An Option for the Poor Slavery in ancient Israel could be a way of escaping poverty. Leviticus 25:47-55 “If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you or to a member of the stranger’s clan, then ...
Rights of Slaves Slaves did not cease to be human beings under the Law of God. Exodus 21:26, 27 “When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his ...
Young Women as Slaves This is difficult to understand, but we have to think back to the days of ancient Israel. Exodus 21:7-11 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has designated her ...
Indentured Servants Indentured servitude has its roots in the Law of God. Exodus 21:2-6 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his ...
Slavery Slavery was allowed in the beginning, but carefully regulated. Leviticus 25:44-46 “As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans ...
Rest for the Land Even the earth needs a Sabbath, as farmers today understand. Exodus 23:10, 11 “For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they ...
The Third-Year Tithe Communities are responsible to care for their own poor. Deuteronomy 14:28, 29 “‘At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance ...
Workfare The poor must be willing to work for their relief. Leviticus 23:22 “And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, nor shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: ...
The Economics of Love Love of neighbor is a driving force in the economy of God’s Law. Deuteronomy 15:9-10 “‘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 ...
The Disabled We must be especially careful to love our disabled neighbors. Leviticus 19:14 “You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.” Communities in ancient Israel were expected to “go the extra mile” with those in their midst ...