God Has a Lot to Say about When to Lend Your Money

 

Deuteronomy Chapter 15, part 1: Law about Debts

Deuteronomy 15:1-11 – Gems and Thoughts from the Passage

Can you believe what God was expecting of the Israelites? Every seven years there was to be a forgiveness (a remission) of debts (verse 1). But this only applied to fellow Israelites, not foreigners (verse 3). The seven year period was not based on when you loaned, but it was a standardized time – that is, every seventh year in the history of the Israelites.

Proverbs 19:17 also says, “He who lends to the poor lends to the Lord.”

Interestingly enough, in verses 4-5, Moses goes on to say that the good news is that if you obey God’s commands, “there shall be no poor people amongst you”. Ever ventured downtown in your city or large town lately? If your neighborhood is like mine, it won’t be long before you see people begging on the streets. It won’t be long before you saw the multitude of homeless people. Moses is saying, if you follow God’s commands as a community, you won’t have that. Yes, I know that in the New Testament Jesus says the “poor you will always have with you”(John 12:8 and elsewhere), but that does not discredit the message from Moses here – follow God’s commands and you won’t any poor among you.

Then comes verse 6. The Israelites shall be blessed; they will ‘lend’ to many nations, but not ‘borrow’; they will rule over many nations, but nations will not rule over them.  There is much that may be said about this verse, but I like to think of lending as helping. And clearly Israel has always helped others, and even today the whole world benefits from Israeli technology, medical and pharmaceutical advancement, education, art, and so on. And while the Jewish people suffered greatly under the likes of Hitler, and right on through to today where antisemitism is rampant, as a ‘nation’ they have not been ruled over.  Israel is still Israel today and thriving, although it constantly has to be on the alert. As far as I’m concerned, the verse has come true.

Verses 7 and 8 talk about lending to those in need from among their brethren. Moses says it is a matter of not hardening your heart, not closing your hand, but lending sufficiently and generously to the person in need. I think that word “generously” causes a lot of problems for many Christians. The idea that a person in need should be treated with “generosity” strikes many as a bit much. But yet, the word of God says that we are to lend generously.  Now, it does say “lend” not “give”.  But in verse one, it also says that such lending is forgiven every seven years.

Verse 9 has an interesting warning. Moses was saying if you have any idea that because the seventh year of remission is near, you decide that you don’t want to lend to your brother – that is a sin.

Verse 10 here says basically what we are told in the New Testament in 2 Corinthians 9:7 where we are told that the Lord loves a cheerful giver. So, don’t let your heart grieve about giving money to help your poor.

And then verse 11 repeats the idea that the Israelites will always have the poor in their land.

So, let’s think about the issues that arise here: On the one hand, if you obey God’s commands, you won’t have any poverty. On the other, the poor you will always have with you. Can it both?  Of course, it can.  You, personally, can obey God’s commands and you personally won’t be poor. [Anybody that learned to tithe with the first dime or dollar that they ever earned and is still doing so with a cheerful heart, knows that this is true. That’s a blessing indeed.] But, hey, others may not be as wise and don’t follow God’s commands, and you’ll need to help them – not so much for them, as it is good for you to do so. It’s a matter between you and God.

David Guzik puts says this about any apparent confusion here: “Is God contradicting Himself? Not at all. He knows that He has established a system where no one must be chronically poor, yet He knew that because of disobedience, some would, and there would always be the poor in Israel.”

Again, David Guzik on the command to be generous towards those of the faith: “This reminds us of Galatians 6:10 - Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Our charitable giving is to begin with those brothers and sisters closest to us, though it certainly can extend outward from there.”

 

Wrap-up

God has a lot to say about money in the Bible. Some have it.  Some don’t. There are reasons of course.  But the bottom line is that those who have it, are not to forget those that don’t – especially in one’s family and in one’s church, or faith. This section of chapter 15 of book of Deuteronomy may raise more questions for us than we expected.  But, that’s okay.  Let’s ask them and discuss them.

For me personally, there are two lessons – first, don’t lend to a brother or family member unless you’re prepared to lose it. And that’s not because they’re poor money handlers. It’s because God allows for that possibility.  And second, I had to let go of a grudge I held for three decades (if I were to be compliant with the teachings here).  [So if you’re the person I had this grudge against, and you’re reding this, please note that your loan has now been forgiven.]

And what did you learn?  Leave me a comment.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Coronavirus and Greed. God had a commandment on that.

Leviticus 19:9-10  – Social Order Basics Part II – On Greed

Day 12 of our 14-day self-quarantine and today’s passage seems so relevant to the madness we have experienced lately with respect to hoarding of consumables like toilet paper and household disinfectants. Read on.

