Deuteronomy Chapters 15-17

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So we left off two weeks ago at Deuteronomy 14.

Chapter 15 opens with YAHAVAH explaining the seven year release command where all creditors release those that they have lent to who is a brother or within the Nation but this was not applicable to strangers from whom they could continue to extract payment.

At verses 6 – 11 we encounter a question for ourselves today as readers of the sacred text.

Let’s read it

Deuteronomy 15-17
November 17th 2024
6 For YAHAVAH thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which YAHAVAH thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto YAHAVAH against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing YAHAVAH thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

The topic of the poor is addressed quite a bit in the text -like nearly 150 times and we recall all the way back in Exodus 23:11 YAHAVAH saying, relative to the Harvest,

But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat:

Interestingly, at verse 11 here in chapter 14 Moses adds a most startling passage, saying,

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

What kind of God would admit that in the world He created the poor would never cease out of the land? And how are we to navigate the issue in our day and age?

Before we try and tackle answering these things, let take a short scriptural survey relative to the topic so we have the attitude of God on how He wants us to view other human beings who are poor.

We remember in Leviticus 19:10 YAHAVAH said to them,

And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am YAHAVAH your God.

Five verses later He adds,
Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.

In my estimation this is a first principle we ought to embrace – we show no favoritism to anyone based on their socio-economic status. We all have people we relate to and get on with but our treatment of others, as James clearly states, ought never be preferential.

Ever.

We read a most beautiful prayer in 1st Samuel 2:8 offered up by Hanna, where she says, and I think it has perfect application to YAHAVAH today,

1st Samuel 2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in YAHAVAH, mine horn is exalted in YAHAVAH: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as YAHAVAH: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for YAHAVAH is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
6 YAHAVAH killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7 YAHAVAH maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are YAHAVAH’S, and he hath set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of YAHAVAH shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: YAHAVAH shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

Job said rhetorically in Job 30:25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?

And Paul spoke to this mindset among the Bride in Romans 12 starting at verse 4 and saying

4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

We notice a shift, subtle as it might be, between YAHAVAH’s instruction to the Nation and Paul and James instructions to the Bride.

For the Nation, the focus on actually feeding and materially helping the poor is overt, as we see in Exodus, Leviticus, and Job.

Interestingly, YAHAVAH said here in Deuteronomy 14 that “the poor will never cease out of the land.”

Of course, we recall YESHUA echoing these sentiments in Mark 14 beginning at verse 3

3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

What is super intriguing is that the scripture also speaks of a time when the desires and expectations of the poor will be met, and we see that in passages like,

Psalm 9:18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.

What are we to say? Will we have the poor always? Is it our call to serve and save them materially all the days of our lives or is there another form of poverty we, as disciples, address and prioritize over the immediate physical needs and wants of our less fortunate?

Perhaps a second concept in our facing physically poor people in this world is similar to the first, but instead of not being preferential we maintain a heart of mercy for every persons plight, seeing all people as part of His creations, and choosing to humbly, mercifully choose to think on every soul.

That is a heart condition we want though we tend to try and drive it out of us at every turn through all sorts of rationalities.

David wrote the most beautiful summary of this heart condition when he penned in Psalm 41:1

“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: YAHAVAH will deliver him in time of trouble.”

So, again, in the Scripture and from the Nation, the literal, actual care for the poor was the physical mandate by YAHAVAH.

And this mindset might be at the heart of every believer. But I maintain that this focus, institutionally, is not the highest aim.

It’s an aim. It has value and again, ought to be the heart attitude toward all souls that suffer materially – something I have recently and personally gained great insight into.

But I want to point something important out for us today. Materially, at least in this nation and in many others, we are working to alleviate the material suffering of the poor.

We are just not at the poverty level in the world where we once were and rarely, if ever, do we see people wandering the streets unclothed or lacking food.

So, I see a shift in the material focus on the poor externally and literally moving deeper into our hearts through mercy, and spiritual poverty the focus in the faith (again in the faith) today.

Certainly, if we could rewind the clock it would be great if the churches were over caring and providing for the material poor while feeding them spiritual nutrients but the church used past abundance NOT on blessing the impoverished but blessing themselves and their own agendas.

Churches literally made themselves holy place where the materially poor and psychologically unstable were not just pushed aside they were actually unwelcomed!

But back to the point, if we look carefully at the scripture, we are able to identify the shift between the poor of the Old Testament and what Yeshua said and did toward the poor in His day.

Yes, He fed them and yes, He had a heart of mercy toward their suffering.

But He clearly – clearly, offered them and the world sustenance that mattered most and ought to be the focus of how we first choose to alleviate suffering.

Notice that when He ascended, there were still people dying all around the world of innumerable ailments exacerbated by poverty. So He did NOT come with a direct solution for such. In the case of the material poor, I believe that in this world they will always be with us therefore always giving us a chance to see where our hearts and our priorities lie.

