Deuteronomy envisioned Israel's future circumstances after they acquired Canaan as their homeland. In future generations, what explanation should parents give their children when asked, "Why do we do this?" Some answers were inappropriate. Parents were not to answer, "Because God found us deserving." Chapter 7:6-8 made it clear God's love was not based on their deservedness. Nor should parents say, "God gave us this land because of our superior righteousness." Chapter 9:4-6 clearly state God's love was not based on a superior personal or national righteousness.

It is not the fact that change occurs that makes "today" so different from the past. It is the fact that change occurs so fast. We should be able to identify well with the problem presented by Deuteronomy to Israel. In multiple ways, the question continues to be asked: "Why do we do this?" That is a valid question. The "because we always did it this way" answer is not a valid answer. Nor was it several thousand years ago.

How were future generations to answer children's questions about why? What explanation were they to give for obedience? Chapter 6:20-25 state the foundation for future explanations. The question: "What is the meaning of what we do?" or, "Why do we do this?"

In future generations, Israelites were to explain to their children there were reasons for doing what they did. There was a reason for loving God deeply and dearly. There was a reason for obeying God. The reason for their obedient love for God rested in God's love for them. God did wonderful things for Israel when He redeemed them from Egypt. Their children must understand what God did.

The answer stood on basic understandings. These understandings formed their answer's foundation. (1) "We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt." (2) "God's mighty hand delivered us from slavery by performing signs and wonders that everyone witnessed." (3) "God delivered us from slavery to keep a promise He made to our ancestors." (4) "The God Who delivered us commanded us to do these things because (a) they are always for our good and (b) they assure our survival."

Future Israel's children would be able to understand the "why" only if they knew about God's deeds. Only by understanding God's promises and God's rescue could they understand the genuine substance that answered "why." Explaining "why" had to begin with this realization: "We exist because of what He did."

With those understandings as a foundation, this was the answer: "Observing these commands allow us to be righteous before our God Who delivered us." Righteous? Was their righteousness based on their deservedness? Did their obedience to God's commands and statutes earn His love and favor? Did they obey to place God in their debt? Is that the concept of righteousness? No.

The valid answer to "why" was not based on Israel's deservedness or on Israel's achievements through obedience. Proper answers for "why" were based on what God did for Israel, not on what Israel did for God.

By obeying God's commands they maintained relationship with the God of covenant. They verified their desire to continue in a covenant with God by obeying His commands. Desire was essential if they were to continue in God's covenant. Obedience declared their desire.

Their obedience expressed love's appreciation and desire. Israel was to obey God because they wanted to, not because they had to.

Consider chapter 24:10-13. An Israelite made a loan to a poor Israelite. The poor borrower had only his outer garment to use as collateral [security] for the loan. The Israelite who held the poor Israelite's garment as security must return the garment to the poor man each evening. The poor man was to sleep warmed by his garment. Why? "...it will be righteousness for you before the Lord your God." [Also see Daniel 4:27.]

Generations later a prosperous Israelite would be kind and helpful to a disadvantaged Israelite. "Why?" The prosperous Israelite knew what God did for his ancestors who lived in slavery. The righteous God produced a righteous people who lived by standards of righteous conduct.

Deuteronomy stressed to Israel that dedication to God changed the way they treated people. Godly character and integrity were based on Israel's surrender to God. Godly character and integrity were expressed in their treatment of others. An Israelite's treatment of a poor Israelite is an example. Read Deuteronomy 15.

Remembering the way God treated Israel changed the way Israelites treated each other. Godly character and integrity are rooted in remembering God's acts. Because God cared, the Israelite cared.

1. How often should an Israelite forgive another Israelite of his debts? (verses 1-3)

   At the end of every seven years Israelites were to forgive Israelites of their debts.

2. What was the idealistic objective of this command? (verse 4)

   The idealistic objective was to eliminate poverty among Israelites.

3. Did Deuteronomy envision a time when there would be no poor Israelites? (verse 11)

   Deuteronomy did NOT envision an age without poverty.

4. Describe the quality of help to be given to a poor Israelite. (verses 7,8)

   They were to be generous with the poor offering them assistance freely.

5. Describe an Israelite's motive when he helped a poor Israelite. (verses 9,10)

   God was generously providing the one who helped with an abundance. If God was kind and generous in helping him, he should be kind and generous in helping others in need. When generosity was extended to an Israelite in need, the generous Israelite would receive generosity from God.

6. State two reasons for an Israelite helping a poor Israelite. (verses 9,10)

   Reason one: "If I do not, the one in need will cry out to God against me, and it will be a sin in me."

   Reason two: "If I help those in need, God will bless me." This was not to be a self-serving "deal with God." It was based on the awareness that "my love for God expresses itself in helping others."

7. Verses 12-17 were instructions given regarding indentured Israelite servants. A poor Israelite could serve an Israelite master as a indentured servant. [An indentured servant worked as a servant for a specific period of time. After that period, he or she must be freed.] An Israelite servant must be released by an Israelite master after no more than six years of service. Only if the Israelite servant chose to remain a servant to his or her Israelite master could he or she remain. The choice came from the servant's appreciation of his or her Israelite master, not of necessity.
   1. If the servant left, discuss what he or she was to take with him or her (verses 13,14).

      He was to leave with liberal gifts from the master's livestock, grain, and wine. The master's prosperity determined the gifts given to the departing servant.

   2. Why would a departing Israelite servant leave with generous gifts? (verse 15)

      The Israelite master was to remember that his ancestors were slaves in Egypt and had been redeemed by God. Though not stated in this context, Israel left Egypt with generous gifts from the Egyptian people (see Exodus 3:21, 22 and 12:35, 36).

   3. When an Israelite servant chose not to be freed, how was his or her choice to become a permanent servant indicated? (verses 16,17)

      The Israelite master was to pierce the ear of the Israelite servant by driving an awl through the servant's ear into the master's door.

Please note the connection between the manner that an Israelite related to God and the manner he related to an Israelite servant. Why observe these practices? Such treatment of servants certainly was not common.

The master came from slaves. God delivered his ancestors from slavery. God freed Israel. If he respected the God who freed Israel, he freed an Israelite servant. If he was unwilling to free and help an Israelite servant, he could not be righteous before the God who freed Israel from slavery. Character and integrity demanded that God's actions determine the Israelites' actions.

Note the connection between appreciation for what God had done and a personal willingness to do for others in need.

Link to Student Guide Lesson 3

Copyright © 2002
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

previous page | table of contents | next lesson