After Pentecost Devotional - Day 39

“Go to the place where Yahweh chooses to be worshiped and celebrate the Harvest Festival in honor of Yahweh your God. Bring him an offering as large as you can afford, depending on how big a harvest he has given you. Be sure to take along your sons and daughters and all your servants. Also invite the poor, including Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows.” Deuteronomy 16:10-11

Often while reading texts like this, we gloss over the fact that it was not written to the rank and file of Israel. It was written for those who owned land. It was written for those who controlled wealth production. It was written for those who had control over the economic resources of the land and were therefore responsible to Yahweh for how they utilized those same resources for the benefit of all.

These were not the wealthy in the manner we generally use the term. We are not talking about owners of million-acre tracts of grazing land, corporate production of crops as far as the eye can see, or otherwise super wealthy. Rather, these were those with control over the agricultural production in Israel, wealthy because they owned a means of economic production. They owned or controlled a handful of acres. They employed others to work the crops. When the harvest came in, theirs was the largest benefit.

The poor, servants, widows, orphans, Levites, and foreigners depended on the generosity of the landholders for survival. Deuteronomy, however, did not leave the definitions of generosity in their hands. It placed requirements upon them to remember their responsibilities toward all those around them who did not have the same access to economic production. In this text, it tells them to bring as much as they can afford to share at the festival. They were the hosts of the festival, expected to bring enough for all to participate freely in Yahweh's abundant provision.

This festival was to be a central part of worshipping Yahweh. This service was tied into the sharing of agricultural production with all members of the society. Those hosting were to bring their entire families, along with all of their servants and slaves. On top of that, the poor, widows, orphans, sick, Levites, immigrants, and anyone else were to be invited to participate freely in the celebration of the harvest.

This was programmed generosity. This was a mandate that the entire population have access to the economic bounty provided by Yahweh. This one festival was to be celebrated in addition to the other required tithes, offerings, feasts, and festivals. It was part of a larger whole in which care for one another was demanded by Yahweh.

No one was to be excluded from these celebrations. No excuses were allowed for keeping people at bay from a share of Yahweh's provision. Instead, Deuteronomy requires that the underclasses all be granted full participation. They would not participate in relation to their labor or investment in the bounty, but in relation to their needs as human beings under the watchful care of Yahweh. Yahweh, the God who provides for all, requires that we likewise participate in providing for all, no exceptions or excuses.

Does your generosity obey the parameters of God's grace, bounty, and love? Take a moment to consider what changes God might request in terms of your generosity.


"Lord, help me to see where the boundlessness of your grace would take me."


—©Copyright 2016, Christopher B. Harbin
http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/ 
My latest books can be found here on amazon

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