God Provides!
Psalm 57:1-6
Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.
4 I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They spread a net for my feet —
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Leviticus 25:18-55
18 “‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19 Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20 You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?” 21 I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22 While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in. 23 “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.25 “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold. 26 If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, 27 they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property. 28 But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.29 “‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it. 30 If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer’s descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee. 31 But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee. 32 “‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess. 33 So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. 34 But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
Mark 8:14-21
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”“Twelve,” they replied.20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”They answered, “Seven.”21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Reflections: The theme of today’s readings is “God’s Provision”. In the psalm David talks about the Lord’s provision as he is chased down by his enemies, even his so called “friends”. David asks for God to have mercy on him and he rests in the shadow of God’s wings. A great metaphor for understanding how God is surrounding and protecting us like a mother hen protecting her flock.
Then we see the principle of Jubilee and Sabbath with the Israelites as they enter the Promised Land. Every 7th year they are to leave the ground fallow and God promises to provide a bumper crop so big in the 6th year that it will feed the people for three years. And then there are multiple provisions for the re-distribution of land so that those who fall on hard times will not be left on the streets. There is also provision for those who live in walled cities. For further explanation of this see John Anderson’s paper on “A Biblical and Economic Analysis of Jubilee Property Provisions”
“What accounts for the different treatment of the land allocated to non-
Levitical tribes and the houses in walled Levitical cities? It would appear
that the material difference is the ability of the land to produce crops to
feed the people. God protects the productive capability of the land with
strictures against family loss of the productive asset, but he permits sale
and purchase of non-food producing assets in walled Levitical cities. But,
why is the land not sold in perpetuity, while houses in walled cities can be
bought and sold in perpetuity? Wenham (1979) speculates that the reason
houses in town were not subject to Jubilee release is that, “…perhaps
because even in those days redevelopment was fairly rapid in towns.”
Houses in Levitical cities were treated differently, however. Since the
Levites were not allocated any land, their ownership of houses in cities is
given special treatment. If they had been permitted to sell off their houses,
with no guarantee of redemption in the next Jubilee year, then they could
have been deprived of their homes altogether. The law in Leviticus 25:32–
34 assures them ownership of their homes.”
For the full pdf see this link: http://www.gordon.edu/ace/pdf/andersonf05f&e46.pdf
The bottom line is these provisions protected the Israelites from a centralization of wealth in the form of land, the most precious resource to provide a living. And it mitigated against families being scattered and kept them centralized and the focal point of communal life. I’m sure there are many benefits we could find from applying these biblical principles today.
Finally, in our gospel, the writer shows us how the disciples could sometimes be slow to get what Jesus was really trying to teach them. When he brings in a new teaching about the yeast of the Pharisees, they are stuck still on understanding how Jesus fed the 4,000 and 5,000. They were still so caught up on how Jesus did it, that they missed the larger point of how God provides and there were even leftovers (similar to the 3 years bumper crop in Leviticus!). Isn’t it amazing that God’s Word is so consistent and the Old Testament are so aligned in terms of our relationship with God and how we can learn to trust in God!
Where do you need to trust in God for provision in your life? Where do you need to let go of production and allow God to bring the bumper crop? Where can your family reach out and be a buffer for someone who is struggling on hard times? With the many short sales and bankruptcies lots of families are looking to have a place to re-locate. As the people of God we need to have God’s heart to provide a home for those who have fallen on hard times!
I keep the Lord always before me. Psalm 16:8
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 2 Corinthians 5:9
Lord Jesus, so many things call us and tempt us. So many things want to be lord and center of our lives. Wherever we are today, at home or away, whatever choices we face, give us the wisdom and courage to be faithful to you. Amen.
Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.
4 I am in the midst of lions;
I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
6 They spread a net for my feet —
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Leviticus 25:18-55
18 “‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19 Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20 You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?” 21 I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22 While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in. 23 “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.25 “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold. 26 If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, 27 they are to determine the value for the years since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property. 28 But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.29 “‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it. 30 If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer’s descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee. 31 But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee. 32 “‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess. 33 So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. 34 But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
Mark 8:14-21
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”“Twelve,” they replied.20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”They answered, “Seven.”21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
Reflections: The theme of today’s readings is “God’s Provision”. In the psalm David talks about the Lord’s provision as he is chased down by his enemies, even his so called “friends”. David asks for God to have mercy on him and he rests in the shadow of God’s wings. A great metaphor for understanding how God is surrounding and protecting us like a mother hen protecting her flock.
Then we see the principle of Jubilee and Sabbath with the Israelites as they enter the Promised Land. Every 7th year they are to leave the ground fallow and God promises to provide a bumper crop so big in the 6th year that it will feed the people for three years. And then there are multiple provisions for the re-distribution of land so that those who fall on hard times will not be left on the streets. There is also provision for those who live in walled cities. For further explanation of this see John Anderson’s paper on “A Biblical and Economic Analysis of Jubilee Property Provisions”
“What accounts for the different treatment of the land allocated to non-
Levitical tribes and the houses in walled Levitical cities? It would appear
that the material difference is the ability of the land to produce crops to
feed the people. God protects the productive capability of the land with
strictures against family loss of the productive asset, but he permits sale
and purchase of non-food producing assets in walled Levitical cities. But,
why is the land not sold in perpetuity, while houses in walled cities can be
bought and sold in perpetuity? Wenham (1979) speculates that the reason
houses in town were not subject to Jubilee release is that, “…perhaps
because even in those days redevelopment was fairly rapid in towns.”
Houses in Levitical cities were treated differently, however. Since the
Levites were not allocated any land, their ownership of houses in cities is
given special treatment. If they had been permitted to sell off their houses,
with no guarantee of redemption in the next Jubilee year, then they could
have been deprived of their homes altogether. The law in Leviticus 25:32–
34 assures them ownership of their homes.”
For the full pdf see this link: http://www.gordon.edu/ace/pdf/andersonf05f&e46.pdf
The bottom line is these provisions protected the Israelites from a centralization of wealth in the form of land, the most precious resource to provide a living. And it mitigated against families being scattered and kept them centralized and the focal point of communal life. I’m sure there are many benefits we could find from applying these biblical principles today.
Finally, in our gospel, the writer shows us how the disciples could sometimes be slow to get what Jesus was really trying to teach them. When he brings in a new teaching about the yeast of the Pharisees, they are stuck still on understanding how Jesus fed the 4,000 and 5,000. They were still so caught up on how Jesus did it, that they missed the larger point of how God provides and there were even leftovers (similar to the 3 years bumper crop in Leviticus!). Isn’t it amazing that God’s Word is so consistent and the Old Testament are so aligned in terms of our relationship with God and how we can learn to trust in God!
Where do you need to trust in God for provision in your life? Where do you need to let go of production and allow God to bring the bumper crop? Where can your family reach out and be a buffer for someone who is struggling on hard times? With the many short sales and bankruptcies lots of families are looking to have a place to re-locate. As the people of God we need to have God’s heart to provide a home for those who have fallen on hard times!
I keep the Lord always before me. Psalm 16:8
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 2 Corinthians 5:9
Lord Jesus, so many things call us and tempt us. So many things want to be lord and center of our lives. Wherever we are today, at home or away, whatever choices we face, give us the wisdom and courage to be faithful to you. Amen.
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