Preface
It is an ancient truth that the undisciplined tongue is an instrument so dangerous that it must be kept hidden from view, behind two protective walls, (the mouth and teeth) to prevent its misuse.
This blog post is a brief expose’ on the powerfully destructive nature of evil speech, lies.
Word study:[Lashon hara, Hebrew term for evil tongue] is scandal-mongering and is considered to be prohibited by the Bible based on Leviticus 19:16. “You shall not go up and down as a slanderer [talebearer] among your people.”
In antiquity, slander, talebearing, and evil talk were worse than the three cardinal sins of murder, immorality, and idolatry. [source: The Encyclopedia of Jewish Religion]
Psalm 64
Hear my voice, God, as I plead: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret intrigues of the wicked and the “Open Insurrection of Evildoers.”
They sharpen their tongues like a sword; they aim their arrows, poisoned words, to shoot from cover at the innocent, shooting suddenly and fearing nothing.
They support each other’s evil plans; they talk of hiding snares and ask, “Who would see them?”
They search for ways to commit crimes, bringing their diligent search to completion when each of them has thought it through in the depth of his heart. Psalms 64:1-6
Personal testimony
As I literally fought within myself this weekend whether or not I should share this week, I was lead to Psalms 64. Since my last blog post two weeks ago, my heart has been deeply troubled as is my spirit, so much that I have not been inspired to communicate to anyone about anything because of my woundedness.
The preeminent verse which clearly describes my present soul-life condition is, “they sharpen their tongues like a sword; they aim their arrows, poisoned words, to shoot from cover...,
Abusively Murdering with Our Tongues
If you ever see me extremely quiet, distant with a subtle despondent outer effect, nine times out of ten, I have been a target of verbal abuse or slander. The most recent unwarranted attack has been about a month ago and I am still reeling from the poison of someone’s verbally abusive attack on me.
Each day, I experienced a painful internalized conflict which I likened to Jacob wrestling with the Divine Being in Genesis 33:22-32. The vileness of this attack even poured over into my dreams while I slept. It was later on that I started to have contempt toward this individual, which in itself, a sin on my part.
Such contempt is ever-present in our culture and seemingly, every social institution whereas human-being possess throats that are nothing more than empty open graves, looking for someone to consume.
They also secrete a poison that is concealed under their tongues and lips that manifests outwardly as curses of their mouths coupled with feet that swiftly shed innocent blood, leaving a trail of misery and destruction in their coming and going. [Romans 3:13-16; Psalm 5:9, 10:7, 140:3, and Isaiah 59:7-8]
Over many years of walking with God, I have been taught two major lessons when God permits me to suffer.
The first is any form of vindication during my suffering comes from Him and not myself. I am not to fight certain battles, they belong to the Lord my God.
Job 13:18
“Behold now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.
The second is that somehow this type of abuse is a blessing in that my calling as one of the Master’s disciples, His suffering, abuse, and hardship is mine by me being yoked to His Lordship in my life.
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Luke 6:22
The Sacred Scriptures repeatedly warns of evil people whose greatest delight is to violate and dominate any who are weak or vulnerable. Human murder is possible with weapons we use with our hands and the willful capability of abusively murdering with our tongues. [Proverbs 18:21; James 3:2-12]
What can an untamed tongue be compared?
To a dog tied with an iron chain and locked in a room within a room within a room, yet when it barks the entire populace is terrified of it. Just for a moment, imagine if this animal were to get loose and escape on the outside!
A sharp tongue is a weapon, no less as effective as a pointed spear or a sword honed to a razor’s edge. A sharp tongue has no place among the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It does not express love, spread joy, or promote peace. It shows no patience, kindness, or goodness in its words. It betrays faithfulness and gentleness, and most of all, it shows no measure of self-control.
Uncontrolled and untamed, without interference, the untamed tongue is like a fire, it can spread to leave absolutely nothing untouched, unscorched, and unaffected. It is startling to think that fire, of itself, could erase all life from the earth! Were it to burn and spread unaffected by rain, wind, or the efforts of man, it could conceivably cover the earth and burn all life and all oxygen from our world.
For by your words…,
The Master’s words in Matthew 12:36 says, “The good man brings good things out of his store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.”
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words, you will be condemned.
The latter portion of Psalms 64:7-10 confirms the Master’s words in Matthew 12:36 in this manner: God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded...,
Such action on God is an immediate consequence of those who practice Lashon Hara, God will according to His timeline, will overtake them with swift retribution.
They will be made to stumble, for their own tongue being used against them. For it was their untamed tongue which they misused as a weapon to destroy others, is turned against them.
Pearls of Wisdom
The greatest takeaway is that only God’s righteous indignation and judgment is used as His means of inducing wholesome fear in contrast to the profane fearlessness of the ungodly.
The evil intent of those who practice Lashon Hara is to kill the Fruits of the Spirit within the life of the faithful follower. God’s righteous judgment on evil restores the Joy of the Lord within the life of His people.
It is by this action of God that He supply proof that He alone governs the world in righteousness and that in Him only, we have absolute refuge and salvation in this life, and the eternal life to come.
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo
Research materials: Book, Mending the Soul: Understanding and Healing Abuse, Steven R. Tracy. Articles: Torah.org, Ethics of Speech, Judaism 101, Speech, and Lashon Ha-Ra.