Adversaries' Witness

False witnesses have risen against me.

It is expected that any witness who is an adversary, will be false, wicked and full of mischief. David appeals to God to deliver him from the will of his adversaries, because their will is to slander him and bring false testimony against him. False witnesses are evil, for they have no scruples, whatsoever. False witnesses are deadly, since they go to whatever lengths are needed in order to slander, defame, destroy and sully your character.

David was so encamped about with a miserable, mischievous crowd of false witnesses that he confesses, in verse thirteen, how he would surely have lost heart, had he not been delivered.  I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Clearly, it was David’s unconquered, fighting faith, which kept him in stubborn belief that God would help him now and not after death. The prayer is for him to know God’s goodness now, in his present life, in the land of the living.  Do not be deceived! O yes indeed! False witnesses against him had risen up in great numbers. 

Let’s look, with even more informed eyes, at Jesus, our Lord and Master, and how His adversaries just could not saddle horses with Him. Who were Jesus' adversaries? They came from among the religious leaders of His day. These were Pharisees, Sadducees, priests, scribes, and elders, all law abiding, God-fearing leaders. They were bent on bearing false testimony about Jesus, to the public, in every possible way. Regardless of what Jesus did, they saw Him as an enemy, an imposter. They brought Him and His works to the public as grossly evil. They even went as far as to say that He was doing His works through demon power. The Pharisees openly and publicly said this, to the people. This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons. Matthew 12: 24b. 

Do you remember that crazy, most disingenuous scene, when Jesus stood before the auspicious Sanhedrin? Perhaps we should listen to it, and hear how openly and inexcusably wicked those holy men were to Jesus.  I quote Matthew 26: 59 – 61. Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council, sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.

 Isn’t this most disturbingly sad? These men of high distinction and honour, highly respected religious leaders, have set their minds resolutely to seek out false witnesses, to speak against Jesus. Jesus, our Lord and Master, while He lived on earth as a human being, was never without false witnesses.

Our Lord will always have enemies, and if you are His disciple, if He abides in you and you in Him, then you also must have adversaries, bearing false witness against you.

Stay in prayer continuously, mindfully and purposefully. Ask God, our every present and ever ready heavenly Father, not to deliver you up to the ways of adversaries.