The Passage

⁹ ‘Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰ Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God.

Thoughts on the Passage

Most of us are not into farming these days, yet we so appreciate those who are, especially these times. In the days of the Israelites, farming was big as there were no supermarkets to go and get your vegetables or flour to bake your bread. So, God is telling His people not to try and pick up every morsel that their fields of harvest, or every last fruit that their vineyards, yield. And his reason is simply this – they were to leave them for the needy and the strangers in their land.

The lesson here is not to say “well, that does not apply to me because I’m not into farming” but rather to fully grasp the attitude we are to have towards those in need. Whatever we do for a living, however we get paid or compensated, we are to remember those in need. We are to give of our gain to those that have a need. Many of us do that through the support of our churches and missions, through the support of various charities, or directly to those that God has placed in our paths.

And it’s not always about money. These days, in the midst of the coronavirus situation, it may be time – time to make a phone call or to Skype or Facetime with them, or to write a letter. Or, as God allows, it may be to volunteer in a riskier way. For others, it may be that all you can do is to pray for them and to let them know that you are.

And again, why is it that God wants us to do this? There are two reasons. First, remember, this whole chapter is about “social order”.  The fact is that there are those in our world that are in need.  And in order to have “social order”, they must be taken care of.

So, let’s remember this when we are in the grocery store next time and there are only three packages of soap left on the shelf.  Do we really need all three right now? Have we got enough faith in God to believe that when we really need soap, He will provide?  I hope so.

Life is not always fair. Today, billionaire David Geffen tweeted from his yacht (complete with pictures) the following: “Sunset last night. Isolated in the Grenadines avoiding the virus. I hope everybody is staying safe.”  That’s despicable, arrogant, and ignorant. And that is the kind of person God may have had in mind when He gave Moses this commandment for us to follow. We are not to be insensitive to the needs of others as Mr. Geffen seems to be.

Finally, you may ask, “why do I need to remember the needy?” Well, God tells us again, at the end of the passage, for “I am the Lord your God.”  Period. No other reason is required for the believer. But it also makes great sense with respect to keeping social order.

Hang in there. God’s plan is unfolding.  Let us stay alert and be in tune with His heart.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

Peace Offerings; Blood Transfusions; and Was There a Lack of Provision for the Poor?

The Peace Offering

Leviticus 3:1-17:

Chapter 3 of Leviticus describes the peace offerings – similar to the burnt offerings except that the animals being sacrificed from the herd or flock could be male or female. Goats could also be offered, although the text omits specific reference to male and female in this case.

Thoughts on the Passage

Chuck Smith points out one of the key differences between this peace offering and the burnt or meal offerings. In this case, part of it goes up unto the Lord, but part of it is given back to the offerer and he eats it. So, in a sense, this is the offerer sitting down to eat with God. Peace offerings formed the biggest category of offerings made during the “feast” days. And some of these feasts went on for seven days. Imagine your church sitting down ‘with God’ and feasting for seven days, focusing strictly on Him and on others that He wants us to serve.

David Guzik points out that while the animals for peace offerings could be male or female, they still had to be “without blemish”.

And here is Guzik’s key thought on this offering: “This was not an offering to make peace with God (this was the purpose of the sin offering of chapter four), but an offering to enjoy peace with God. The whole reason Jesus made peace between the Father and the believer is so that the peace could be enjoyed.”

Guzik also reminds us of two of the world’s largest barbecue.  In 2 Chronicles 30:24, Hezekiah gave a festival where 2,000 bulls and 17,000 sheep were given for peace offerings. And in I Kings 8:63, when Solomon dedicated the temple, 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep, were offered.

The last verse (17) of the chapter identifies a “perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood.” Guzik says there was a spiritual significance to this command relevant to the peace offering. “We enjoy peace with God by giving Him the best (represented by the fat) and by giving Him our lives (represented by the blood).” And there was also a practical significance to it. “The prohibition of eating fat was good for Israel from the standpoint of blood-cholesterol and heart disease. It was especially good because tapeworms were often found in the fatty tissues and by obeying this command, the ancient Israelites avoided these dangerous parasites.” I believe the need to pursue spiritual significance was taken care of through Christ’s death and as we live our relationship with Him.  I believe the practical reason for not doing so is to a great extent taken care of by today’s food-processing rules.  That is not to say one would be insane to continue obeying this command from a practical perspective, just to be safe, especially in countries where there are no food-processing rules. Henry also reminds us that the heathen drank the blood of their sacrifices. He goes on, “But God would not permit the blood, that made atonement, to be used as a common thing (see Hebrews 10:29), nor will He allow us, though we have the comfort of the atonement made, to assume to ourselves any share in the honor of making it. He that glories, let him glory in the Lord, and to His praise let all the blood be poured out.”  So, no eating of blood made sense then and is still recommended now. But let me be clear, in my opinion, taking that position does not result in supporting the position of some who refuse blood transfusions when they are required to save a life.

