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.

Character Study: Joseph

The name Joseph appears in the NIV 229 times.  The vast majority refer to Joseph of the Old Testament, son of Jacob.

I am looking forward to this two-week study!  Joseph is one of my Bible heroes.

Joseph sets an example that I want to follow.

Obedience and Prosperity

The Bible correlates obedience to God with prosperity many times, in the Old Testament, including: Deuteronomy 5, Deuteronomy 30, 1 Kings 2, 1 Kings 3, 1 Kings 11, 2 Chronicles 31, Jeremiah 7, Zechariah 3.

However, the term obedience is not correlated to prosperity in the New Testament.

Why the change?

Freedom Is Not a Carte Blanche

Paul reminds the Galatians that just because Jesus’ sacrifice freed us from the Law, that doesn’t mean that we have permission to do anything.

We must “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 14b, quoting Leviticus 19:8).

Hagar v. Sarah

It’s no contest.

Sarah wins!

Josiah’s Reign Established

Josiah’s father, Amon, was wicked. He was assasinated at age 24.

But Josiah, only 8 years old, had a faithful mother. The young kings’ mothers are all given prominent mention.

Without Jedidah, Josiah wouldn’t have had the influence necessary to grow into a faithful king.

Jonah’s Selfish Prayer

We find Jonah complaining to the Lord in prayer after seeing the Ninevites forgiven.

Daniel’s Habit

I find Daniel’s unwillingness to pray privately in Daniel 6 fascinating.

He knew he’d be thrown to the lions.

But he stuck to his regular habit of praying in front of his windows anyway.

I wonder if he was really several steps ahead of his adversaries and sensed that his God would save him from the lions.

This is one of the best reminders in the Bible that prayer really does make a difference.

Hezekiah’s Powerful Prayer

In Isaiah 37, we learn that Hezekiah’s humble prayer led directly to the defeat of the Assyrian army.

Sacrifice v. Prayer

In Proverbs 15:8, we learn that God would prefer words of prayer from “the upright” than gifts from “the wicked.”