Differing Measures

Author: Joseph

Date: September 15, 2019

God commands Israel not to use false or misleading measurements in conducting dealings with others. He commands Israel to have a “full and just measure” that is indifferent to anyone who seeks to make a deal. The people of Israel were not even allowed to have differing measures in their home, so as not to even have the opportunity to sin; one measurement for all people. Anyone who would act contrary to God’s command and use differing measurements were seen as “an abomination to the Lord you God.”

"...He is a God of truth and revelation."

Measures were used as the standard for conducting trade deals, in which the items to be traded would be weighed against a standard weight and then the value of which would be determined based on the difference or equivalence. In other words, if an item weighed as much as a certain measurement, then it was worth the value given to that measurement. If someone used differing weights, then deals could be manipulated in favor of the person performing the weighing. This kind of action is rooted in falsehood and deception, something God is adamantly opposed to, as He is a God of truth and revelation.

Beyond the business aspect of the deal is the fact that people are seeking to take advantage of one another in using false measures. There are many possible roots to this sin. Arrogance wrongly believes that the other person is not worthy of a fair deal. Greed wrongly assumes that taking advantage of the other is just getting the “best deal” and is not willing to think for the other person’s needs. Malice performs a manipulative deal out of hatred for the other person or to purposefully perform harm to the other in making the deal. False measures are used to feed these sins and many more.

False measures are abominable because they are always rooted in the sinful act of harming the other person in the deal, whether directly or indirectly. False measures distort just discernment and cause injustice to abound. When there is injustice, no one gains anything of true value. Wrongful gains lack gratitude and guiltlessness and wrongful loss leaves the other person in need when they should not be. When unhindered, false measures begin to corrupt not just the owner, but all people in the community and the true, righteous standard is lost.

No differing measures were to be found in the homes of the Israelites, and so the same should be with us. Only a just measure should be found in our homes. The truth is – although this passage directly talks about business dealings – is that there should never be a false measure in any aspect of our lives. This includes the way we live compared to what we expect from others.

Do you often seek to take advantage of the people around you, yet become frustrated when the same is done to you? How often do you use differing measures in your interactions with others? What sin(s) do you need to repent from in order to remove the false measure from your life? The people in your community need to repent of the sins that are causing this corruption of justice. Be the first to initiate this change, even if no one else in your community will.

Deuteronomy 25:13-16

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB). www.lockman.org