How does Leviticus 25:50 reflect God's justice in economic transactions? “He and his purchaser are to count the time from the year of his sale to him until the Year of Jubilee, and the price of his redemption will be based on the number of years; it shall be as the days of a hired worker.” Where This Verse Fits in the Chapter • Leviticus 25 outlines Sabbath years and the Year of Jubilee—a fifty-year reset for land, debts, and indentured Israelites. • Verses 47-55 address an Israelite who became a servant to pay off poverty-driven debt; God sets terms for fair redemption. • Verse 50 gives the economic formula: calculate time served, price remaining, and treat the debtor “as the days of a hired worker,” not property. Principles of Divine Justice Revealed • Fair valuation, not exploitation – Payment is prorated to years left till Jubilee. – No extra interest or hidden fees (cf. Exodus 22:25). • Personhood over profit – The debtor is compared to a “hired worker,” affirming dignity and labor value. • Built-in end date – Jubilee prevents perpetual servitude; freedom is guaranteed. • Mutual accountability – “He and his purchaser are to count” keeps both parties honest; transparency replaces coercion. • Redemption remains possible – Relatives can buy the debtor out early (Leviticus 25:48-49), picturing God’s gracious rescue of His people. Echoes Throughout Scripture • Leviticus 19:35-36: “You must not use dishonest measures…you shall have an honest balance.” • Deuteronomy 24:14-15: pay wages daily so the needy “may cry out…against you.” • Proverbs 11:1: “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD.” • Amos 8:4-6: prophetic rebuke of merchants who “buy the poor for silver.” • James 5:4: withheld wages “cry out against you.” • Luke 4:18–19: Jesus proclaims “the year of the Lord’s favor,” echoing Jubilee liberation. Takeaways for Today’s Economic Life • Set fair, transparent terms—no hidden costs or ever-extending debt cycles. • Remember every worker’s God-given dignity; compensate accordingly. • Limit power imbalances; build safeguards so debt cannot strip people of freedom indefinitely. • Practice redemptive generosity—help restore those caught in financial hardship rather than profiting from their plight. • View resources as tools for justice and mercy, mirroring God’s character revealed in Leviticus 25:50. |
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