Interest and Debt God’s Law works to discourage indebtedness. Deuteronomy 23:19, 20 “‘You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the LORD ...
Property and Restitution Justice extends into everyday details. Exodus 22:7, 8 “If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man’s house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house ...
Liability Liability laws help to promote neighbor love. Exodus 21:18, 19 “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him ...
Preserving Family Property This strange law made perfect sense within the economy of ancient Israel. Deuteronomy 25:5-10 “‘If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to ...
Right to Inherit Government must not steal from inheritances. Numbers 27:8-11 “And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ...
Care in the Use of Property We must use our property with a view to our neighbor’s well-being. Exodus 21:33, 34 “When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the owner of the pit ...
Finders, Keepers? Found property is to be returned to its owner. Deuteronomy 22:1-4 “‘You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you ...
Guard Against Negligence Preventive justice requires that we guard against negligence. Exodus 22:6 “If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.” James 3:5, 6 Exodus 22:5 “If a man causes a field or ...
Property in God’s Service God intends us to use our property to serve Him. All things have been created to serve God’s purposes in bringing glory and honor to His Name (Ps. 119:89-91). God distributes His blessing among men as He will, to whom He will, and in the proportion that He ...
Stealing God is Lord of all property. Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.” Deuteronomy 5:19 “‘And you shall not steal.’” The eighth commandment is accompanied by more statutes, rules, and precepts than any other of the Ten Commandments. What does this say about human beings? Many things: we are not easily contented with the gifts God ...