patriarchs and prophets-第123节

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then　thou　shalt　relieve　him：　yea；　though　he　be　a　stranger；　or　a　sojourner；
that　he　may　live　with　thee。　Take　thou　no　usury　of　him；　or　increase：　but　fear
thy　God；　that　thy　brother　may　live　with　thee。　Thou　shalt　not　give　him　thy
money　upon　usury；　nor　lend　him　thy　victuals　for　increase。〃　Leviticus
25：35…37。　If　the　debt　remained　unpaid

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until　the　year　of　release；　the　principal　itself　could　not　be　recovered。　The
people　were　expressly　warned　against　withholding　from　their　brethren　needed
assistance　on　account　of　this：　〃If　there　be　among　you　a　poor　man　of　one　of
thy　brethren；　。　。　。　thou　shalt　not　harden　thine　heart；　nor　shut　thine　hand
from　thy　poor　brother。　。　。　。　Beware　that　there　be　not　a　thought　in　thy
wicked　heart；　saying；　The　seventh　year；　the　year　of　release；　is　at　hand；　and
thine　eye　be　evil　against　thy　poor　brother；　and　thou　givest　him　nought；　and
he　cry　unto　the　Lord　against　thee；　and　it　be　sin　unto　thee。〃　〃The　poor　shall
never　cease　out　of　the　land；　therefore　I　command　thee；　saying；　Thou　shalt
open　thine　hand　wide　unto　thy　brother；　to　thy　poor；　and　to　thy　needy；　in　thy
land；〃　〃and　shalt　surely　lend　him　sufficient　for　his　need；　in　that　which　he
wanteth。〃　Deuteronomy　15：7…9；　11；　8。

None　need　fear　that　their　liberality　would　bring　them　to　want。　Obedience　to
God's　commandments　would　surely　result　in　prosperity。　〃Thou　shalt　lend　unto
many　nations；〃　He　said；　〃but　thou　shalt　not　borrow；　and　thou　shalt　reign
over　many　nations；　but　they　shall　not　reign　over　thee。〃　Deuteronomy　15：6。

After　〃seven　sabbaths　of　years；〃　〃seven　times　seven　years；〃　came　that　great
year　of　releasethe　jubilee。　〃Then　shalt　thou　cause　the　trumpet　of　the
jubilee　to　sound　。　。　。　throughout　all　your　land。　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。〃　Leviticus　25：9；　10。

〃On　the　tenth　day　of　the　seventh　month；　in　the　Day　of　Atonement；〃　the
trumpet　of　the　jubilee　was　sounded。　Throughout　the　land；　wherever　the　Jewish
people　dwelt；　the　sound　was　heard；　calling　upon　all　the　children　of　Jacob　to
welcome　the　year　of　release。　On　the　great　Day　of　Atonement　satisfaction　was
made　for　the　sins　of　Israel；　and　with　gladness　of　heart　the　people　would
welcome　the　jubilee。

As　in　the　sabbatical　year；　the　land　was　not　to　be　sown　or　reaped；　and　all
that　it　produced　was　to　be　regarded　as　the　rightful　property　of　the　poor。
Certain　classes　of　Hebrew　slavesall　who　did　not　receive　their　liberty　in
the　sabbatical　yearwere　now　set　free。　But　that　which　especially
distinguished　the　year　of　jubilee　was　the　reversion　of　all　landed　property
to　the　family　of

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the　original　possessor。　By　the　special　direction　of　God　the　land　had　been
divided　by　lot。　After　the　division　was　made　no　one　was　at　liberty　to　trade
his　estate。　Neither　was　he　to　sell　his　land　unless　poverty　compelled　him　to
do　so；　and　then；　whenever　he　or　any　of　his　kindred　might　desire　to　redeem
it；　the　purchaser　must　not　refuse　to　sell　it；　and　if　unredeemed；　it　would
revert　to　its　first　possessor　or　his　heirs　in　the　year　of　jubilee。

The　Lord　declared　to　Israel：　〃The　land　shall　not　be　sold　forever：　for　the
land　is　Mine；　for　ye　are　strangers　and　sojourners　with　Me。〃　Leviticus　25：23。
The　people　were　to　be　impressed　with　the　fact　that　it　was　God's　land　which
they　were　permitted　to　possess　for　a　time；　that　He　was　the　rightful　owner；
the　original　proprietor；　and　that　He　would　have　special　consideration　made
for　the　poor　and　unfortunate。　It　was　to　be　impressed　upon　the　minds　of　all
that　the　poor　have　as　much　right　to　a　place　in　God's　world　as　have　the　more
wealthy。

Such　were　the　provisions　made　by　our　merciful　Creator；　to　lessen　suffering；
to　bring　some　ray　of　hope；　to　flash　some　gleam　of　sunshine；　into　the　life　of
the　destitute　and　distressed。

The　Lord　would　place　a　check　upon　the　inordinate　love　of　property　and　power。
Great　evils　would　result　from　the　continued　accumulation　of　wealth　by　one
class；　and　the　poverty　and　degradation　of　another。　Without　some　restraint
the　power　of　the　wealthy　would　become　a　monopoly；　and　the　poor；　though　in
every　respect　fully　as　worthy　in　God's　sight；　would　be　regarded　and　treated
as　inferior　to　their　more　prosperous　brethren。　The　sense　of　this　oppression
would　arouse　the　passions　of　the　poorer　class。　There　would　be　a　feeling　of
despair　and　desperation　which　would　tend　to　demoralize　society　and　open　the
door　to　crimes　of　every　description。　The　regulations　that　God　established
were　designed　to　promote　social　equality。　The　provisions　of　the　sabbatical
year　and　the　jubilee　would；　in　a　great　measure；　set　right　that　which　during
the　interval　had　gone　wrong　in　the　social　and　political　economy　of　the
nation。

