Honest Weights

HONEST WEIGHTS

PROVERBS 11:1

"A false weight is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is His delight"

This is not God's condemnation of those who lie about their weight.. so you can pick up your toes. "

In 1924 Liberty Magazine sent 1 00 letters containing one dollar, at random to people saying it was a bill adjustment they had requested. (not true) Of the 100 letters, 27 returned the dollar.

In 1971 they did it again and only 13 were returned

Understand that I don't believe that there is a hierarchy of sins .... some sins that are worse than others.

However; I believe that some sins are more offensive to God than are others. Such sins are referred to with a particularly strong word in the scripture = ABOMINATION!

What is an abomination? It is something that is abominable or detestable, loathsome and thoroughly unpleasant.

When God uses the term abomination He is pointing out particularly odious sins that are especially offensive to Him.

Does this mean they are more serious in punishment? NO! Wages of sin is death.

Does this mean other sins are less serious? NO' Wages of sin is death.

This is a special word to those who are concerned with pleasing God ... these are particularly injurious to the relationship of intimacy.

In this list of odious sins are such as Idolatry, adultery, prostitution, incest, child sacrifice, sorcery, murder, and sodomy.

By anyone’s standards you can see that these sins are especially injurious to people and to society, they are outlawed.

However, also found in the list of sins called abominations are some of what we might call less offensive sins pride, a witness that lies under oath, lying, and cheating.

These latter elements do not dilute the meaning of abomination ... they simply show how askew is our thinking ... that we consider these things to be "not-so-bad".

They are that bad, and anything that keeps such company as murder, prostitution, and idolatry is very, very serious.

Provo 11:1,20:10,23 and many other verses that I will not take time to list all show cheating/dishonesty/lying are very serious sins that are particularly offensive to God and as such, must be avoided by anyone serious about pleasing God.

Let's go back to Provo 11: 1 and look closely ...

"Afalse eight is an abomination to God .. "

WHAT IS A FALSE WEIGHT?

The scripture was written in a culture that was Pre-grocery store, pre-scale regulation.

foods were not weighed on scales that were regulated by the government to assure accuracy.

The buyer was at the mercy of the merchant... and if the merchant was crooked ... the customer was the looser.

Merchants used one weights for purchasing, and another for selling.

Much like used car salesman

Jewish merchants used one weight for Jews and another for Gentiles.

They believed it was OK to cheat Gentiles

God did not look on this as a minor or slight thing.

He said GOD TAKES CHEATING; LYING; DISHONESTY VERY SERIOUSLY

THEY ARE AN ABOMINATION TO GOD ... RANKED WITH INCEST, MURDER,

AND HOMOSEXUALITY.

When you sink so low morally and spiritually that you can look on murder, incest, prostitution, and child sacrifice as minor then you will be excused for seeing dishonesty that way.

But, THE TRUTH IS... WE DO SEE DISHONESTY AS A MINOR THING.

WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS OK TO USE THE FAKE WEIGHTS AND CHEAT PEOPLE ---IF IT PROFITS US.

Someone has said, "You can fool some of the people some of the time- and generally speaking, that's enough to allow a profit.

The National Observer noted that under-weighing foods by stores IS ripping off consumers of billions of dollars per year.

In Pennsylvania - 15.5% all prepackaged food found to be under-weighed

In Kansas - 30% all meats sold was under-weighed

In Arkansas - NOT 1 -one pound can ofveg.s had 16 oz

In Tennessee - Officials have found 47 ways to under-weigh meats in front of the customer

A recent 20/20 or 60 minutes reports found that about 25% of all gas pumps were incorrect (in favor of the merchant)

Just pennies taken here and there nets big profits.

AND THE MOST ASTOUNDING THING IS THAT THOSE MERCHANTS ADMIT THAT IT IS ILLEGAL BUT MOST DON'T THINK IT IS WRONG BECAUSE THEY FIGURE THEY ARE GETTING EVEN WITH CUSTOMERS FOR SHOP LIFTING.

CONVERSELY MOST SHOPLIFTERS DON'T FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THE STORE IS OVERCHARGING THEM.

In a thousand different ways today ... we are still using the false weights and are being dishonest.

Most of those ways are seen as benign by us but God says IT IS AN ABOMINATION!

EXHIBIT A: the cracked pot

Today because many merchants allow returns on merchandise... customers will buy it, break it, and return it.