Strange Ways to Make a Profit (Deuteronomy 15: 1-11)

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Study Notes:

Introduction

• Basic financial principles: hard work, saving, spending wisely. Deuteronomy offers unique principles for prosperity, focusing on debt, slavery, and honouring God's gifts.

Counter-Intuitive Principles for Prosperity

• Debt Cancellation (Deuteronomy 15:1-6)
  • Verse 1: Every seven years, debts are to be cancelled.
    • This "sabbatical year" involves total and permanent debt forgiveness.
    • Pertains to fellow Israelites.
  • Five Reasons for Complete Debt Cancellation:
    • Reflects God’s generosity towards Israel.
    • Supported by verses 9-11.
    • Prepares for Jubilee (every 50 years).
    • Prevents extreme poverty.
    • Aligns with the potential for Israel's great wealth.
  • Verse 2: Details on executing debt cancellation.
    • Debt cancellation includes not pursuing repayment from debtors' families.
    • Highlights the complete and permanent nature of the forgiveness.
  • Application Beyond Financial Debt:
    • Parallels with forgiveness of sins (Colossians 2:13, 1 John 1:9).
  • Verse 3: Specifies debt cancellation applies only to Israelites, not foreigners.
  • Verse 4-5: Promise of God's blessing if commands are obeyed, potentially eliminating poverty.
  • Verse 6: God's promise of prosperity and dominance over other nations.
• Generosity and Open-Handedness (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)
  • Verse 7-8: Commands to be generous and not hard-hearted towards the poor.
    • Encourages a spirit of generosity.
    • Proverbs 11:24: Generosity leads to greater gain.
  • Verse 9: Warning against withholding aid due to the approaching sabbatical year.
  • Verse 10: Promise of God’s blessing for generosity.
  • Verse 11: Acknowledges perpetual presence of the poor, emphasizing continuous generosity.

Principles of Giving and God’s Blessings

• Forgiving debts and lending to those in need leads to God’s blessings.
• Generosity fosters a community without poverty.
• God's promises of blessing are tied to obedience and generosity.
• Proverbs 19:17: Kindness to the poor is like lending to the Lord.
• Biblical Principle: The law of sowing and reaping – abundance in giving results in abundance in receiving.

Conclusion

• Living with generosity aligns with God's commands and promises prosperity.
• Forgiving debts, lending freely, and generous giving are key to blessings.
• This divine economy transforms lives and communities.
• Call to Action:
  • Commit to living out these principles.
  • Reflect God’s nature through generosity.
  • Become instruments of His blessings, transforming lives and communities.
• Living generously ensures God’s blessings in all aspects of life, not just financial.

God’s radical generosity serves as a model for us. By living generously, we mirror God’s grace and love. Our generosity creates a ripple effect,

Transcript

Strange Ways to make a Profit (Deuteronomy 15:1-11)

Full Transcript. 

If you want to get ahead financially, there are some very basic, fundamental principles that you can follow. Everybody should know them; this is no deep, secret financial secret. It's about things like working hard, saving money, spending less than you earn and not spending money foolishly or impulsively. 

These principles work if you want to accumulate some money or gain some sort of financial independence in life.

Now, we've been going through the book of Deuteronomy, and it seems to me that Moses now talks about a way that you can gain prosperity in life and it's a very strange formula. 

So, what I want us to do in this next two episodes is session look at three counter intuitive ways that Moses says we can make a profit. 

We're going to talk about debt, we're going to talk about slavery, and we're going to talk about principle of how to treat the best of what God gives us in life. 

As we go through these three topics in Deuteronomy 15, keep in mind that Moses is really showing us a way that the ancient Israelites could profit financially. 

Now, that may sound strange, but these principles can also apply and benefit us today. 

So, let's look at the first of these principles today. In today’s episode of TBPDP….

Let's start with verse one:

At the end of every seven years, you must cancel debts.

(Deuteronomy 15: 1)

Now, he is saying this very simply, if somebody owes them money, then after seven years, it's called the sabbatical year, forgive his debts.

It seems to be saying that every seventh year, there's an unconditional remission of debt. 

As he will explain in a minute, that is pertaining to a fellow Israelite. Some look at that and say, "Oh, that can't possibly mean that you would just totally forgive the debt. Some think it means the debt must be suspended for a year." 

But notice that verse one says, "You must cancel debts,". Some also say surely this must only applies to those who are in poverty. 

So, one interpretation some people try and put on this is that it only applies to releasing a debt temporarily and to those who are poor. 

However the most common interpretation, that I also accept it that this is the forgiveness of debt that is complete and permanent.

There are five reasons why I believe that position is correct. 

