Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 132

5. What provision did G.o.d make against slavery and oppression in Israel?

"And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then _in the seventh year thou shall let him go free_ from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, _thou shall not let him go away empty_: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine-press: of that wherewith the Lord thy G.o.d hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And _thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt_, and the Lord thy G.o.d redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing today."

Deut. 15:12-15. "_Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him_: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." Ex. 22:21. See 2 Cor. 1:3, 4.

6. What was one reason a.s.signed why Israel should keep the Sabbath?

"And _remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt_, and that the Lord thy G.o.d brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm: _therefore the Lord thy G.o.d commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day_." Deut. 5:15.

NOTE.-This would suggest the idea that in their servitude and oppression in Egypt they had had difficulty regarding the observance of the Sabbath, which is a fact. From the accusation brought against Moses and Aaron by Pharaoh, as recorded in Ex.

5:5,-"Ye make them _rest_ [Heb., _Shabbath_] from their burdens,"-it is plain that the Sabbath had been denied them, that they had been required to work on the Sabbath, and that Moses and Aaron were teaching them to keep it. Where individual rights and religious liberty are recognized, Sabbath observance is neither denied nor required by civil law.

7. What proclamation was to be made throughout the land of Israel every fifty years?

"And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and _proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof_: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family." Lev. 25:10.

8. Because Israel failed to do this, became oppressive, and disregarded and misused the Sabbath, what did G.o.d do?

"Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ye have not harkened unto Me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the _sword_, to the _pestilence_, and to the _famine_; and _I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth_." Jer. 34:17. See also Jer.

17:24-27; 2 Chron. 36:19-21.

9. What fault did G.o.d find with the way in which Israel came to celebrate her fasts and seasons of wors.h.i.+p?

"Behold; in the day of your fast ye _find pleasure_, and _exact __ all your labors_. Behold, ye fast for _strife_ and _debate_, and to _smite with the fist of wickedness_." Isa. 58:3, 4.

10. What does G.o.d set forth as the acceptable fast to Him?

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to _loose the bands of wickedness_, to _undo the heavy burdens_, and to _let the oppressed go free_, and that ye _break every yoke_? Is it not to _deal thy bread to the hungry_, and that thou _bring the poor that are cast out to thy house_?

when thou seest the naked, that thou _cover him_; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" Verses 6, 7.

NOTE.-All this shows that G.o.d loves liberty, and hates bondage and oppression.

11. What was Christ's mission to this world?

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me _to heal_ the broken-hearted, _to preach deliverance_ to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, _to set at liberty_ them that are bruised." Luke 4:18.

NOTE.-The Gospels show that a large part of Christ's time even on the Sabbath was devoted to relieving the oppressed and distressed.

12. In what condition are those who commit sin?

"Whosoever committeth sin is _the servant of sin_." John 8:34.

13. Why was Christ's name to be called Jesus?

"And thou shalt call His name Jesus: _for He shall save His people from their sins_." Matt. 1:21.

14. What lies at the root of all sin?

"When _l.u.s.t_ hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin." James 1:15. "I had not known _l.u.s.t_, except the law had said, Thou shalt not _covet_." Rom.

7:7.

NOTE.-l.u.s.t, covetousness, and unlawful desire are only different names for _selfishness_. Selfishness lies at the root of all sin; and selfishness is simply the love of self to the disregard of the equal rights of others.

15. By what scripture is the equality of rights clearly shown?

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor _as thyself_." Lev. 19:18.

16. What rule of conduct has Christ laid down in harmony with this command?

"Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them."

Matt. 7:12.

NOTE.-Selfishness, then, must be uprooted from men's hearts before they will recognize the equal rights of their fellow men.

17. Who alone can cleanse men's hearts from selfishness?

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. See also 1 John 1:9.

18. Who alone, then, can give men real freedom?

"If _the Son_ therefore shall make you free, ye shall be _free indeed_."

John 8:36.

19. What was Christ's att.i.tude toward unbelievers?

"If any man hear My words, and believe not, _I judge him not_: for I came not to _judge_ the world, but to _save_ the world." John 12:47.

20. What spirit did Christ say should control His disciples?

"But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise _lords.h.i.+p_ over them; and their great ones exercise _authority_ upon them. But _so shall it not be among you_: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your _minister_: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be _servant of all_. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." Mark 10:42-45.

21. What is present where the Spirit of the Lord is?

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is _liberty_." 2 Cor. 3:17.

22. What kind of wors.h.i.+p only is acceptable to G.o.d?

"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true wors.h.i.+pers shall wors.h.i.+p the Father _in spirit and in truth_: for the Father seeketh such to wors.h.i.+p Him. G.o.d is a Spirit: and they that wors.h.i.+p Him must wors.h.i.+p Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23, 24.