[1] “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. [2] And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed. [3] Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release. [4] But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— [5] if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today. [6] For the Lord your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you. [7] “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, [8] but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. [9] Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. [10] You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. [11] For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ [12] “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. [13] And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. [14] You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. [15] You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. [16] But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, [17] then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same. [18] It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.
Deuteronomy 15:1-18 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/deu.15.1-18.ESV
Being generous
We have modern banking in the control of the elite. They lend us money to buy houses and cars.
But in the ancient Middle East, it was different. There was a more democratic system. People could set interest rates and lend to whomever they wanted. Everyone in Israel had land that was parceled out to each tribe. This was given out and done to the rememberable of God giving these things to Israel. God didn't just bless the elite; it was for all those in Israel. It wasn't for just a subset. Everyone was expected to be generous because everyone was given to generously by God.
Why generosity
For is the explanation or cause of something. There are four for clauses.
God says there should be no poor in the nation of Israel. But things happen, disaster, poor financial planning, and other issues. So those who had excess had enough to meet those who were lacking or in need. There was enough for everyone in the nation of Israel.
God said that he would bless Israel so that it would bless other nations. God's generosity to Israel was the way for them to be a blessing to the nations. It was how God enabled Israel to fulfill the promise.
Slavery or servanthood was different from chattel slavery. Those who choose to stay forever with their masters would join the masters family with the inherent protections. They were not commodities or resources to be used as simple tools. Every seven years, these people were to be given their freedom regardless of how much debt had been paid. And not simply sent away, but sent away with goods from the master's house.
What is generosity
When Jesus came, he forgave sins and also fed the poor. It was holistic. We are to be generous with our resources to give them a taste of the kingdom of God. We are to pray with them, have a conversation, and meet their physical needs.
Rev. Hansoo Jin
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