How does Exodus 23:10 encourage stewardship of God's creation in our lives? Setting the Verse in Context Exodus 23:10 commands, “For six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce.” This instruction appears within God’s covenant law given at Sinai. Right after establishing worship guidelines and social justice laws, the Lord turns to how Israel must treat the land itself—a reminder that creation care is woven into covenant faithfulness. The Principle Spelled Out • God owns the land; Israel manages it (Leviticus 25:23). • Six years of production followed by a sabbatical year (v. 11) shows God’s concern for soil rest, ecological balance, and provision for the poor and wildlife. • Literal obedience protected long-term fruitfulness, proving God’s wisdom surpasses short-sighted exploitation. Connecting Stewardship to Our Lives Today • Ownership vs. stewardship: What we “possess” still belongs to the Lord (Psalm 24:1). • Work is good—six years of purposeful labor—yet limits matter. Continuous extraction without rest dishonors the Creator’s design. • Caring for creation is not optional philanthropy; it is covenant obedience, reflecting love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39). Practical Ways to Live This Out • Plan cycles of rest—crop rotation, leaving parts of property undeveloped, or taking technology sabbaths to refresh both land and people. • Reduce waste: compost, recycle, and choose products that honor God’s resources. • Support sustainable farming and businesses that respect God’s earth. • Teach children the biblical basis for creation care so they see environmental action as worship, not trend. • Give the land a “seventh-year” through conservation easements, reforestation projects, or fallow garden plots that feed wildlife and the needy. Related Scriptures that Reinforce the Call • Genesis 2:15—“Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.” • Deuteronomy 20:19—commands not to destroy fruit trees even during war. • Psalm 104—celebrates God’s sustaining care for every creature. • Romans 8:19-21—creation longs for liberation, linking our redemption to environmental renewal. • Colossians 1:16-17—“all things have been created through Him and for Him… in Him all things hold together,” grounding stewardship in Christ’s lordship. |
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