Deuteronomy 15:1 - Meaning and Application

Here is a law for helping poor debtors, likely those who could not pay what they owed. Every seventh year was a year of release. In that year, the land rested from farming, servants were set free, and borrowed money was also released. Some think this only meant a creditor could not force payment during that year, because no harvest came from the land then. Others think the debt was canceled forever, and that seems more likely, though with some limits.

This law seems to apply to an Israelite debtor, not a foreigner. It also seems to be aimed at someone truly poor, who had borrowed for family needs, not for business or luxury. The point was not that a creditor could never accept payment if the debtor later became able to pay. It was that the debt could not be collected through legal force. If the debtor or his friends could pay, he should still do so honestly, but he was not to be pressed by law.

One reason for this law was to honor the sabbatical year, which is called the Lord’s release (Deuteronomy 15:2). That year belonged to God, just as the weekly Sabbath belonged to God for people, servants, and animals. By resting the land and releasing debts, God taught them to trust his care. This year also pointed ahead to the grace of the gospel, where God announces the acceptable year of the Lord and gives us release from our debts, meaning the pardon of our sins. It also teaches us to forgive others, as we have been forgiven by God.

Another reason was to keep any Israelite from sinking into extreme poverty, so that there would be no poor among them in the sense of people reduced to shameful need (Deuteronomy 15:4). God wanted to protect the honor of their nation and their religion. He also gave them a promise of blessing. If they did their duty, God would make up what they lost by helping poor debtors. He would bless all they did and make their resources grow so much that they would not miss what they had released.

The Lord would bless them so greatly that they could lend to others, even to many nations (Deuteronomy 15:6). In that way, the nations would become dependent on them, just as Scripture says the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). Being able to lend, and not needing to borrow, is a mercy from God. That should move us to use what we have for good, so we do not provoke God to change our condition.

The next part of the law protects poor borrowers, so they would not suffer because of the release law. People might reason, “If a debt will be lost in the year of release, it is better not to lend at all.” God forbids that kind of thinking. He assumes there will always be poor people who need help (Deuteronomy 15:7, 11). Not all will be in desperate poverty, but many will still need to borrow. So there will always be room for charity.

In such cases, they were told to lend or give according to their ability and the need before them. They were not to harden their hearts or shut their hands (Deuteronomy 15:7). A closed hand often shows a hardened heart. If the heart is full of compassion, generous giving will follow. They were not just to reach out a little, but to open their hand wide and lend enough to meet the need (Deuteronomy 15:8). Sometimes careful lending is itself a form of charity, because it encourages industry and honesty and may help the poor person get back on his feet.

They were also warned not to let the coming release year keep them from helping (Deuteronomy 15:9). They must not entertain a greedy, mean-spirited thought in their heart: “The release year is near, so I will not lend, because I may lose it.” If they refused help to a poor brother, that brother could cry out to God, and it would become sin against the lender. The law reaches the heart, not just outward actions. God sees thoughts as well as deeds.

A heart that twists God’s good law into an excuse for selfishness is a wicked heart. These people were tempted to refuse the charity of lending because God required the charity of forgiving debts. We must guard against every secret thought that pulls us away from duty or weakens us in doing it. Anyone who wants to avoid sinful actions must also keep sinful thoughts out of the mind.

When we have a chance to lend in love, and we cannot fully trust the borrower, we must trust God instead. We should lend with no hope of getting anything back in this life, but with the hope that God will repay us in the resurrection of the just (Luke 6:35; Luke 14:14).

It is a serious thing to have the poor cry out against us, because God hears that cry. In his compassion for them, he will settle accounts with those who treat them badly. What we often call prudence may turn out to be sin. The man who refused to lend because the year of release was near thought he was acting wisely, and that people would praise him for looking after himself (Psalm 49:18). But God says he acted wickedly and wronged his brother. We can be sure that God judges with complete truth, and what he calls sin will surely bring ruin unless it is repented of.

Here is also a command to give with a willing heart: “Your heart shall not be grieved when you give” (Deuteronomy 15:10). Do not be reluctant to part with your money for such a good purpose, and do not think it is wasted. Do not resent doing a kindness for your brother, and do not distrust God’s care, as if you would lose what you give to charity. Instead, let it give you joy to know that you are honoring God with what you have, helping another person, and storing up a good reward for the future. Give freely, because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).

There is also a promise of blessing in this life: “For this thing the Lord your God shall bless you.” Covetous people say that giving ruins them, but cheerful charity does the opposite. It fills the barns with plenty (Proverbs 3:10) and fills the soul with true comfort (Isaiah 58:10, 11).