Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy Chapter 15

• Deuteronomy 15:1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 
• 2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD'S release. 
• 3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 

In the times past having servants allowed the rich to supply jobs to the poor. I do not believe slavery was ever ordained by God and eventually the world will see that God's plan is for all to be equal but in the days of war and one nation destroying another, slavery was preferable than killing all the enemy. It gave the victors someone to do all their work. If not for slavery, they would either have to kill all the enemies or allow them to live, endangering the existence of the victors. Starvation and suffering might endanger a group of people that were left alive to survive without any visible means to make a living but at no time does God ever endorse slavery.

He did set out rules to alleviate their suffering until such time as He could send His Son to redeem and save mankind eventually stamping out the need for slavery and making it possible for all men to dwell in peace. I believe God made the Sabbath observance in His mercy to allow servants and slaves a day of rest. Until that which was perfect had come though, God did allow the children of Israel to have servants but He set down times and seasons of release. 

Debt and poverty sometimes caused one to give himself to be a servant in order to pay the debt. That led to people that were having hard times selling themselves to become servants. Among the children of Israel however those in debt could be released from their debt at certain times. This allowed for what we know now as mercy and forgiveness. Every seven years they were to release the debt of a fellow Israelite. Of strangers they were allowed to renew the obligation to the creditor but not for a fellow Israelite.

We see a glimpse of the mercy of God here. We see that He really prefers all of us to be free from debt and have another chance to make things right. It is a picture of grace. When we come to Christ our old sins or debts are cancelled and we start anew, clean and washed in the blood of the lamb (Christ Jesus). 

• Deuteronomy 15:4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: 

I hate the modern prosperity doctrine but in saying that, a nation that fears and trusts in the Lord will automatically enjoy prosperity because God's presence causes us to act and behave in a manner that would cause us to be successful. Sin actually destroys everything. It causes disease, debt, heartache, misery and eventually leads to a nation destroying itself. Poverty results. So the fear of God does account for the prosperity of a nation. We must not take this wrong though and start seeking wealth for Jesus says clearly not to lay up treasure on earth. Some believers in Christ do not get rich. Some lose their jobs, homes and prosperity for the gospel's sake. It would depend on where they live and what the call of God is on their lives. We may have to choose the riches of this life or the way of God if we are called to serve in a place where the gospel is not favored. 

Moses made this decision once.

• Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 
• 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
• 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

Moses chose His people even though they were slaves rather than riches he could have had by living as a son of Pharaoh's daughter.

• Deuteronomy 15:5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. 
• 6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee. 

God knows that we become slaves and servants to those that we owe money to. If we do not want to come under bondage to anyone, we must not borrow from them. Israel was allowed to lend money but not borrow it. The United States should take heed to this warning from God and quit borrowing from other nations. 

• Deuteronomy 15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
• 8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. 

The poor has always had the mercy and grace of God but God wants the ones that are well to do, to have compassion and so what they can to take care of them. This doesn't mean deadbeats, those that are lazy and do not want to provide for their families. God cares for the poor and He watches to see how we treat our poor. Both Old and New Testaments teach compassion upon the poor.

Because of the compassion of certain Christian groups, outreach to the poor has flourished in some countries. The Salvation Army was one of many such groups that taught salvation plus supplied food and clothing to the poor. There have been Christian groups that helped to improve situations in prisons and hospitals. This is a good work and pleases God. We must not leave off sharing the gospel and just become a charity group but we must not neglect this work either. Many missions start out with the gospel but have just become a charity. This would be wrong. We would be helping the poor in this life only if we stopped preaching the gospel. Their eternal souls would still be lost. At the same time, we don't want to become a "Be ye warmed and filled" ministry that says all the right things but does nothing to help. 

• Deuteronomy 15:9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 

If a poor brother (not just a natural brother but a fellow Israelite) would have a need just before the seventh year of release, they were not allowed to shut up compassion and not help him to get out of releasing him the very next year. They were to give anyway even though they might not ever get repaid. In fact under the New Covenant we are to help even our enemies, not just our brethren. Jesus said:

• Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 

Hoping for nothing again. We are to give and not expect to be repaid. 

