Lev 25:37 | KingComments | STEP | Three times in this section a brother is said to become impoverished ( ; cf. ). It is about someone from the people of God, a fellow brother or a fellow sister. A believer may be spiritually impoverished. He may lose sight of his blessings. But that does not mean that we should despise such a person. On the contrary, we must help such a person, keeping in mind the year of jubilee. The year of jubilee will make up for it. Then he will get back what he has lost. A brother may not be used as a slave by a fellow Israelite. The reason is that all the Israelites are servants of the LORD ( ). They are all redeemed from Egypt to be free. Any Israelite must be aware of this and must not therefore be harsh on another Israelite and exploit the situation. In practical terms, Christian masters must realize that they themselves also have a Master in heaven, so they themselves are also servants ( ). In spiritual terms, it applies to us that One is our Teacher or Master and that we are all brothers ( ; cf. ). If an Israelite has sold himself as a slave to a stranger, his brother may redeem him. Nehemiah seems to have acted in accordance with this regulation ( ). The Lord Jesus is the true Redeemer. He will redeem those whom He calls His brethren from the power of their adversaries. He will come and redeem the remnant of Israel. He will also give them their land and the freedom to enjoy under His benevolent rule all that He has promised. Poverty is not what God had purposed for His people. There will be no poor when they serve Him. Then each piece of land will give its full yield. Poverty and hunger are therefore a consequence of the unfaithfulness of the people. Even today there is no reason for a believer to be spiritually poor. Spiritual poverty is the result of wrong teaching or failure to engage in digging up from God’s Word the spiritual treasures to be found therein.

‏ Leviticus 25:37

Attitude Toward the Poor

Three times in this section a brother is said to become impoverished (Lev 25:35 ; 39 ; 47; cf. Lev 25:25). It is about someone from the people of God, a fellow brother or a fellow sister. A believer may be spiritually impoverished. He may lose sight of his blessings. But that does not mean that we should despise such a person. On the contrary, we must help such a person, keeping in mind the year of jubilee. The year of jubilee will make up for it. Then he will get back what he has lost.

A brother may not be used as a slave by a fellow Israelite. The reason is that all the Israelites are servants of the LORD (Lev 25:42 ; 55). They are all redeemed from Egypt to be free. Any Israelite must be aware of this and must not therefore be harsh on another Israelite and exploit the situation. In practical terms, Christian masters must realize that they themselves also have a Master in heaven, so they themselves are also servants (Col 4:1). In spiritual terms, it applies to us that One is our Teacher or Master and that we are all brothers (Mt 23:8; cf. 1Cor 7:23).

If an Israelite has sold himself as a slave to a stranger, his brother may redeem him. Nehemiah seems to have acted in accordance with this regulation (Neh 5:8a). The Lord Jesus is the true Redeemer. He will redeem those whom He calls His brethren from the power of their adversaries. He will come and redeem the remnant of Israel. He will also give them their land and the freedom to enjoy under His benevolent rule all that He has promised.

Poverty is not what God had purposed for His people. There will be no poor when they serve Him. Then each piece of land will give its full yield. Poverty and hunger are therefore a consequence of the unfaithfulness of the people. Even today there is no reason for a believer to be spiritually poor. Spiritual poverty is the result of wrong teaching or failure to engage in digging up from God’s Word the spiritual treasures to be found therein.