June 10,2012
Lesson Focus:
Show God in How
you treat others
Lesson Scripture:
Leviticus 19:9-18,33-37
INTRODUCTION. Nations have always struggled with the same questions and problems. How do we properly help the poor? How do we properly treat the handicapped individual?Should there be consistent standards for business?This week’s lesson is a brief introduction to what the Bible says about these and other issues that are common to humanity.We will explore acting with compassion as we seek to conform our actions to the nature and character of God, even in this dark world.So just what does it mean to act with compassion?Jesus said“For ye have the poor with you always,and whensoever ye will ye may do them good…” (see Mark 14:7). Israel’s law recognized the continuing presence of poor and needy people in the land, and also provided means for their survival.
(vs. 9).With the poor in mind, the law said “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.” The owners of grain fields were told not to“reap”or gather grain from the edges of their fields,nor were they to collect the gleanings or the grain that fell to the ground, as they bundled the stalks. It was to be left for the poor.In addition, according to Deuteronomy 24:19, even if a sheaf, or bundled stalk of grain was left in the field by mistake, the reapers were not allowed to go back later and pick it up.
(vs. 10).Owners of vineyards were also commanded “And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.”Just as those who gathered grain were told to leave some behind, so were those who had vineyards to leave grapes for the “poor and stranger.”The term “stranger” referred to non-Jews.The last part of this verse says, “I am the Lord your God.” These words reminded the Israel that the Lord demanded this behavior of them and also that compassion is consistent with His nature.
(vs. 11).Here God commands “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.” The phrase “ye shall not steal” is also the eighth commandment (see Exodus 20:15).But this verse also says“neither deal falsely.”This refers to deceitful dealings which are intended to take advantage of a person to get something that he or she was not entitled to.This is stealing no matter how you look at it. This verse also adds“neither lie one to another.”This refers to the ninth commandment, which forbids bearing false witness (see Exodus 20:16).Stealing and lying go hand in hand and are both forms of deceit.
(vs. 12).This verse says “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.”This would remind the Israelites of the third commandment which forbids taking God’s name in vain.Unfortunately there are those who find it easy to use God’s name when cheating one’s neighbor.When this is done, the Lord’s name is profaned.The danger of this verse is seen in God’s words “I am the Lord.”For sure God will not overlook the guilt of whoever takes His name in vain (see Exodus 20:7).
(vs. 13).The next command is"Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.”God’s people were told not to “defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him.”The word “defraud” means to cheat someone.The last part of this verse describes how hired workers are to be treated.Day laborers were hired for many jobs in biblical times.These hired workers were both Jews and foreigners and were usually poor.The common practice was to pay them each day at the end of the day (see Matthew 20:8).The commandment given in this verse forbids one from withholding a worker’s wages even until the next morning.He was to be paid at the end of the work day.Deuteronomy 24:14-15 repeats this command and also emphasizes the fact that the worker was poor and needy.Whether the worker is an Israelite or a foreigner,to withhold wages due him is a sin God takes note of; yet it was a sin that too many in Israel took too lightly (see Jeremiah 22:13-17: Malachi 3:5).
(vs.14).This commandment said “Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.”This law condemned those who dishonored the disabled.Israel was told first not to “curse the deaf.”Cursing the deaf is a cowardly act since the deaf person cannot hear and respond. It also reveals a hard and insensitive heart.Equally insensitive is putting “a stumblingblock before the blind.”This should be taken literally as placing an obstacle purposely in front of a blind person to make him stumble and fall. Such a heartless act is only done for one’s own selfish amusement.This commandment states that instead of cursing the deaf and placing an obstacle before a blind person,God said His people “shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.”The ultimate issue is not how we treat the disabled but our attitude toward the God who made them (see Exodus 4:11).
(vs.15).The next commandment says “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.”This command applies especially to judges and other officials, but can relate to anyone bringing a law suit.This “unrighteousness in judgment” is described as respecting or showing partiality to the poor, or giving unearned honor to the powerful.The idea here is that the economic status of an individual should have no bearing on the outcome of a judicial case. Each case must be judged on its own merits. The phrase “but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour” means that we are to judge our neighbors rightly and fairly regardless of whether they are rich or poor.
