Prayer: Father, if I search for it, You have answers to every facet of life in scripture. Open my eyes to Your ways of doing life which come with a blessing. Amen.
Reading: Deuteronomy 15 key: vs. 1-3
“At the end of every seven years you are to cancel debts. 2 This is how you are to cancel debts: every creditor is to release what he has loaned to his neighbor. He must not force his neighbor or his brother to repay, for Adonai’s debt cancellation has been proclaimed. 3 A foreigner you may force, but your hand is to release whatever your brother owes you.
Attention: I assume you have heard the phrase, “God has a plan for your life!” If you have participated in our study of the Torah since the first of the year, we have seen Adonai’s Ten Commandments and laws governing Hebrew culture legally, socially, and spiritually. Now we even see a financial declaration by Adonai regarding debt forgiveness. Every “seven” years you are to cancel all your brother’s debts. Within the Hebrew nation, you were to forgive and cancel all financial debts incurred with a Hebrew brother. They could lend to foreigners or other nations and demand or force them to repay you, but another Hebrew person, you were to cancel their debt without provocation or ill will and God would bless you.
The premise of God was that the land the Hebrew nation was living on, was given to them by God. They did not purchase the land; it was a gift from God. Adonai’s generosity was to be extended to their brothers and especially the poor. God told them, “There should be no poor among you, for God will surely bless you… if only you would carefully listen to the voice Adonai your God, being careful to do all these mitzvah that I am commanding you today (vs. 5)!”
Israel has prospered as a nation because they have practiced this commandment of God. The Jewish culture has been at the forefront of financial institutions for years. The nation of Israel is a smaller nation which out produces many larger nations. There are numerous articles which establish the excellence of Israel as a nation. They are Adonai’s blessed, because they are His covenant people.
Perhaps we could learn some lessons from this passage about lending within the household of faith. Could we establish lending companies with the same criteria as Adonai relayed to Moses? The wisdom of God is vast. When it is not listened to or corrupted by greed and opportunism, many are oppressed.
Action: I choose to put into practice God’s wisdom about lending.
Yield: I choose to operate my finances upon God’s principles of lending and canceling debt.
Engage: I choose to engage with the principles God has declared.
Relationship: I choose to be in close intimate relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, I desire to be blessed by You and I understand that blessing follows obedience. Amen.
Memory Verse: Proverbs 22:7
7 The rich rule over the poor,
the borrower is a slave to the lender.
Music Video: Kari Jobe—The Blessing https://youtu.be/tNk_xCa7zaQ
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”