Deuteronomy 25:13-16,Leviticus 19:35-36 ,Ezekiel 45:10,Micah 6:10-11,Proverbs 16:11,Proverbs 11:1
The above verses emphasize the point that using accurate weights and measures is God’s standard. As God’s people, we are not to use inaccurate weights and measures. These verses are just a small sample of verses that reiterate this principle. When these verses were written, the culture was based on agriculture. Produce was bought and sold by weight, and they had a primitive scale in which the produce was put on one side and the weight on the other side. When the weights and the produce weight were equal, it would balance. Unscrupulous sellers would use weights that were lighter than they claimed. For example, if you were buying a bushel of wheat, the seller would use a weight that was slightly under a bushel, so the buyer was getting less than a bushel but paying for a full one.
There are many verses in the Bible that warn about using incorrect weights and measures. Now the question is, how is this practice any different than manipulating the accounting records to make things look better; or to inflate profits or decrease losses? There are many ways to manipulate accounts. This practice of manipulating the numbers or “cooking the books” as it is sometimes called is a violation of God’s standard of accurate weights and measures. In addition, decisions for future actions are often made on the numbers in the accounting records. If these numbers are not true and accurate it could cause bad decisions to be made, which could have an adverse effect on the future performance of the business.
What are other examples of inaccurate measuring or reporting that we, as a society, have accepted as a norm, that God would see as sin?
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