Key Thought: Israel was by their kind treatment of the marginalized to be a powerful witness to their God and of their faith.
October 30, 2021

1. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 10:1-11..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What here shows that God forgave their sins and reaffirmed His covenant promise?
3. Personal Application: As you look at you response to the Bible standards and the Spirit of Prophecy writings on Christian living and behavior, do you consider your self coicrcumcised in the heart oir stiff necked? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “What is the meaning of the images God uses here in circumcision, the heart, and the stiff-necked?” How would you respond to your friend?

2. Have a volunteer read Psalm 146:5-10..

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is God saying here and what does it mean to us as Christians today?
3. Personal Application: Are we guilty of oppressing people, treating others badly, not giving or fighting for justice? Can we be guilty by not being involved? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “I don’t see how God is protecting the weak, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick or freeing the oppressed. It looks like all these things are just getting worse all over the world.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 1:16; 16:19; 24:17..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What does it mean not to pervert justice or judgment for the stranger, fatherless, widow, or poor?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever experienced what you perceived as injustice because of who you are? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “I think all Christians should be actively involved in promoting and insuring human rights, not only here, but in every country. The rights of women, gays, illegal immigrants, prisoners, all the oppressed should be supported.“ How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 24:10-15.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What does this tell us about borrowing and lending and helping the poor?
3. Personal Application: Are people today more concerned with money and things rather than with people? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

Amen!(1)

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Read Deuteronomy 24:10-15. What important principles are being expressed here regarding how we are to treat those who are under our control?

Again, we see the Lord’s concern for basic human dignity. Yes, someone owes you something, and it’s time to collect — but show the person a bit of respect, a bit of dignity, will you? Don’t go barging into his place and demand it. Instead, wait outside and let him come and give it to you.  Deuteronomy 24.12-13 seem to say that if some poor soul gave you his garment as “collateral,” you need at least to let him sleep in it overnight. The other verses deal with how one treats the poor who work for him or her, who can be so easily oppressed.

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

Don’t oppress them, because in the eyes of God it is a sin, and surely a grievous one too. Again, if Israel were to be a witness, a holy people walking in truth amid a world steeped in error, idolatry, evil, and sin, surely they would have to be kind to the weakest and most marginalized among them. Otherwise, their witness would be nothing.

Read James 1:27-2:11. What is James saying here that reflects what the Lord was telling His people in Deuteronomy? What significance is there in the fact that in these verses James links mistreatment of the poor with the Ten Commandments?

Though nothing in the Ten Commandments themselves directly relates to showing partiality to the rich over the poor, sternly adhering to the letter of the law while at the same time mistreating the poor or needy makes a mockery of one’s profession of faith and any claim to keep the commandments. Loving your neighbor as yourself is the highest expression of God’s law — and this is present truth now as much as it was in the time of James, and as it was when Moses spoke to Israel on the borders of the Holy Land.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

Amen!(0)

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