1.     This view is consistent with the generosity of the Lord that He has always expressed toward Israel.

2.     It is also consistent with statements that come after this verse, especially verses 9 through 11.

3.     The practice of cancelling the entire debt permanently in the seventh year was meant to prepare Israel for the extravagant practices commanded for the main Jubilee, where every 50 years, the land reverted back to the original people who had it. So the forgiving of the debt every seven years was in preparation for the even bigger event which was going to come around every 50 years.

4.     Permanent cancellation of debt would help prevent abject poverty in the nation 

5.     The potential for the promised incredible wealth in the land of Israel also argues for the permanent cancellation of debts.

So, looking at the passage, it seems to me that it's saying that it's permanent and complete.

The Lord says every seventh year, if you've loaned money to a fellow Israelite—that will become clear in a minute—then you are to completely forgive the debt.

What is so amazing to me about this is that this command is given under the law, not under grace. I might expect something like this in the New Testament under grace, but we normally think of the Mosaic law as being rigid and firm, and yet this is in the Mosaic law.

So, the idea here is that you completely forgive a person's debt.

Now, there's more. Look at verse two.

This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for cancelling debts has been proclaimed.

(Deuteronomy 15: 2)

This expands upon verse one by simply saying that you cannot require it of the neighbour that you lent the money to, nor can you go after his family, or in this case, it says the neighbour’s brother. 

In other words, and it seems to me this is really clinching the fact that what he is calling for is the complete, permanent forgiveness of a debt, in that you can’t go after the family.

Now, I want to make this very clear: we're talking about a financial debt. Would you permit me to make an application that isn’t related to financial debt

I couldn't help but look at this and think of the forgiveness of sins. Isn't that true? Are we not completely forgiven? 

When I became a Christian, did God forgive me of all of my sins? All of them?" 

Yes, to understand grace means to understand that Christ died for all of our sins. By the way, when He died, all of your sins were included, past, present and future, everything.

There is a passage that says "all." Would you like to know where it is? The answer is in Colossians 2. Look at verse 13:

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.

(Colossians 2: 13)

At the moment an individual comes to Christ, all is forgiven.

Now, there is another in 1 John 1:9, which says.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Alright, let's go back to Deuteronomy 15 for a second and look at verse 3: 

You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.

(Deuteronomy 15: 3-5)

These verses makes it explicitly clear that verses 1 and 2 are only talking about Israelites because he says you can still charge a foreigner. 

So, this sabbatical cancellation does not apply to foreigners.

Now, if you recall, the land was to lie dormant also every seven years for an entire year. One argument is that the foreigner didn’t have to do that, and so only the obedient Israelite he would need the suspension of debt. 

Notice he says, and this is very important, "if you do this, the Lord will greatly bless you." It's very important—that’s the motivation for doing this. He says, "provided that you are careful to observe all the things that I command you, you do that, and you forgive their debt, and the Lord promises He will bless you."

Another thing embedded in this little passage is that God there then "there need be no poor people among you." 

So, if this were practiced, it would help keep poverty out of the land.

Verse 4 is suggesting that if this were practiced in ancient Israel, it would reduce, if not eliminate, poverty because the poorest would have their debts forgiven. 

Then he says in verse 6.

For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations, but none will rule over you.

(Deuteronomy 15: 6)

Please note, he says in verse 3, "you can lend it to a foreigner," and he says in verse 6, "many nations." So, you can just go lend money to many nations, and the Lord will bless you if you don't hold the Israelite to repay you on the seventh year the Lord will bless you as He promised.

As a matter of fact, "you shall lend to many nations but don't borrow from them." If you're going to borrow from a fellow Israelite, you are going to reign over many nations, and they are not going to rule over you.

This is a really interesting proverb that says, "The lender is a servant to the borrower," and it seems to me here to be applying this to nations as well as individuals, does it not? 

This is the point, God is saying, "Don't borrow from a nation; you've can lend them money, but don't borrow from them." I wonder if, embedded in this, is the idea that the borrower is a servant to the lender. 

Now, I don't often get political without saying something about the debt of the United Kingdom Europe and the United States. Do you know who owns most of the debt, or at least a huge portion of it? China!

We don't talk about this very often, most don't talk about it at all, but at one point China will probably one day wants to call in that debt and then we will be beholding to them.

So, he says to God people as they are about to enter the promised land, "You can lend money to foreigners and nations, but you can't borrow from another nation." I find that kind of interesting.

Look at verse 7:

If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

(Deuteronomy 15: 7-8)

This is simply reiterating the same thing, only what he's also saying, "Don't harden your heart, open your hand and have a willing heart." In other words, have a good attitude about this.

