Deu 15:1-6 | KingComments | STEP | The first two ordinances – and – connect with what has been said in the last verses of the previous chapter about distributing the tithes to the poor ( ). In Exodus and Leviticus, the sabbatical year is called the seventh year ( ; ). The only issue there is that the land must not be cultivated in the seventh year and must remain fallow. There is no mention of a remission. Here, however, the theme of remission is expounded.. After a third year ( ) there is talk here of a seventh year, which in is called “the year of the remission”. In that year, a remission must be granted. Seven years indicates a completeness. Spiritually applied, this can be seen in the result of the work of the gifts given by the Lord Jesus to His body, the church. They are given to build up, so that the whole can come to full maturity ( ). Levitical service must be aimed at the spiritual maturity of believers. Then these believers have reached the seventh year, they have become fathers in Christ ( ). The seventh year is characterized by rest. We see this with the fathers in Christ: they have found everything in Christ, He is everything for them. This chapter deals with the resting of debts. In the seventh year, debt is written off. Anxious thoughts concerning creditors are banished. If we are treated unfairly, the other has a debt to us. Someone who has let his flesh working against us has a debt to us. It may be that this debt is never repaid. It is no good with such debtors, they have to make up for it. But this chapter, however, is about the creditor as someone who has reached the seventh year. He is in the year of remission. Do we leave debt for what it is and don’t we stand up for our right, and demand back what we have lent? Those who stand up for their rights are actually poor brothers and sisters, they do not know what it is to live in the ‘seventh year’. When we insist on our rights in this way, we have learned little from the Lord Jesus. He was rich and became poor for our sake ( ). Sons of God are like God: they are joyful givers following the God Who gave an indescribable Gift ( ). We can learn from the parable of the two debtors, one with a large debt and one with a small debt ( ). When we demand that a small debt be paid to us, we forget that we have been forgiven a huge debt that we could never pay. The standard to which we as Christians should forgive is God and not ourselves. We must learn to forgive as God has forgiven us in Christ ( ; ; cf. ). Difficulties in religious communities rarely arise due to really principle matters. It is often a collision of characters, which leads to debts. When a seventh year arrives, what a relief that can give. We don’t dwell enough on the fact that we are a wealthy people, blessed with all spiritual blessings. We are wealthy sons of God. Those who have this awareness are capable of leaving debt to rest. That does not, as has already been said, take away the debtor’s responsibility, but the accountability of the debtor is not the crux of the matter here. It is “the LORD’s remission” ( ). We will only be able not to claim our debts if we keep the Lord Jesus in view. That brings His blessing with it. It is as it were declaring guilt with Him. He always reimburses what is remitted for His sake. Remission does not make one poorer, but richer: God promises His blessing ( ) and does not fail that promise ( ). As a result of this, the people will be able to distribute blessings in a wider circle. Loaning places us in a position of liberty and authority. Israel has been given the opportunity to become the richest and most prosperous people on earth. This prosperity cannot be achieved by technological efforts, but by obedience to what God has said. They have even been promised world domination through which they will have a pivotal position for all peoples to experience abundant blessing.

‏ Deuteronomy 15:1-6

The Year of Remission

The first two ordinances – Deu 15:1-11 and Deu 15:12-18 – connect with what has been said in the last verses of the previous chapter about distributing the tithes to the poor (Deu 14:28-29).

In Exodus and Leviticus, the sabbatical year is called the seventh year (Exo 23:10-11; Lev 25:1-7). The only issue there is that the land must not be cultivated in the seventh year and must remain fallow. There is no mention of a remission. Here, however, the theme of remission is expounded..

After a third year (Deu 14:28) there is talk here of a seventh year, which in Deu 15:9 is called “the year of the remission”. In that year, a remission must be granted. Seven years indicates a completeness. Spiritually applied, this can be seen in the result of the work of the gifts given by the Lord Jesus to His body, the church. They are given to build up, so that the whole can come to full maturity (Eph 4:12-13).

Levitical service must be aimed at the spiritual maturity of believers. Then these believers have reached the seventh year, they have become fathers in Christ (1Jn 2:13-14). The seventh year is characterized by rest. We see this with the fathers in Christ: they have found everything in Christ, He is everything for them.

This chapter deals with the resting of debts. In the seventh year, debt is written off. Anxious thoughts concerning creditors are banished. If we are treated unfairly, the other has a debt to us. Someone who has let his flesh working against us has a debt to us. It may be that this debt is never repaid. It is no good with such debtors, they have to make up for it. But this chapter, however, is about the creditor as someone who has reached the seventh year. He is in the year of remission.

