In the State of the Union address on January 8, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared war on poverty as part of his Great Society vision. In short, his plan was to increase the federal government’s involvement in domestic poverty reduction through a series of legislation and programs. We can go back and discuss the pros and cons of Johnson’s plan, many of which linger six decades later. Poverty is a complicated reality in the United States and around the world—the causes of which are multifaceted. And there have been those in material poverty and material wealth since the earliest generations of civilization. But what are God’s thoughts regarding the poor and what do those thoughts reveal about His heart? And what are the implications for you and I today?
When we go back and study the history of Israel, God’s chosen people, we can learn some of His heart toward the materially poor. The broader context for this discussion covers forty years of Israel’s history, from Sinai to the edge of the Promised Land. God outlined through Moses what holiness and wholeheartedness should look like among His people and how they should act toward each other in the community. This was God’s ideal commonwealth. And we will see at least three primary results of God’s economic system He set up for His people—Greater dependence on Him, restraint against greed, and social stability. God wanted His people to depend fully on Him and allow His rule to permeate every arena of their lives, including their possessions and money. God commanded them to not steal because that threatened the social order of the covenant community (Ex 20:15). He instituted voluntary offerings and opportunities to give financially, which resulted in preserving Israel’s identity socioeconomically and reminding them that He was ultimately the Owner of everything.
In Exodus chapters 23 and 35, Yahweh provided an opportunity for His people to demonstrate generosity by contributing their resources, their skills, and time to the construction of the Tabernacle, a movable tent used for meeting to worship God. There were skillful men and women in Israel, the text says, whose hearts “stirred” to serve God in these tangible ways (35:21). They had “generous hearts” and were moved with commitment to Yahweh and compassion for others (35:5). The Israelites did so voluntarily and willingly—they gave “freewill offerings” (35:29).
God instituted laws about the restitution of animals and property. He established feasts and festivals to periodically remind His people that He was their Redeemer and that they were His possession. In His economy, Yahweh saw to it that no one owned their land and servants indefinitely. There were laws dealing with the redemption of people and property. There was also a provision that land was to remain fallow or rest during the Sabbath year. Yahweh instituted a system of offerings, some voluntary (burnt, grain, peace) and some required to cleanse from sin. Some offerings were to be administered daily, some each Sabbath, some monthly, and some yearly at Passover.
These were all regular means to cultivate personal holiness and draw closer to God, while meeting the needs of God’s people.
There was a natural connection between personal piety and how God’s people were to treat each other, especially those who were materially poor. Yahweh himself said He hears the cries of the poor and that He is “compassionate” (Ex 22:23, 27). He wanted His people to do and be the same. He didn’t want them to charge interest when lending money. He wanted those who had fields and vineyards to leave the wheat and grapes that had fallen during the harvesting process so that the poor and visitors could have food to eat. God further wanted His people to show kindness to the poor and visitors by providing them homes and food without charging them. They were to be responsible for their fellow man and help the needy and strangers.
Let’s think further about these three primary results from God’s ideal commonwealth:
Greater dependence on God— Repeatedly, God reminded His people that He was God and was the One who had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt. He had to remind them because they easily forgot. The same tendency is true for us today. God ultimately wants our hearts. He called for a Sabbath year so that His people would learn to trust in Him for their provision. He calls us to trust Him in a similar way, not specifically with a Sabbath year, but in fully relying on Him for our provision. He wants us to be committed to Him and make His name great throughout the earth. He wants us to voluntarily and regularly give from a heart that is willing and free.
Restraint against greed—By instituting seasons where land and servants could
be returned and fields would remain fallow, God provided a built-in system to restrain people from excessive wealth accumulation. He asked people to contribute their time, money, and skills to create a place for worship, giving them the opportunity to focus on serving Him and not merely their own needs.
It’s difficult for greed to take root and grow in our hearts when we are constantly looking for ways to help those around us.
This is true for us individually, for our families, for our organizations that we are a part of, and the broader socio-political communities we are connected to.
Social stability—The causes of material poverty are multifaceted today, much in the same way that they were for the people of Israel. Ultimately, poverty is rooted in broken relationships—with God, each other, and the rest of creation. The rule of God in every aspect of life should have a stabilizing effect on families, companies, and communities. Responsibility, kindness, and compassion are all hallmarks of holiness and means of restoring the brokenness in and around us.
May God specifically use you and I, our families, our churches, and our companies, to be tangible means of grace to those around us. May we, of all people, live with excessive generosity rather than excessive wealth. And as we do, we have the opportunity to point others to the Redeemer.
[This is adapted from Volume 1/Devotional 16, God’s Economy, from The Wisdom Calling Devotional Series. You can find more information at www.wisdomcalling.org.]