Poverty has existed since ancient times. It was present in ancient Egypt, and the lowest socio economic group within that empire was also the poorest. They were the Hebrew descendants of Abraham also known as Israelites, who were enslaved. Although the Israelites labored in hard bondage. They were impoverished because they were uncompensated. When the time for their deliverance from Egyptian bondage arrived. The Lord ordered reparations for their four hundred and thirty years of brutal oppression. We are informed: “Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.” Exodus 11:2-3 (NKJV). It seems reasonable for us to conclude that when the Israelites marched out of Egypt they were rich. They also inherited great wealth upon their conquest of Canaan. We read: “So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He [c]swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full – then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” Deuteronomy 6:10-12 (NKJV). One would think that with the accumulation of such great wealth. Everyone in the nation of Israel would be prosperous indefinitely. But apparently not. For some strange, inexplicable reason. Poverty persisted in ancient Israel even while they enjoyed the manifold benefits of a Theocratic government. The divine king made provision not only for the stranger but also for the poor. They were not to be exploited or oppressed. We are instructed: “If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.” Exodus 22:25-27 (NKJV). When crops and vineyards were being reaped the poor had to be remembered. Such fields and their produce were not to be regarded as the exclusive property of the owner, because it was The Lord Almighty who gave the increase. We are counselled: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:9-10 (NKJV). The primary source of these rules of benevolence and beneficience was identified by the title: I AM THE LORD: Creator, Redeemer, Deliverer, Sustainer, and Friend. The All Mighty Benefactor and Protector of the downtrodden and the poor. Every seventh year the land was neither to be ploughed, planted, nor reaped. So that the poor and the stranger would have the opportunity to enjoy its bounties. We are commanded: “Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your [b]olive grove.” Exodus 23:10-11 (NKJV). During the Jubilee year, which came once every fiftieth year. All those who had lost their freedom, property, or were insolubly indebted had all of their civil rights and lost property restored, and all of their debts cancelled. We are enlightened: “And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family. That fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee to you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of its own accord, nor gather the grapes of your untended vine. For it is the Jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat its produce from the field.” Leviticus 25:8-12 (NKJV). One of the reasons that resulted in the Jewish Babylonian captivity for seventy years, was the brazen disregard of the rights of the poor, by the Judean ruling aristocracy. Historically, politically, socially and economically the consequences were calamitous. We are warned, “Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord—‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth… And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army which has gone back from you.” Jeremiah 34:17-18, 21. (NKJV). Not withstanding the laws of compassion, mercy and justice which were given to ancient Israel by the divine potentate. Its amazing that by the time of Christ, poverty was widespread throughout Judea. We read: “Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Matthew 11:4-5 (NKJV).
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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