The phrase “Go and Verify” was made popular by a Nigerian Politician, Peter Obi.
He would quote figures and statistics and end it with, “Go and Verify!” Unfortunately, a lot of his submissions were false, but that is not the point of this article.
The point is the lesson in the phrase, “Go and Verify”. Don’t just take my word for it: do your Due diligence and find out if it is true or false! You owe yourself that.
Let us check a few examples in Scripture…
SCENE ONE: Exodus 1:1-20. the Hebrew Midwives.
The Hebrews were slaves in Egypt, but they were increasing in population because of their high Birth Rate. At some point, the Egyptian King, Pharaoh became concerned. He gave an instruction to the midwives who helped the Hebrew Slave Women give birth: “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”
Now this was an EXECUTIVE ORDER from the King, but the midwives did not obey the order: they didn’t kill any Hebrew boy child. Pharaoh found out they did not carry out his orders and he asked them why. They replied, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
Now, this is a LIE. But for some weird reason, Pharaoh did not do any Due Diligence: he didn’t Go and Verify! He believed the midwives and accepted their excuse as genuine.
SCENE TWO: Joshua 9:1-21. the Gibeonites.
Joshua had taken over the Leadership of the Israelites after the death of Moses. They went on a conquering spree, killing kings and taking over their countries. The Gibeonites heard about this and devised a plan to save their lives: they sent some of their men to see Joshua and the Israelites, telling them they came from a very far country: “We are your servants; make a treaty with us. This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”
Joshua and his team saw the “proof” and believed them. He did not do any Due Diligence: he did not Go and Verify! He accepted their submissions as truth.
SCENE THREE: 2nd Samuel 16:1-4; 19:24-30. David, Ziba & Mephibosheth
David had adopted Mephibosheth, the son of his friend, Jonathan the son of King Saul. Mephibosheth was lame and he had a servant called Ziba who took care of him.
When Absalom carried out a palace coup against David, he ran for his life, away from Jerusalem. Now, David expected Mephibosheth to be loyal to him and join him in exile. He didn’t: but Zuba did. David asked Ziba about Mephibosheth. He replied, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”
David believed him. He did not do any Due Diligence, he did not Go and Verify.
David gave judgment based on Ziba’s submission: “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”
David later heard Mephibosheth’s side of the story. And he did the exact same thing! He believed him! He did not do any Due Diligence! He did not go and Verify!
Then he gave another judgment: “you and Ziba divide the land”!
SCENE FOUR: ACTS 17:10-11. the Bereans
Apostle Paul and Silas traveled to Berea from Thessalonica. On their arrival, they went into the Jewish Synagogue to preach and teach.
The Bereans listened to them attentively, received the words of Paul with eagerness. But they did something very significant: “they examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”!
They didn’t just believe Paul’s words. They did their Due Diligence. They Went to Verify!
This should be the attitude of ever Christian today, folks. Don’t just swallow any teaching or doctrine because of the reputation, popularity or anointing of the preacher: Go and Verify!
If the Bereans could subject the teachings of a whole Apostle Paul to scriptural confirmation (Paul who had an amazing conversion experience on the Road to Damascus, Paul who handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched his skin were taken to the sick, resulting in their healing and the casting out of evil spirits, Paul who was bitten by a snake and nothing happened to him), if they could do their Due Diligence on his submissions, if they could Go and Verify Paul’s message, I don’t think any preacher today should be held in higher esteem and his message not be subject to Scriptural Scrutiny.
If the Bereans were not fazed by Apostle Paul, no Man of God should faze anybody today, no matter the Religious Title he bears or the anointing he carries.
Shalom,
Haruna Daniels