Seventh Year Deuteronomy 15 part 1

Deuteronomy 15:1 "At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release."

v2 "And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it: he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother: because it is called the Lord's release."

Our bankruptcy law seems to be patterned after this command in some ways. One difference is that in this command in Deuteronomy the release is made before someone has come to the end of their rope. In our law, a person (supposedly) has no other recourse but to declare bankruptcy to get creditors off their back.

In this chapter, we see a different way to give someone a fresh start. The person is released of all debts and there is no black list to put him on. He is free an clear to start live anew.

The only time Israel did not have to observe this 'clearing of the books' was when there was no poor among them. v4

You might think this would cause financial hardship for everyone but I think it was a help to the nation. It put those burdened with debt back into the productive group of the nation.

Not only were they to clear the books every seven years but they were to lend to their brothers without regret.

v8 "But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth."

v10 Thou shalt surely give him and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him, because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto."

It is not to hard a thing to command Israel because of the promise made by the Lord that he would bless everything they put their hand to. It would all come back to them. The Lord is well able to bless beyond what we give our neighbour.

Psalms 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."