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Help for the Unemployed and the Homeless
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When able to redeem the land, the original owner was at liberty at
any time to do so. Debts were forgiven every seventh year, and in
the fiftieth, or year of jubilee, all landed property reverted to the
original owner.
“‘The land shall not be sold permanently,’” was the Lord’s di-
rection, “‘for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners
with Me. And in all the land of your possession you shall grant
redemption of the land. If one of your brethren becomes poor, and
has sold some of his possession, and if his kinsman-redeemer comes
to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold. Or if the
man ... himself becomes able to redeem it, ... he may return to his
possession. But if he is not able to have it restored to himself, then
what was sold shall remain in the hand of him who bought it until
the Year of Jubilee.’”
Leviticus 25:23-28
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“‘You shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty
throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for
you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you
shall return to his family.’”
Verse 10
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Thus every family was secured in its possession, and a safeguard
was afforded against the extremes of either wealth or poverty.
Industrial Training
In Israel, industrial training was regarded as a duty. Every father
was required to teach his sons some useful trade. The greatest men in
Israel were trained to industrial pursuits. A knowledge of the duties
pertaining to housewifery was considered essential for every woman.
And skill in these duties was regarded as an honor to women of the
highest station.
Various industries were taught in the schools of the prophets,
and many of the students sustained themselves by manual labor.
Consideration for the Poor
These arrangements did not, however, wholly do away with
poverty. It was not God’s purpose that poverty should be totally
eliminated. It is one of His means for the development of character.
“‘The poor,’” He says, “‘will never cease from the land; therefore