D. Scott Meadows

“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have.” —Leviticus 19:36

Weights, and scales, and measures were to be all according to the standard of justice. Surely no Christian man will need to be reminded of this in his business, for if righteousness were banished from all the world beside, it should find a shelter in believing hearts. There are, however, other balances which weigh moral and spiritual things, and these often need examining. We will call in the officer to-night.

The balances in which we weigh our own and other men’s characters, are they quite accurate? Do we not turn our own ounces of goodness into pounds [one ounce is only 1/16 pound], and other persons’ bushels of excellence into pecks [a bushel is four times larger]? See to weights and measures here, Christian. The scales in which we measure our trials and troubles, are they according to standard? Paul, who had more to suffer than we have, called his afflictions light [2 Cor 4.17], and yet we often consider ours to be heavy—surely something must be amiss with the weights! We must see to this matter, lest we get reported to the court above for unjust dealing. Those weights with which we measure our doctrinal belief, are they quite fair? The doctrines of grace should have the same weight with us as the precepts of the word, no more and no less; but it is to be feared that with many one scale or the other is unfairly weighted. It is a grand matter to give just measure in truth. Christian, be careful here. Those measures in which we estimate our obligations and responsibilities look rather small. When a rich man gives no more to the cause of God than the poor contribute, is that a just ephah and a just hin? When ministers are half starved, is that honest dealing? When the poor are despised, while ungodly rich men are held in admiration, is that a just balance?

Reader, we might lengthen the list, but we prefer to leave it as your evening’s work to find out and destroy all unrighteous balances, weights, and measures.

—C. H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, 4 September PM

On Leviticus 19.36

“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Part of the “holiness code” of Israel, this verse requires honest business dealings. The word “just” (or, righteous: adherence to a standard) is greatly emphasized by its fourfold use. To cheat in financial matters was social injustice loathed by their righteous LORD, violated the terms of His covenant with Israel, and manifested ingratitude for deliverance from slavery. “Balances” (scales) and weights (stone weights) were tools of the trade in the market place ensuring an accurate and fair exchange of money for produce or goods. The temptation was to “make the ephah small, and the shekel [currency] great, and falsify the balances by deceit” (Amos 8.5). An “ephah” was a unit of dry measure, about a bushel. The term “hin” is for liquid measure, about a gallon and a half. Both of these were probably measured by standard-sized containers of baskets and pots rather than by being weighed. The point was that scrupulous integrity should govern their financial transactions. This is still our moral responsibility today.

Spurgeon infers from all this our duty to make sound judgments about the proportions of other things, things in the moral and spiritual realm. His fertile, holy mind moves on from bushels of wheat to estimations of human character, trials, doctrine and practice, and duties relative to our varied stewardships. Is this a legitimate use of Scripture? Paul’s example seems to justify it completely. He took an OT law about muzzling oxen and applied it to paying gospel preachers who edify a church (1 Cor 9.9–14 and 1 Tim 5.18 citing Deut 25.4). A proper understanding of the OT moral law, far from dismissing it on dispensational grounds, or even constricting it within narrow bounds, appreciates its length and breadth and depth and height for believers today. Jesus teaches us this in the Sermon on the Mount. Study carefully Matthew 5.21-37 regarding the Sixth and Seventh Commandments, Leviticus 19.12, and Deuteronomy 23.22.

The structure of this devotional message

I. The Duty of Accurate Estimations
• In business dealings
• In moral and spiritual things

II. Examples for Sober Self-examination (“see to” these things)
• Estimation of our own character and others’
• Estimation of our trials and troubles
• Estimation of our doctrinal belief versus precepts for obedience
• Estimation of our varied financial responsibilities toward the church, our ministers, and the poor

III. Challenge to Further Reflection, Repentance, and Reformation

Closing thoughts

What an instructive way to handle Leviticus 19.36! How much more interesting and instructive we would find the laws first written for OT Israel if, like Spurgeon, we were alive and alert to their enduring and spiritual implications!

This evening’s devotional message is useful for an end-of-the-day moral inventory. Before drifting off to sleep, let us prayerfully consider how we have fallen short of truly just and spiritual estimations of things. Upright financial management is only the beginning of this. Without much effort, if we are earnest to discover our sins and turn from them, Spurgeon’s suggestions help us identify and put away sinful thoughts and deeds, replacing them with fair-mindedness and unselfish love toward others. Ω