• Deuteronomy 15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 

These scriptures do teach giving and do show us that those that give will receive back from the Lord but notice that the teaching here is not giving to rich TV ministers but giving to the poor. We are not ever instructed to give gold watches and huge mansions to well known evangelists. We are instructed to give to the poor. 

Israel was to give without being grieved over it. They were to be cheerful givers, not begrudging. That is also a New Testament type of giving. 

• Deuteronomy 15:11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. 

I can't say it any plainer than that. 

• Deuteronomy 15:12 And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. 

Bondage was allowed only for seven years for a debt. Remember though this was before the coming of Jesus Christ and the complete way of salvation brought to all the world. If every single person on earth received and believed the gospel, there would never be any slavery. I don't believe slavery is taught as a continual will of God. It happened as a result of the fall of man. 

• Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 

True biblical giving is giving without expecting anything in return. Jesus said if we give, we shall receive but our motive should not be to receive when we give. Our needs will be taken care of if we are givers but what we should be receiving and desiring is spiritual blessings as we draw near to God and He becomes our focus and not material things in this life. 

We see from Galatians and other scriptures that God makes us all equal through Jesus Christ.

• Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 
• 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
• 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 
• 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

Faith in Christ brings freedom from sin and release from spiritual bondage showing us that God really wants us all to be free to live and serve Him without being in bondage to man. When we see slavery going on, we know there Christ is lacking in their lives as a whole. 

• Deuteronomy 15:13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: 
• 14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. 

They were not only to send them out freely but give them what was sufficient for them to live on until they made their own way. 

• Deuteronomy 15:15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. 

They should remember the days when they also were in bondage and not take advantage of those they put in bondage. 

• Deuteronomy 15:16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; 
• 17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. 

This type of teaching does not carry over to the day of grace but there are cases where servants and masters loved one another and the servants wished to stay with the masters willingly. That was permitted. Being a servant to a good and kind master would be better than having no way to make a living and living in poverty.

When we study the journey of the Israelites in the book of Exodus, we see the perfect will of God. He wanted His people free from bondage and slavery. Many times their hardships caused them to desire to be back in Egypt. They sometimes looked back but God wanted them to look forward to the time when they would be truly free and have a better life and freedom to serve God instead of the idols of Egypt. It didn't come easy all at once. Sometimes we want the good times now and do not labor and prove our faithfulness first. The pioneers of new nations suffer many hardships so their descendants can live in freedom and prosperity. It takes suffering and trials. God wants freedom and wants us to be free to worship and choose His ways. He never endorses slavery in the long run.    

• Deuteronomy 15:18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest. 
• 19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep. 
• 20 Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household. 
• 21 And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God. 
• 22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart. 
• 23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.

Here was another way God provided to care for the poor and allow all to eat of the best and finest firstborn of the bullocks and sheep. We can see how much God cares for those that are not prosperous and have little to nothing. We are responsible for those that are poor if we have it to give.

In the day we live in especially in the United States, it is not possible for the average family unless they have a lot of wealth to continually to care for a poor family all the time. They would soon run out of resources. But as a church, community, government and an organization, it can be possible to help widows, orphans and others in need. Programs can be set up to make sure they find employment and get on their feet without them becoming slaves or servants. This is one thing about the modern world that is a plus.

Many complain about taxes but if we could visit the past; the tenement houses, the slums, poor houses and such, we would see that a welfare system is not so bad after all. I do realize that it may create a lot of deadbeats but the alternative is not where we want to go. Read a little history and see. There use to be a thing called debtors prisons. Believe me there was no "good old days" even in the history of the United States. 

I say all this though not to get away from the gospel and the teaching of God's word. That has to be the first priority of the church. Then we are to help the poor and do good where we can not as a substitute for the gospel but along side of it. I will add a warning. If our nation continues on the path its going away from God and His word, all those things we worked to get away from will return. -DC

Deuteronomy 16