Do we leave debt for what it is and don’t we stand up for our right, and demand back what we have lent? Those who stand up for their rights are actually poor brothers and sisters, they do not know what it is to live in the ‘seventh year’. When we insist on our rights in this way, we have learned little from the Lord Jesus. He was rich and became poor for our sake (2Cor 8:9).

Sons of God are like God: they are joyful givers following the God Who gave an indescribable Gift (2Cor 9:15). We can learn from the parable of the two debtors, one with a large debt and one with a small debt (Mt 18:21-35). When we demand that a small debt be paid to us, we forget that we have been forgiven a huge debt that we could never pay. The standard to which we as Christians should forgive is God and not ourselves. We must learn to forgive as God has forgiven us in Christ (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13; cf. Mt 6:12).

Difficulties in religious communities rarely arise due to really principle matters. It is often a collision of characters, which leads to debts. When a seventh year arrives, what a relief that can give. We don’t dwell enough on the fact that we are a wealthy people, blessed with all spiritual blessings. We are wealthy sons of God. Those who have this awareness are capable of leaving debt to rest. That does not, as has already been said, take away the debtor’s responsibility, but the accountability of the debtor is not the crux of the matter here.

It is “the LORD’s remission” (Deu 15:2). We will only be able not to claim our debts if we keep the Lord Jesus in view. That brings His blessing with it. It is as it were declaring guilt with Him. He always reimburses what is remitted for His sake. Remission does not make one poorer, but richer: God promises His blessing (Deu 15:4) and does not fail that promise (Deu 15:6). As a result of this, the people will be able to distribute blessings in a wider circle. Loaning places us in a position of liberty and authority.

Israel has been given the opportunity to become the richest and most prosperous people on earth. This prosperity cannot be achieved by technological efforts, but by obedience to what God has said. They have even been promised world domination through which they will have a pivotal position for all peoples to experience abundant blessing.

Lend to the Poor

It is not about how the poor have become so poor, but it is about the attitude of the rich, to test their feelings of compassion and mercy. God expects us to open our hands freely and lend generously. In Christianity, as a whole, there is hardly any knowledge of heavenly blessings. God loves the joyful giver; we may pass on our riches which the Lord has given us. Rich Christians, that is, those who know their spiritual riches and live in them and live up to them, do not lend from others, but lend to others. Thus there will be equality (2Cor 8:13-14).

Those who know their spiritual riches have as sinful a heart as those who do not know them. The arguments not to give come from a sinful heart (Deu 15:9). A hardened heart holds its hand closed. Excuses are sought to avoid the obligation to give to our poor brothers and sisters (cf. Jam 2:16). He who has a hardened heart shows that he does not trust the Lord in the promise of blessing which He has given.

When the rich man closes his heart (1Jn 3:17), he charges sin upon himself, for which he will be called to account. The poor man shall call to the LORD when he has dealings with a man with a hardened heart. Calling to the Lord is to “draw near … to the throne of grace” (Heb 4:16). There is help. In Him the poor finds a Friend Who hears his cry and does not put to shame.

The thought that borrowing just before the seventh year is equal to giving away should not prevent one from generously meeting the needs of another. Loaning, or giving, must be done with understanding and insight into the situation in which the other person finds himself. The LORD does not give the instruction to lend, or give, at will, but “sufficient for his need [in] whatever he lacks” (Deu 15:8).

If rich Christians do not look after poor Christians and enjoy their wealth among themselves, they are acting unworthy of sonship. The Lord Jesus speaks about lending even to enemies (Lk 6:35). He makes it clear there that it is for sons to give and not to demand, thereby resembling their Father. They afford themselves the luxury of giving. Where demands are made, we are faced with poor believers.

Giving is God’s great feature. He wants us to follow Him in this as good sons who resemble their Father. We are encouraged to give with mildness and not reluctantly. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor 9:7). He who gives may count on His blessing, both materially and spiritually (Isa 58:10-11; Pro 3:10 ; Pro 28:27). Solomon may have thought of this word of Moses when he wrote down his proverb: “There is one who scatters, and [yet] increases all the more; And there is one who withholds what is justly due, [and yet it results] only in want” (Pro 11:24).

Deu 15:11 seems to contradict Deu 15:4. The contradiction is in appearance alone. In Deu 15:4 it is God’s intention, in which He gives the rich the responsibility to ensure that there will be no poor. In Deu 15:11 it is a prophecy from the all-knowing God Who knows that by unfaithfulness, or to try the rich, there will always be poor (cf. Mk 14:7).