Acts 4.34, 35

God promised that there would be no poor in Israel – that is, if they would keep His statutes. There would of course always be poor people in Israel – as Jesus noted – but their poverty would be relieved by the faithful obedience of the rest of the community to the rules and statutes of the Lord. So even though they were poor, they would not be oppressed by their poverty but, instead, would know the loving care of their neighbors through the seven-year release, the three-year tithe, and the laws about gleaning.

The economy God designed for Israel was an economy of love for God and neighbors. Self-love would be moderated so that neighbor-love could abound.

We can extend this “economics of love” even to our nation’s relationship with other nations, as God clearly intended the people of Israel to do.

We can conclude from this text that the blessing of God does not rest on that nation which is deeply in debt to other nations. God promised to enrich His people, but He did not want them to become dependent on other nations. That way lies oppression. America’s national debt, trade deficits, and debt to nations such as China should suffice to show us the wisdom of God’s warning here.

T. M. Moore

The Law of God is the soil which, fertilized by the rest of God’s Word and watered by His Spirit, brings forth the fruit of Christian life. If you’d like to understand this process better, and how to make best use of the Law in your walk with and work for the Lord, order the book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, from our online store.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.