Christ Covenant Church

Slander (Def. = false accusations that damage another’s reputation): 1) can cause its victim to lose hope for living (if he “dwells” on it) (17:1-2, 11-16), 2) can retard/inhibit justice (17:3-4), 3) will bring a curse on the children of those who do it (17:5), 4) can make other people despise us (17:6), 5) can severely affect the physical health of its victims (17:7), 6) will incite the “upright” (or “righteous”) to take action (17:8-9), 7) reveals the stupidity/foolishness of those who do it (17:10 w/18:3). The curse of stupidity is: 1) you don’t think you are stupid (18:1-4), 2) you lack precision or the ability to see other possible explanations (18:5-10, 20 [“west…east” = Everybody sees you are guilty/evil], 21 = No other explanation than you are unrighteous/do not know God), 3) you think you know what you don’t have the evidence/witnesses to know/prove (19:4 “my error remains with myself” = No witnesses; Bildad’s evidence is circumstantial yet he remains confident in his condemnation – 18:11-19 [All par