These　regulations　were　designed　to　bless　the　rich　no　less　than　the　poor。
They　would　restrain　avarice　and　a　disposition　for　self…exaltation；　and　would
cultivate　a　noble　spirit　of　benevolence；　and　by　fostering　good　will　and
confidence　between　all　classes；　they　would　promote　social　order；　the
stability　of　government。　We　are　all　woven　together　in　the　great　web　of
humanity；

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and　whatever　we　can　do　to　benefit　and　uplift　others　will　reflect　in　blessing
upon　ourselves。　The　law　of　mutual　dependence　runs　through　all　classes　of
society。　The　poor　are　not　more　dependent　upon　the　rich　than　are　the　rich
upon　the　poor。　While　the　one　class　ask　a　share　in　the　blessings　which　God
has　bestowed　upon　their　wealthier　neighbors；　the　other　need　the　faithful
service；　the　strength　of　brain　and　bone　and　muscle；　that　are　the　capital　of
the　poor。

Great　blessings　were　promised　to　Israel　on　condition　of　obedience　to　the
Lord's　directions。　〃I　will　give　you　rain　in　due　season；〃　He　declared；　〃and
the　land　shall　yield　her　increase；　and　the　trees　of　the　field　shall　yield
their　fruit。　And　your　threshing　shall　reach　unto　the　vintage；　and　the
vintage　shall　reach　unto　the　sowing　time：　and　ye　shall　eat　your　bread　to　the
full；　and　dwell　in　your　land　safely。　And　I　will　give　peace　in　the　land；　and
ye　shall　lie　down；　and　none　shall　make　you　afraid：　and　I　will　rid　evil
beasts　out　of　the　land；　neither　shall　the　sword　go　through　your　land。　。　。　。
I　will　walk　among　you；　and　will　be　your　God；　and　ye　shall　be　My　people。　。　。
。　But　if　ye　will　not　hearken　unto　Me；　and　will　not　do　all　these
commandments；　and　。　。　。　ye　break　My　covenant：　。　。　。　ye　shall　sow　your　seed
in　vain；　for　your　enemies　shall　eat　it。　And　I　will　set　My　face　against　you；
and　ye　shall　be　slain　before　your　enemies：　they　that　hate　you　shall　reign
over　you；　and　ye　shall　flee　when　none　pursueth　you。〃　Leviticus　26：
4…17。

There　are　many　who　urge　with　great　enthusiasm　that　all　men　should　have　an
equal　share　in　the　temporal　blessings　of　God。　But　this　was　not　the　purpose
of　the　Creator。　A　diversity　of　condition　is　one　of　the　means　by　which　God
designs　to　prove　and　develop　character。　Yet　He　intends　that　those　who　have
worldly　possessions　shall　regard　themselves　merely　as　stewards　of　His　goods；
as　entrusted　with　means　to　be　employed　for　the　benefit　of　the　suffering　and
the　needy。

Christ　has　said　that　we　shall　have　the　poor　always　with　us；　and　He　unites
His　interest　with　that　of　His　suffering　people。　The　heart　of　our　Redeemer
sympathizes　with　the　poorest　and　lowliest　of　His　earthly　children。　He　tells
us　that　they　are　His　representatives　on　earth。　He　has　placed　them　among　us
to　awaken　in　our　hearts　the　love　that　He　feels　toward　the　suffering　and
oppressed。　Pity　and　benevolence　shown　to　them　are　accepted　by

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Christ　as　if　shown　to　Himself。　An　act　of　cruelty　or　neglect　toward　them　is
regarded　as　though　done　to　Him。

If　the　law　given　by　God　for　the　benefit　of　the　poor　had　continued　to　be
carried　out；　how　different　would　be　the　present　condition　of　the　world；
morally；　spiritually；　and　temporally！　Selfishness　and　self…importance　would
not　be　manifested　as　now；　but　each　would　cherish　a　kind　regard　for　the
happiness　and　welfare　of　others；　and　such　widespread　destitution　as　is　now
seen　in　many　lands　would　not　exist。

The　principles　which　God　has　enjoined；　would　prevent　the　terrible　evils　that
in　all　ages　have　resulted　from　the　oppression　of　the　rich　toward　the　poor
and　the　suspicion　and　hatred　of　the　poor　toward　the　rich。　While　they　might
hinder　the　amassing　of　great　wealth　and　the　indulgence　of　unbounded　luxury；
they　would　prevent　the　consequent　ignorance　and　degradation　of　tens　of
thousands　whose　ill…paid　servitude　is　required　to　build　up　these　colossal
fortunes。　They　would　bring　a　peaceful　solution　of　those　problems　that　now
threaten　to　fill　the　world　with　anarchy　and　bloodshed。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（537）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　52

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Annual　Feasts


There　were　three　annual　assemblies　of　all　Israel　for　worship　at　the
sanctuary。　Exodus　23：14…16。　Shiloh　was　for　a　time　the　place　of　these
gatherings；　but　Jerusalem　a