It seems to me that what this is saying is this: if you practice what I'm saying—he's already said the Lord's going to bless you—but it seems to me that what he is also saying now is that it's going to instil a spirit of generosity within you and it's going to free you from the love of money and material things so that you won't be clinging to material things and that will enable you to be generous.

Proverbs 11:24 says.

"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty." 

So, Solomon is echoing this passage, later by saying, "Be generous, and those who are generous gain more in the long run.

So, Moses in verse 9 goes on to say.

Be careful not to harbour this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

(Deuteronomy 15: 9)

Verse 10 says.

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

(Deuteronomy 15: 10)

So, the argument is clear: you need to do this for fellow Israelites. Don't harden your heart or clench your fist but give generously no matter what year in the cycle it is in.

Several times, the text emphasizes that the Lord will bless you. Back in verse 4, it says, "The Lord will greatly bless you," and here in verse 10, it reiterates, "God will bless you." 

You are urged to do this because God has promised prosperity in all that you do, not just financial.

This principle of taking care of each other financially is something the Jewish people have historically understood and practiced. They have consistently supported each other, which is a lesson many other cultures could learn from.

Now, verse 11 concludes this subsection by stating.

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

(Deuteronomy 15: 11)

Earlier, in verse 4, it was mentioned that there would be no poor in the land if these commands were followed. But now it says the poor will always be among you. Some might see this as a contradiction, but it's not quite that simple.

What verse 4 is saying is that if you were completely obedient, poverty could be eradicated. "Be careful to obey the voice of the Lord,". This emphasizes that complete obedience could potentially eliminate poverty. However, verse 11 acknowledges the reality that complete obedience is unlikely, hence, there will always be poor people.

Both verses are true in their context.

In the introduction, I mentioned how this cancellation of debt seemed a strange way to earn money or gain profit.

But Moses, it teaching us in principle that one way to gain in life was to give. 

The principle here is to give it away, meaning cancel the debt. If someone needs money, lend it to them, and in the seventh year, forgive the debt. This might seem counter intuitive, but Moses says it will work because God promised to bless you.

This is repeated several times in this passage: in verse 4, "He will greatly bless you," in verse 6, "God will bless you," and again in verse 10, "God will bless you." Over and over, it’s clear that God will bless you.

It might seem strange that forgiving a debt could lead to financial gain.

Proverbs 19:17 says,

"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given."

(Proverbs 19: 17)

Did you hear that? this captures and summarizes these first 11 verses of Deuteronomy chapter 15 perfectly for me. 

Let me repeat it: "He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will repay back what he has given."

Proverbs 11:24 also says, 

"There is one who scatters yet increases more; there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty."

There is a biblical principle called the law of sowing and reaping: if you sow abundantly, you will reap abundantly; if you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly. This applies to sin and finances matter but especially in giving.

This principle is embedded in the Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy 15 and in the book of Proverbs: Give to the poor, lend to a brother, forgive the debt, and the Lord will bless you. He will repay.

God calls us to live with open hearts and generous spirits. In His wisdom here He has laid out a blueprint not only for individual blessings but for the prosperity of the entire community.

Imagine a world where no one among us is burdened by the weight of insurmountable debt. This radical generosity is not just a call to financial aid, but to a transformative way of living. 

But God here promises that as we give, He will bless us in all the works of our hands. 

So, it’s not about God gives us added wealth to we can build up our bank accounts and investment portfolios endlessly. His blessings are not primarily about our own personal material wealth, that may be a side benefit of it but about blessing overflowing into every aspect of our lives, enriching our relationships, our work, and our spiritual journey.

In this call to generosity, we find the heart of God—a heart that does not hold back but gives abundantly. Just as He has forgiven us and freed us from the debt of sin through Christ, we are invited to extend that same grace to others. 

This is the divine economy of God where the more we give, the more we are blessed in order to bless others.

Remember, when we open our hands and hearts to our brothers and sisters, we are reflecting the very nature of God. 

Our acts of kindness and generosity become a beacon of His love and mercy in a world often clouded by selfishness and greed. 

We become instruments of His blessings, creating a ripple effect that can transform lives and communities.

As we pause this chapter here today, let us commit to living out these principles. Let us be known as people who give freely, forgive readily, and love abundantly. 

In doing so, we not only obey God's commands but also position ourselves to receive His bountiful blessings.

May our lives be a testament to the truth that it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive. And I believe that thereafter the peace and prosperity promised in Deuteronomy 15 will fill our homes, our church, and our communities as we walk in obedience and faith to this message given here by God to His people.

So, go forth with a generous heart, knowing that God's blessings are upon you, and let His love shine through every act of kindness you perform for others, especially those within your local Christian communities