Shalom! Yehovah bless you today.
I have been speaking about the widows and the orphans at length. Today we will examine the Scriptures concerning the stranger and the poor.
Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove.
Shemot/Exodus 23:10-11
You notice that Yehovah does not criticize the poor for been poor. In fact in another Scripture, He says that we always will have the poor, however He does not forget any of them! We may not Yehovah their Creator!
When the woman anointed Yehoshua’s feet the disciples said:
“Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor? But Yehoshua was aware if it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Mattithyahu/Matthew 26:11
Yehoshua did not say it was not important to give to the poor. He knew His own word! Every Hebrew person also knew the importance of giving to the poor. However, this was worship to the King of Kings in preparation for His own burial. Yehoshua knew why the Father sent this woman to anoint Him. He would die soon, and this act of worship would be told all over the world. He knew His time was coming. It is another testimony concerning the fact that He knew He would be crucified very soon. And He told them they would have the poor always. They would be always giving to the poor. But He would not be with them much longer. And this is a fact, but Yehovah cares for the poor and never forgets them. And He uses us to bless them.
And now let us read some more important verses of Scripture.
“If there is a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which Yehovah your Elohim is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release is at hand.”
11 For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’
Devarim/Deuteronomy 15:7-9,11
Yehovah cares for the poor, and He uses the poor to be a blessing to us. Indeed, it is a blessing that poor people are in the land. It is a blessing to give to the poor. I will talk about this later.
‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.’
Wayyiqra/Leviticus 25:25
Every tribe was supposed to keep his own land that was inherited when entering the promised land. But if that person for some reason became poor and needed money, to the keep the land in the same tribe and family, the closes relatives could buy it. Yehovah cares about all of us, rich or poor and He makes provision.
Giving gifts to the poor when you celebrate.
When there is something special happening and you are rejoicing, do not forget to include the poor in your celebration as it was established by Mordecai after the victory.
And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor.
Haddassah/Ester 9:20-22
Yehoshua said:
When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Luqas/Luke 14:12-14
Giving to the poor should be something that we do without been told, if we obey the commandment of loving our neighbor as ourselves. Indeed, this is very important commandment and embraces every relationship, near or far. But are we obeying this commandment? Or are we looking the other way?
“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yehovah.”
33,34 And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself.
Wayyiqra/Leiviticus 19:15, 33-34
I am very sad when I hear the hate, at times in people’s voices, when they mention the strangers.
I agree that they must come into another land after they have gone through the process of the paperwork. They need to be accepted by the country they want to live in.
I know the process because it had to do this too. But this process is necessary to protect the nation from the enemy who comes in to destroy.
With all this said, I conclude that we, as followers of Mashiach/Messiah, must show our love to them too. Who knows if they did not come to us to find the Savior? Could it be that missions are coming to us, instead of us going to the mission fields?
However, the government is responsible to do the check for anyone who comes abusively. If they do not comply to the Law, something is not right.
Presently in my neighborhood there are four families who have displayed their idols outside their house. Only one of those is from Hawaii, the others are from other states. I have an obligation to be kind to them, and to love them, in spite of their sin of idolatry. I need wisdom on how I can share my faith with them. If they will respond it would be great, if not I am still obligated to show respect and to be a good neighbor loving them no matter what.
We must remember never to do anything hateful to other which is hateful to us. That is the whole Torah concerning the commandments.
Yehoshua said it this way:
“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Mattithyahu/Matthew 7:12
This is the second Commandment, but the first is:
Hear O Israel: Yehovah our Elohim, Yehovah is one! You shall love Yehovah your Elohim with all our heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:4,5
I will continue speaking about the poor on my next message soon. For now, please read the Scriptures that speak about loving and giving to the poor.
Shalom,
You may want to visit Amazon.com and download the eBook that I have published today. “Yehoshua The Risen Mashiach”
The soft pack will be available by Monday for sure.
Thank you very much.
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