What does "year by year" teach about accountability and stewardship in Leviticus 25:53? Text of Leviticus 25:53 “He shall remain with him as a hired worker, year by year; he must not rule over him with harshness in your sight.” Immediate Context • Chapter 25 regulates the Jubilee. • Israelite poverty could force a man to sell himself to a fellow Israelite. • The “master” is really a steward; release comes in the Jubilee (v. 54). • “Year by year” sets a rhythm of continual review rather than a one-time contract. What “year by year” Teaches about Accountability • Continuous evaluation: Each new year invites the community to confirm that the worker is still treated as a “hired hand,” not a slave (v. 53). • Witness involvement: “In your sight” makes every Israelite a guardian. Silence equals complicity (cf. Proverbs 24:11-12). • Limits on authority: The master answers to God—and to neighbors—annually. No harshness may be hidden for long (cf. Exodus 1:13-14 versus God’s standard here). • Keeps hope alive: The worker can count the years, knowing God’s clock is ticking toward freedom (cf. Jeremiah 29:11). What “year by year” Teaches about Stewardship • Time belongs to God: Each year is a trust; misuse of authority is theft of God’s time (cf. Psalm 24:1). • Resources are leased, not owned: Even people’s labor is God’s property, loaned for a season (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). • Regular adjustment: Just as fields rest in Sabbatical years (Leviticus 25:4), relationships reset annually; stewardship demands course corrections, not set-and-forget. • Tangible mercy budgeting: Masters must plan wages and treatment that reflect upcoming release so finances honor God’s timetable (cf. Luke 16:10). Living It Out Today • Conduct yearly audits—of finances, employment practices, family leadership—to verify you steward people and possessions with gentleness. • Invite outside eyes: Church elders, mentors, or accountability partners fulfill the “in your sight” principle. • Calendar reminders of God’s ownership: Sabbaths, anniversaries, performance reviews become checkpoints for mercy. • Treat employees, volunteers, and family members as covenant partners rather than disposable assets; their freedom and dignity are non-negotiable. Supporting Passages • Deuteronomy 15:12-15—release of Hebrew servants after six years, grounding stewardship in redemption from Egypt. • Colossians 4:1—“Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.” • James 5:4—warning against withheld wages; God hears the cries year by year. |
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