Matthew Henry says peace signifies reconciliation, concord, and communion, as well as prosperity and all happiness. Thus, these peace offerings were either offered by way of supplication or request for some good that was wanted and desired, or by way of thanksgiving for some particular mercy received. And so Henry points out they were sometimes referred to as “peace-offerings[s] of thanksgiving” (see Leviticus 7:15).

What is interesting is that turtle-doves or young pigeons (allowed for burnt offerings) are not allowed for peace-offerings – probably Henry contends because they do not have sufficient fact to be burnt upon the altar and also, they could not be easily divided between God, the priest, and the offerer.

Here is one question to which I do not have a ready answer: If birds were allowed as burnt offerings to facilitate such offerings being made by the poor, then what does not allowing them here say about the ability of the poor to make peace-offerings?

(Maybe one of you can answer that question for as always I value your input, questions, comments.)

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

God Specified A Range of Acceptable Sacrificial Animals – Why?

Leviticus 1:10-17:

¹⁰ ‘But if his offering is from the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer it a male without defect.

¹¹ He shall slay it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 

¹² He shall then cut it into its pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 

¹³ The entrails, however, and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

¹⁴ ‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young pigeons. 

¹⁵ The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 

¹⁶ He shall also take away its crop with its feathers and cast it beside the altar eastward, to the place of the ashes.

¹⁷ Then he shall tear it by its wings, but shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

Thoughts on the Passage

This passage seems to be repetitive, but on close examination, we notice some interesting differences. You will note that in verse two, the offerer had a choice of bringing an offering of animals from the herd or from the flock. Verses 5 to 9 of this chapter describe what is to be done when the offering is a young bull or an animal from the herd. Verses 10 to 13 describe the process when the animal is from the flock of the sheep or goats. And verses 14 to 17 describe the process for an offering of birds.

David Guzik says, offering animals from the flock of sheep or goats, “was essentially the same as that for offering a bull, except that a sheep or a goat was not skinned. Since the entire animal was to be burned, only the impurities of the entrails had to be washed before the sacrifice was burnt. A bull presented as a burnt offering had to be skinned. . ..”

Robert Jamieson suggests that one reason for the difference may have been that some Israelites were not able to afford a sacrifice of a bull and could only offer a ram. I assume that those who were poorer still and could not afford a ram could offer a bird. The procedures were basically the same.

David Guzik points out that it was not any kind of bird that God would accept. It had to be a turtledove or a young pigeon. The key thing is that God had a range of animals – bulls, sheep, goats, birds – that He accept as a sacrifice. The point is that God is interested in the heart of man than in the actual ability of man to afford a particular way of sacrificing to Him. But still, even the less costly sacrifices had to follow God’s prescribed manner. Guzik, with Jamieson’s support, even suggests that it was wrong for a rich man to offer a bird. Matthew Henry says what is important is that we note that “God, in His law and in His gospel, as well as in His providence, considers the poor.”

Robert Jamieson tells us the fowls were always offered in pairs although it is not clear to me from this passage as to where he got that idea. He goes to point out, and correctly, that while the turtledoves had no age restriction, the doves did. The reasoning behind this was that turtledoves were favored by man for eating at any age, while older pigeons would be rejected for consumption. God did not an offering of an animal that was first rejected by man.

Matthew Henry, reflecting on verses 15 to 17:

“’This sacrifice of birds,' the Jews say, ‘was one of the most difficult services the priests had to do,' to teach those that minister in holy things to be as solicitous for the salvation of the poor as for that of the rich, and that the services of the poor are as acceptable to God, if they come from an upright heart, as the services of the rich, for he accepts according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, [2 Corinthians 8:12]. The poor man's turtle-doves, or young pigeons, are here said to be an offering of a sweet-smelling savor, as much as that of an ox or bullock that hath horns or hoofs. Yet, after all, to love God with all our heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, is better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices [Mark 12:33]."

Two takeaways. First, are we sacrificing in accordance with our economic ability? Second, to we have as much respect and consideration for the poor among us in our services and worship as God does?   

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.