Humans are naturally inclined to be greedy and selfish. We want to collect as much as we can. Today, we will read some commands where the Israelites were told to do the opposite. They were told to be generous towards the needy among them. This is similar to some commands we see in the New Testament. In fact, we learn in the New Testament that giving is better than receiving.
At the beginning of chapter 15, Yahweh commanded Israel to cancel all debts every seven years. This was a rule to make sure no Israelite descended into debt so deep he would never escape. This was given in the context of Yahweh telling Israel to provide for the poor and needy among them.
Deut. 15:9 Beware lest there be a vile thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of the remission of debts, is near,’ and your eye is hostile toward your needy brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to Yahweh against you, and it will be a sin in you.
Look at the word “Beware”. In the fifth and sixth years, it would have been tempting to be stingy because the likelihood of being repaid would have been low. Yahweh urged the Israelites to be on guard against that mentality. In fact, He warned Israel that it would be a sin.
Don’t miss the word “vile”. Being stingy would have been vile.
Don’t miss the word “hostile”. Failure to help a brother was a hostile act.
Deut. 15:10 You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you send forth your hand to do.
Notice the word “generously”. The Israelites were told to be generous.
Take note of the words “your heart shall not be grieved”. It would have been tempting for the Israelites to give grudgingly in the 5th or 6th year, knowing there was little hope of being repaid. The Israelites were commanded to resist the temptation to feel resentment.
Look at the word “bless”. Generosity would earn blessings.
Deut. 15:11 For the needy will never cease to be in the land; therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your afflicted and needy in your land.’
In this verse we see the word “freely”. The Israelites were to be quick to help others.
Deut. 15:12 ¶ “If your brother, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall let him go to be free from you.
Deut. 15:13 When you let him go to be free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.
Deut. 15:14 You shall furnish him generously from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as Yahweh your God has blessed you.
Once again we see the word “generously”. When Israelites freed a fellow Hebrew, they were to give him something to take with him.
When Yahweh started the process of constructing the tabernacle, He assembled the materials by taking voluntary contributions from the Israelites. He did not command everyone to donate a certain amount. Instead, the only ones who contributed material were those who wanted to do so (see Exodus 25).
Something similar happened in the construction of the temple in Jerusalem. David had collected wood, precious metals, and precious stones to be used in the building of the temple. Then the people of Israel made great contributions to the work. They did that voluntarily. (see 1 Chronicles 29).
The book of Acts tells us that Jesus said it is better to give than to receive (see Acts 20:35). Paul commanded us to give with generosity and show mercy with cheerfulness (see Romans 12:8).
In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote about the generosity of the Macedonians who gave beyond their ability (see 2 Corinthians 8:3). He praised them for their selflessness. In that letter, Paul wrote that God loves a cheerful giver (see 2 Corinthians 9:7).
Just as Yahweh commanded the Israelites to be generous with their brothers who were in need, so too we Christians are commanded to be generous with our fellow believers.
Deut. 15:15 And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you; therefore I am commanding you this today.
Since Yahweh freed Israel from slavery, the Israelites were obligated to freely release their slaves.
Deut. 15:16 And it will be that, if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;
Deut. 15:17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.
Deut. 15:18 ¶ “It shall not seem hard in your sight when you let him go to be free from you, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so Yahweh your God will bless you in whatever you do.
The point of this verse was to focus on what had been received, not on what was being lost. In other words, look on the bright side. Focus on the positive.
Deut. 15:19 ¶ “You shall set apart as holy to Yahweh your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
Deut. 15:20 You and your household shall eat it every year before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh chooses.
Deut. 15:21 But if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.
Only the best was good enough for God. It is tempting to give God our leftover time and possessions. However, we should give Him the first and best of our time and possessions.
Deut. 15:22 You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer.
Deut. 15:23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.
In the following chapter, Moses pivoted to a new topic.
Deut. 16:1 ¶ “Keep the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover to Yahweh your God, for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
Just as being freed from slavery obligated the Israelites to free their fellow Hebrews, so too it obligated them to observe the Passover.
Deut. 16:2 And you shall sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh your God from the flock and the herd, in the place where Yahweh chooses for His name to dwell.
Deut. 16:3 You shall not eat leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), so that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life.
Deut. 16:4 For seven days no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory, and none of the flesh which you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain overnight until morning.
Humans are naturally inclined to be greedy and selfish. Thus, we want to collect, not give. However, God wanted His temple to be built with materials that had been voluntarily donated. He commanded the Israelites to help one another.
Likewise, Jesus taught that it is better to give than to receive. We Christians are commanded to be generous. We need to give cheerfully.
Thanks for visiting Bible Mountain. If you have already joined my email list, thank you and please tell others about Bible Mountain. If you have not joined my email list yet, please do so now. In order to join, go to BibleMountain.com, click on subscribe, and that will take you to a page where you can sign up. Your email address will not be sold or given away. Once again, thanks for visiting Bible Mountain.
“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”