Right Legal Basis
The right basis of law must include one of Jesus’ two Great Commandments.
“... you must love your neighbor as yourself …” (Leviticus 19:18 CEB)
Opposite to love of neighbor is greed. It plagues our world. Selfish societies self-destruct and the result is unstable economies and market crashes. Venice is a case study. Once an affluent, open market, greed destroyed its economy.
The wealthy claim that too many people are dependent upon the government for help, when it is they who have often been dependent upon the government for unfair tax breaks and government bailouts. Just like in Venice, today’s greed is destroying the economic system and the very freedom that gave the rich their wealth. The answer lies in Jesus’ command to love thy neighbor. Righteous capitalism uses as a business model the love of God and neighbor.
This law of love is expounded throughout the books of Moses with practical examples. Sadly, the law is held in low esteem by some Christians, because they don’t understand what God taught us through Paul.
“So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Romans 7:12 ESV)
If the law was so good, why did God need a new covenant? What was the trouble? Paul explains using himself as an example.
“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.” (Romans 7:14 NLT)
The law was perfect, but we are not. Where was the fault with the first covenant?
“For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people …” (Hebrews 8:7-8 NIV)
Yet, the law is so much better at loving our neighbor in practice than any legislation anywhere in today’s world. The basis was equal distribution and private ownership of the land, without the extremes of capitalist monopolies or communist communes. The sabbatical year and Jubilee were an economic reset every seven and fifty years to perpetuate equality of private ownership.
Sabbatical Year
Leviticus teaches us about the seventh year, the Sabbatical year.
“... during the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath year of complete rest… But you may eat whatever the land produces on its own during its Sabbath…” (Leviticus 25:1-7 NLT)
Would God provide enough food for that seventh year?
“I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years.” (Leviticus 25:21 ESV)
In a crop rotation system such as the three field system of the Middle Ages, one field was laid fallow on a rotating basis. This gave no year of rest for the landowner, but created continual work. In the sabbatical year, there would be extra time for family, repair projects and most importantly, rededication to God’s word (Deuteronomy 31:10-11).
Jubilee Year
Leviticus 25 also teaches us about the Jubilee Year. Like the seventh year, it too was a year of release. Agricultural land leased out was released back to its owners. Slaves to debt were released from their liabilities. This is greater freedom than exists anywhere in today’s world.
“So you shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.” (Leviticus 25:10 NASB)
This is a market correction from outside the market, stopping corporate land grabbers and monopolies from cheating future generations out of their land, and strengthening private ownership of small farms.
“You must not cheat each other but fear your God because I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 25:17 CEB)
This is a picture of our eternity, when all wrongs are made right and we are freed from the oppression of greed.
Wealthy western democracies believe in the theory of a free market, but in practice cannot have completely free markets for two reasons. 1) An unregulated market would be a Wild West experience with no protections, and 2) too many laws exist to protect the big players from true free-market competition from small businesses. Large corporations often lobby for laws which are in reality a protection racket for them and only hurt small businesses. The equal distribution of land among the tribes of Israel ensured a level playing field, true equality of opportunity.
In the Jubilee, if a family had become poor due to ill health, foolishness, war or calamity, the family farm was able to be restored.
“... It will be returned in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.” (Leviticus 25:28 NIV)
The greatness of a nation is not measured by military might, or national wealth, but by how it treats its poor. The Jubilee guarantees some of the justice that Isaiah described.
“...loose the bonds of wickedness… undo the heavy burdens… let the oppressed go free… break every yoke… share your bread with the hungry… bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him… Then your light shall break forth like the morning…” (Isaiah 58:6-8 NKJV).
Albino Barrera wrote that, “ancestral land served the practical value of enabling every household to maintain its freedom and independence by providing for itself.”
The Jubilee proclaimed liberty in returning to the family inheritance, freedom from debt slavery, and a rest from farming every seventh year. This is not redistribution of land in any socialist or communist sense. It was already distributed fairly into private hands across Israel. Land could be leased up to fifty years and people could sell their labor in debt slavery as indentured servants, but debts were all reset to zero in the Jubilee.
The Jubilee is not the equivalent of modern discussions regarding income equality. It would be more accurate to call it asset equality or equality of opportunity. Income would depend on a number of factors such as work ethic, health, ability, peace, freedom from crime and so on. Jubilee symbolizes setting free from the bondage of sin and practical love of neighbor.
The Catholic Encyclopedia also gives several advantages of the Jubilee Year, such as preventing the few accumulating and hurting the rest; nobody need be born poor, since everyone had hereditary land; preventing the rich bullying the poor; an end of debt slavery; fresh opportunities to begin life again; preventing the scourge of class bigotry, and preserving society.
A greedy world would not want such a perfect law today. Most of the powerful would simply refuse this love of neighbor in practice, and so no similar law will likely be legislated until Jesus returns. Yet, the Jubilee would bless any nation with justice, freedom and economic fairness. It pictures our wonderful eternal inheritance, an estate that nobody will ever take away from us.
“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2 HCSB)
God metaphorically prophesies private ownership for eternity.
“Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken.” (Micah 4:4 NIV)
What is the real difference between the greedy western CEO and the communist party plutocrat? Is there really a difference between working for a state run commune versus a private corporate farm? Indeed the powerful have deceived us into thinking that the enemy of our economic freedoms has been elsewhere. But the enemy is greed and it is everywhere.
Can you imagine how wonderful heaven’s rest from this crazy world will be? It will be like a Jubilee, release from a world of oppression. Based upon love of neighbor, the kingdom of heaven will include a fair distribution of eternal assets. In the meantime, how can we show true love to our neighbor now? You decide!