But I maintain that the MOST meaningful and purposeful donations we can make to the lives of others is to help them individually realize the Nature of God and His Son, of their victory, and of the Spirit of the Son that dwells within each of them.

Even in my own life, it was this recognition that changed the course of my material well-being or should I say my ability to manage and handle such material matters.

We remember John 6, right? Yeshua fed the masses, went off and left them, walked on the sea, manifested Himself to the disciples, and then the next day the masses found Him again. And we read starting at verse 24

John 6:24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Today, its as if we live in a world where people are suffering in innumerable ways with material existence – with debt, poverty, mental illness, what we identify as sin and the irony is the solution is in them, that bread of life given to all people – but they will not eat what has the power to transform everything about their world, their lives, and the world to come.

Note the absolute genius of what Yeshua said in the following passages in Luke 7.

John the Baptist was in jail and having doubts about the identity of Yeshua and we read

Luke 7:19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, (LISTEN) to the poor the gospel is preached.
23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

So we go from the material mandate to care for the poor with the Nation all the way back in Exodus.

Then we have Yeshua being mindful and merciful to the poor and even making way to aid them materially, but the ultimate fulfilled reality of our relationship to the poor in this world is to focus on sharing with them the Bread of Life so they can discover the spiritual presence and reality of Christ the victor within them, which will do far far far more, as a kind merciful loving act that merely supplying them with a temporary hand out.

So while we do nurture mercy toward all we compassionately take the time and trouble to help them discover real solutions to life’s problems.

We see a shift in all of these things after Yeshua ascended and we read the following in Acts 3 beginning at verse 1

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

It’s difficult, isn’t it? To be human and to see human suffering and to believe that our lot, as followers of Christ, is to first and primarily alleviate physical discomfort.

And while we refuse to respect any persons for any reason, and while we strive to maintain a merciful heart toward all, the best, the most efficient, successful, enabling, life-enhancing thing we can do in His name is to share Him in them as the solution and not allow ourselves to offer temporary substitutes that give ourselves immediate gratification while ignoring the fact that our primary and ultimate response to the poor is to share Him, His victory, His love, and His existence within every suffering soul, remembering James words on the subject, where he wrote,

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

Material insufficiencies are used by God as a means to bring people to their knees. Let’s help those on the floor to realize who and what can raise them up.

Chapter 15 continues on with Moses speaking more about who to release in the seven years .

At verse 12 we encounter an interesting practice. If there was a Hebrew slave who was sold to someone of the Nation they were to also set them free the seventh year but were to liberally furnish the soul with abundance when they send them on their way as this was an emblem of when they were slaves in Egypt.

But then YAHAVAH adds a caveat, saying,

16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

This was a practice that took a slave and made him or her a servant forever.

For those who are against piercings here is a biblical example of where YAHAVAH has them actually pierce ears with auls (or metal tools for leather and other work as a means to identify slaves who were once in bondage to an owner and to make them life-long servants.

I love the imagery. Boring into ears was a ancient practice found in other cultures to identify servants and others in specific ways.

The imagery is that the ear is opened to the commands and ways o the master, always attentive to his commands.

It’s funny. We too as believers tend to, perhaps when we are young in the faith, serve as slaves in His house, being dutiful because He is our God.

But in this picture or type we see that there came a time when the slave could be emancipated and even walk away with an abundance of gifts.

But there was the option for the slave to remain in the service of his or her master for life or at least until the year of Jubilee.

And this was a freewill choice commitment on the part of the slave. Could it be that as a type all human beings, when they realize who God is and what He has done, in the heart, when they are literally converted heart and soul, are also free to walk, having been justified by the life and death of Christ but that there are some souls to never want to leave, but would prefer to remain bonded to Him forever.

I would like to believe, perhaps naively, that true sons and daughters in this life are genuine bondservants, having willingly allowed their ears to be opened up and tuned in to Him alone, and to respond only to His beckoned call.

Just a thought.

Chapter 16 is a rehearsal of sacrice rules, how when and where to eat them and all the restrictions that come with it.

And Moses reminds the males

16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before YAHAVAH thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before YAHAVAH empty:
17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of YAHAVAH thy God which he hath given thee.

And the chapter wraps up with comments on how to ajudicate matters, respect for judges and it ends with a reminder to not make idols.

Chapter seventeen opens up with insights into sacrifices (again) not to practice idolatry (again) and how to deal with difficult issues.

But at verse 14 we read a most important point – one I personally resonate to as a human being living in a land of other human beings, and here we read:

14 When thou art come unto the land which YAHAVAH thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, “I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom YAHAVAH thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as YAHAVAH hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear YAHAVAH his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

We will pick it up next week on this topic next week – Lord willing.

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