Humans tend to be greedy and selfish. Thus, we are tempted to take advantage of powerless people in order to enrich ourselves. Today’s Scripture reading makes it clear that the Israelites were prohibited from taking advantage of weak and helpless people. In fact, they needed to proactively help them. The New Testament places similar restrictions and obligations upon us.
The 24th chapter of Deuteronomy is part of a long discourse in which Moses gave instructions to Israel just before they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
Deut. 24:5 ¶ “When a man takes a new wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be charged with any duty; he shall be free at home one year and shall give gladness to his wife whom he has taken.
Deut. 24:6 ¶ “No one shall take a handmill or an upper millstone in pledge, for he would be taking a life in pledge.
The handmill and upper millstone were required to make bread, meaning they were required to eat. Anyone who had no collateral other than those items was poor; therefore, it was forbidden to take those items as collateral.
Deut. 24:7 ¶ “If a man is caught kidnapping any of his brothers of the sons of Israel, and he mistreats him or sells him, then that thief shall die; so you shall purge the evil from among you.
Notice the words “die”, “purge”, and “evil”. Kidnapping was an offense worthy of death.
Deut. 24:8 ¶ “Take care against an infection of leprosy, to be very careful and to do according to all that the Levitical priests instruct you; as I have commanded them, so you shall be careful to do.
Deut. 24:9 Remember what Yahweh your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.
The 12th chapter of Numbers tells us Miriam and Aaron rebelled against Moses, so Yahweh struck Miriam with leprosy. She was an example to Israel. The Israelites were commanded to remember the consequences of disobeying Yahweh.
Deut. 24:10 ¶ “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his deposit.
Deut. 24:11 You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the deposit out to you.
Deut. 24:12 Now if he is an afflicted man, you shall not sleep with his deposit.
Notice the term “afflicted man”. The Mosaic Law was very intentional about preventing Israelites from taking advantage of fellow Israelites, particularly those who were vulnerable to exploitation.
Deut. 24:13 When the sun goes down you shall surely return the deposit to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before Yahweh your God.
Deut. 24:14 ¶ “You shall not oppress a hired person who is afflicted and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of your sojourners who is in your land within your gates.
Look at the words “oppress” and “afflicted and needy”. Again, Yahweh protected the vulnerable from oppression.
Deut. 24:15 You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun goes down, for he is afflicted and sets his soul on it, so that he will not cry against you to Yahweh and it become sin in you.
Once again we see the word “afflicted”. Landowners were not permitted to delay payment. They had to pay on the day of service so that the afflicted would have the money he had earned.
Deut. 24:16 ¶ “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; each shall be put to death for his own sin.
Deut. 24:17 ¶ “You shall not pervert the justice due a sojourner or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge.
This verse mentions orphans and widows. Those are classes of people who have always been vulnerable to exploitation.
Deut. 24:18 But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and that Yahweh your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing.
Deut. 24:19 ¶ “When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the sojourner, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Deut. 24:20 When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs after you finish; it shall be for the sojourner, for the orphan, and for the widow.
Not only were the Israelites prohibited from afflicting vulnerable people, but verses 19-20 commanded them to provide for the poor and needy. The sojourners, orphans, and widows still had to go to the field and collect the food, but at least the task was easier for them.
Just as Moses prohibited the Israelites from exploiting people, particularly those who were poor and helpless, so too the New Testament prohibits us from exploiting people. Jesus criticized the scribes who devoured widows’ houses (see Mark 12:40). James condemned rich landowners who withhold wages (see James 5:4). John doubted the love of anyone who sees a Christian in need and does not offer help (see 1 John 3:17). Paul stated that no one should defraud his brother in sexual matters (see 1 Thessalonians 4:6).
Just as the Israelites needed to make provision for the poor and needy, so too the New Testament commands us to proactively help those among us who need help. James encouraged us to visit widows and orphans in their distress (see James 1:27). Paul commanded Timothy and family members to honor widows and care for them (see 1 Timothy 5:3-4). The apostles asked Paul to remember the poor (see Galatians 2:10). The book of Colossians tells masters to treat their slaves justly and fairly (see Colossians 4:1). The Ephesians were told that thieves must stop stealing and work instead so that they could share with those in need (see Ephesians 4:28).
Our lives as Christians in the 21st century should be marked by defense of the vulnerable and provision for those who need help.
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.”