Leviticus 25: A Radical Vision of God’s JusticeSample

God’s protection and our confidence

Obedience and trust is crucial for God to be able to work: the Israelites experienced this in the exodus from Egypt. 

Leviticus 25:18 indicates that following God’s decrees guaranteed “safety and abundance”. The focus during these holy years was only on God who is the provider of everything, not on the accumulation of wealth. 

In a report published in January 2017, Oxfam stated that eight men own the same wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity. What has led to this inordinate imbalance in the distribution of wealth and property? Is it part of our sinful nature to want to hoard and keep whatever we can lay our hands on? Could it be that we do not trust in God to provide and hence feel the need to accumulate as an “insurance policy” for ourselves and the future of our families?

In Leviticus, we read how God promises His people safety from outside oppressors, and the inward security born of a confident spirit. His people should not fear evil but be at peace. Safety also implies provision, for they will “eat their fill.” Therefore, if His people obey Him, God will provide their needs, protect them from their enemies, and let them live at peace in His land.

REFLECTION:

Do you trust God to be the source of your provision or do you try to create security for yourself? In what areas is God calling you to greater obedience?