in the most exaggerated light, declaring: “Will God banish me and my angels from His presence, and yet reward those who have been guilty of the same sins? Thou canst not do this, O Lord, in justice. Thy throne will not stand in righteousness and judgment. Justice demands that sentence be pronounced against them.”
But while the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition, and the divine Advocate pleads in their behalf. He who has been most abused by their ingratitude, who knows their sin, and also their repentance, declares: “‘The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan.’ I gave My life for these souls. They are graven upon the palms of My hands.” Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 474