(vs.16).This verse says “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the Lord.”Israelites were not to go around slandering their neighbors.This is the meaning of “talebearer.”There is nothing more harmful to a peaceful community than the spreading of unfounded rumors and charges.This command also says “neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor.”This means that by spreading gossip or being a false witness one can actually endanger another’s life.This is especially true in a court of law for when a false charge is upheld, the accused may be executed.To prevent this, God reminded Israel again that “I am the Lord” indicating that such behavior prohibited in this verse totally contradicts God’s nature and He will not tolerate it.
(vs. 17).The Lord next commanded,“Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.”This command deals with the root cause of the external acts already prohibited---the heart.God’s people are commanded not to hate their neighbors. Until hatred is removed from our hearts, all kinds of injustices will continue (I John 3:15). Out of the heart come actions both good and evil (see Matthew 12:35; 15:18-19) so it needs to be cleansed.Of course this does not mean we should overlook a brother’s faults, because this verse goes on to say“thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.”In other words, we should rebuke our brother when he is wrong. If we don’t, we share in his guilt. By remaining silent about his sin, we become partners in it.
(Vs.18).If we have a compassionate attitude or heart we will follow the next command,“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.”Vengeance is the outward demonstration of a grudge held in the heart. Here, both the grudge and vengeance,or gaining revenge, are prohibited.Only God has the right of revenge (see Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).We must deal with the grudges that lead to the desire for vengeance (see Ephesians 4:31).Instead of holding grudges that lead to vengeance, we are commanded to“love thy neighbour as thyself.”This means showing the same care and concern for others that you would show for yourself.This command is quoted several times in the New Testament and Jesus called it the second great commandment (see Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31).It sums up all the other commands regarding how we should treat our neighbor (see Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14).God then placed His authority on this command by saying again “I am the Lord.”
(vs. 33).Compassion is to be demonstrated in our personal dealings. This verse says"And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land,ye shall not vex him.”God’s people were to treat strangers or resident Gentiles fairly.The word “sojourn” means to temporarily reside.Since many people who were not Jews lived in Israel, there may have been the tendency among God’s people to discriminate against them.But this law strictly commanded them not to “vex” or do them wrong.
(vs. 34). Instead of mistreating strangers, God said to His people “But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” Strangers or foreigners were to be shown the same care as one would show to a countryman, with the same love they had for each other. The reason God’s people were supposed to treat strangers as one of their own was because the Israelites “were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Since the Jews had been strangers and slaves in Egypt, they should know first hand how it felt to be strangers. Therefore, they should empathize with the stranger or sojourner and demonstrate God’s love to them. And again, the Lord placed His stamp of authority on this command with “I am the Lord your God.”
(vs. 35).This verse says “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.”This command deals with being just and fair in business situations.Unjust dealings are more common in business transactions than in anything else.The term “meteyard” refers to a measuring stick or a measurement of length.This law therefore, commands God’s people to show integrity when using measurements of length, weights, and capacity when conducting business in the market place.
(vs. 36).Continuing the command regarding fairness in business transactions, this verse says merchants were to have “Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.”An “ephah” was a dry measurement almost equal to our bushel.A “hin” was a liquid measurement which was about a gallon.Deuteronomy 25:13-15 also forbids the deceitful practice of using two different sets of weights and measures to fit the circumstances (see Proverbs 16:11; 20:10).The Lord’s reason for having just and fair standards was again because of His nature.He said “I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.”God was reminding Israel that when He brought them out of Egypt they were to be a people who mirrored His likeness and would not conform to the practices of the surrounding nations.
(vs.37).Our final verse is a conclusion to all the commands God had given.This verse says “Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the Lord.”God repeated again that “I am the Lord (or Yahweh)” and for that reason alone Israel must be obedient to His laws and ordinances.Their behavior must be like His nature and lift up His name (see Exodus 19:5-6).
Conclusion. All of the commands and precepts given in our lesson are supported by the powerful statement repeated several times in the text,“I am the Lord.”Our compassion flows from God’s compassion.Our concern, love, and empathy for others come from our experience of a merciful God, who deserves to be obeyed.
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