This series of short articles on “Being a Silent Witness” begins with some definitions of what the word “witness” means and develops a working usage for understanding how things (inanimate objects) and individuals mentioned in the Old and New Testaments were silent witnesses to the God of Truth and truth about God.
The reader is encouraged to do their own study of the word “witness” using a concordance to discover how words in the original Hebrew and Greek text were used of things and individuals in the Bible. Forms of the Greek word (as nouns and verbs) are particularly interesting as they are translated using other words in English than just the word “witness.”
The word “witness” in the Old Testament is very straightforward in its legal and covenant sense. A good witness is one who tells the truth and a false witness is one who tells a lie. The negative commandment to not bear false witness could not be more clear. (Exodus 20:16) One or more individuals gave their witness to a legal or covenant document to validate its truthfulness. (Ruth 4:9-11) Even an object was given great significance as a solemn testimony to the truth of God’s Word. (Joshua 24:27)
We will look at some New Testament usages of the word “witness” in another study, but even a cursory examination is enough to develop the following general definitions: [1]
Beyond the word’s usage in a legal or covenant context, a witness was also one who saw or heard truth from God and by his testimony held others accountable when they too had seen or heard God’s truth. The prophet Isaiah, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reminded Israel that they had seen, heard, and experienced truth about God and would be held accountable as witnesses of this truth. (Isaiah 43:11,15; 44:6,8) God’s Word itself is called a “testimony” 23 times in Psalm 119; this is the same Hebrew word translated “witness” elsewhere.“A witness is one who has a personal knowledge of something (or someone) and can therefore accurately communicate his knowledge to another.“
“A witness is one who confirms a fact which may be in doubt.”
“A witness is one thing which reminds or points to another thing or truth.”
“A witness draws attention to something [or someone] else.”
Therefore, in a biblical sense,
In a very practical sense,
“A witness is…one who has a personal knowledge of God, one who strengthens and confirms God’s testimony of Himself, who draws attention to the Lord...” [1]
What then, is a “silent witness”? How is it possible for a witness to truth to be “silent”? How is it that a person (or thing) can point to the God of Truth and truth about God without speaking or making a sound?
“A witness is a person who lives in such a way that those about him are forced to think about God.” [Pastor Carlton Helgerson quoted] [1]
To be continued…
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[1] Bible Study notes, (undated), The Church – God’s Testimony to Men and Angels, Middletown Bible Church; http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/churchsdt/church02.pdf
For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org
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[1] Bible Study notes, (undated), The Church – God’s Testimony to Men and Angels, Middletown Bible Church; http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/churchsdt/church02.pdf
For more information about GDMMissions and our short-term field team trips contact our home office at http://www.gdmmissions.org/contact.html or call 1-978-454-6710 or visit our web site http://www.gdmmissions.org
