Warning! If you are a person who sees life only in tones of black and white this post could be hazardous to your emotional health. Some things in life are absolutely true and some are absolutely wrong. Sometimes, things are not quite so neat and clean. One case in particular is the difference between the ideal and the real. Here’s an example I came across in my reading through Deuteronomy (Won’t you be glad when I finish reading Deuteronomy?). Here’s the ideal.
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 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. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 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: 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. Deuteronomy 15:1-5
This speaks of the sabbatical year when all debts to fellow Israelites would be forgiven. Not so to the foreigners in the land. Their debts could still be collected. What I want you to see is the phrase “Save when there shall be no poor among you.” Sometimes in the KJV the word “save” can imply “except.” That is not the case here, as this is the only time in the Old Testament this particular word is translated as “save”. The translation is correct and legitimate according to proper 17th century English, but even the translators insert a note so the reader does not stumble. The word implies “toward the end or purpose of something.” In other words, Moses is saying that because the Lord would bless them so greatly, they could afford to forgive their brethren their debts in the seventh year to the end there be no poor among them.
What a great ideal! That there be no poor people in the land! This is the ideal. This is God’s expressed will in accordance with his abundant provision for his people. Let me make this clear. God is saying that he has provided so abundantly in the resources of the land and the resulting economies that there is no reason for any Israelite to beg or be poor.All they had to do was live according to God’s truth in order to activate all the fullness of the land’s economic potential.
Here’s the reality. Even after expressing so clearly his will, God knows that his people are not going to follow through on their responsibilities.
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. Deuteronomy 15:11
God has said there would be no poor in the land. Yet here he says the poor will never cease out of the land. Contradiction? No, just the difference between ideal and real. The difference is sin, carnality and human nature. Jesus said essentially the same in Matthew 26:11, that the poor would be with us always.
With the establishment of the Sabbatical year God even makes provision for the indentured servant to be set free from the slavery of debt. God’s economic strategies laid the foundation for an economy that would be perpetually refreshed. Sadly, there is no historical evidence to suggest that Israel ever obeyed and applied these provisions in any consistent fashion.
It would appear that human nature has not changed much since the Old Testament. Most of us are very familiar with these words of Jesus in Matthew.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Put another way, God has made provision in today’s economy to provide for anyone who seeks him first on their list of life priorities. Few take advantage. Therefore, the poor will always be with us — and may be us.
Over the course of the next few months we will hear countless promises and affirmations from political candidates that if we will just give them our votes poverty will probably disappear in short order. Not going to happen! If you want God’s ideal, here’s the deal that will make it real. No politician or government agency is going to take care of the consequences of your own irresponsibility. No church is going to endlessly supply what you need because you have made countless bad decisions and don’t want to learn. If you want the ideal to be more real you must be obedient to live according to God’s truth so that his economic provision becomes activated in your life. He doesn’t promise to make you prosperous; he promises to supply your needs.
What to do? Read your Bible. Believe it. Live it. Take advantage of the many good classes and materials that can give you specific instruction to apply God’s truth to your life. Let his truth lead you to debt-free living. Then, you don’t have to worry if your candidate doesn’t win. You don’t have to panic when the media announces that economy is crashing.
God’s Economic Strategies
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 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. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 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: 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. Deuteronomy 15:1-5
This speaks of the sabbatical year when all debts to fellow Israelites would be forgiven. Not so to the foreigners in the land. Their debts could still be collected. What I want you to see is the phrase “Save when there shall be no poor among you.” Sometimes in the KJV the word “save” can imply “except.” That is not the case here, as this is the only time in the Old Testament this particular word is translated as “save”. The translation is correct and legitimate according to proper 17th century English, but even the translators insert a note so the reader does not stumble. The word implies “toward the end or purpose of something.” In other words, Moses is saying that because the Lord would bless them so greatly, they could afford to forgive their brethren their debts in the seventh year to the end there be no poor among them.
What a great ideal! That there be no poor people in the land! This is the ideal. This is God’s expressed will in accordance with his abundant provision for his people. Let me make this clear. God is saying that he has provided so abundantly in the resources of the land and the resulting economies that there is no reason for any Israelite to beg or be poor.All they had to do was live according to God’s truth in order to activate all the fullness of the land’s economic potential.
Here’s the reality. Even after expressing so clearly his will, God knows that his people are not going to follow through on their responsibilities.
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. Deuteronomy 15:11
God has said there would be no poor in the land. Yet here he says the poor will never cease out of the land. Contradiction? No, just the difference between ideal and real. The difference is sin, carnality and human nature. Jesus said essentially the same in Matthew 26:11, that the poor would be with us always.
With the establishment of the Sabbatical year God even makes provision for the indentured servant to be set free from the slavery of debt. God’s economic strategies laid the foundation for an economy that would be perpetually refreshed. Sadly, there is no historical evidence to suggest that Israel ever obeyed and applied these provisions in any consistent fashion.
It would appear that human nature has not changed much since the Old Testament. Most of us are very familiar with these words of Jesus in Matthew.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33
Put another way, God has made provision in today’s economy to provide for anyone who seeks him first on their list of life priorities. Few take advantage. Therefore, the poor will always be with us — and may be us.
Over the course of the next few months we will hear countless promises and affirmations from political candidates that if we will just give them our votes poverty will probably disappear in short order. Not going to happen! If you want God’s ideal, here’s the deal that will make it real. No politician or government agency is going to take care of the consequences of your own irresponsibility. No church is going to endlessly supply what you need because you have made countless bad decisions and don’t want to learn. If you want the ideal to be more real you must be obedient to live according to God’s truth so that his economic provision becomes activated in your life. He doesn’t promise to make you prosperous; he promises to supply your needs.
What to do? Read your Bible. Believe it. Live it. Take advantage of the many good classes and materials that can give you specific instruction to apply God’s truth to your life. Let his truth lead you to debt-free living. Then, you don’t have to worry if your candidate doesn’t win. You don’t have to panic when the media announces that economy is crashing.