What is the meaning of Exodus 23:2? You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing God’s command begins with a personal warning: “You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing” (Exodus 23:2). • Right and wrong are never decided by majority vote. In Genesis 6 the “crowd” filled the earth with violence, yet Noah “found favor in the eyes of the LORD” by standing alone (Genesis 6:8–9). • Proverbs 1:10 cautions, “My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield.” The same voice speaks here: refuse group-pressure that drags you into sin. • Jesus reminds us the narrow gate is less traveled (Matthew 7:13-14), and Paul tells believers, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed” (Romans 12:2). • Psalm 1:1 paints the picture positively—blessing rests on the person who “does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” When choosing between God’s path and the crowd’s applause, Scripture leaves no gray area: follow Christ, not consensus. When you testify in a lawsuit The verse narrows from everyday influence to the courtroom: “When you testify in a lawsuit …” • God’s law elevates truthful testimony. “A truthful witness saves lives” (Proverbs 14:25). • In Israel a single false witness could lead to grave injustice, so Deuteronomy 19:15 required “two or three witnesses.” The integrity of each voice mattered. • For us, the setting may be a courtroom, a workplace review, or a casual conversation where reputation or justice hangs in the balance. Wherever we speak, we stand under the same holy obligation to tell the truth (Ephesians 4:25). • John the Baptist advised even Roman soldiers, “Do not accuse anyone falsely” (Luke 3:14). God guards every arena where testimony shapes outcomes. Do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd The command completes the thought: “do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.” • Justice is a divine attribute; twisting it insults the character of God (Deuteronomy 32:4). • Leviticus 19:15 presses both directions—“Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich, but judge your neighbor fairly.” Preference for majority opinion is just another form of partiality. • Bribes and bias can warp a verdict (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19), yet so can simple peer pressure. Isaiah 5:23 indicts those “who acquit the guilty for a bribe” and “deny justice to the innocent.” • James 2:1-4 applies the principle to the church: favoritism betrays faith. Whether in court or congregation, we must refuse any alliance that tips the scales against truth. • The cross itself is history’s stark lesson—an inflamed crowd shouted “Crucify Him” (Mark 15:13-14), but God’s verdict vindicated the innocent Savior (Acts 2:24). We must stand where God stands, no matter the volume of opposing voices. summary Exodus 23:2 calls every believer to swim upstream: • Reject popular evil. • Speak truthfully whenever testimony is needed. • Guard justice from the gravitational pull of majority opinion. In a world quick to follow the loudest crowd, Scripture anchors us to God’s unchanging standard of righteousness and truth. |
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