Time for Debts, Time for Forgiveness

The policies outlined in Deuteronomy 15 are drastically different than how credit and debts are handled in the US today.

The Bible has a much more forgiving and liberal approach to credit than we have today.

This is an especially meaningful passage to me today since I was able to schedule my final revolving credit card payment less than 2 hours ago. I’ve carried revolving debt since 1993.

Sure it was my fault. But the Israelites would have forgiven my financial sins within 7 years, not the 22 years I’ve spent repaying my foolish choices.

The God of the Old Testament is much more financially-forgiving than Wall Street, Democrats, and Republicans today.

Deuteronomy 12:23-24

[D]iscipline yourselves not to eat the blood because the blood is the soul, and you mustn’t eat the soul along with the meat. Don’t eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 4:35-37a

To you it was shown so that you would acknowledge that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, while you heard his words coming out of the fire. And because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants after them (NRSV).

Jealous God

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments (Deuteronomy 5:8-10, NIV).

Deuteronomy 5:9-10

You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments (NIV).

Ha’azinu (Hear)

Deuteronomy 32:1-43, words of remembrance of 2012 and words of reflection for 2013.

Why Obedience?

In Deuteronomy 5:33, Moses writes, “Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”

How does this apply to today’s world?   It seems that striving for personal holiness can become selfish and hollow, but striving for social justice can generate sinful feelings of superiority.

Perhaps if our first impuse is obedience to Jesus and the Spirit, not a desire to please other people or ourselves, then we’re on the path toward godly, biblical obedience.