Wealth and Poverty: Yahweh’s Demand for the Land

Wealth and Poverty: Yahweh's Demand for the Land

CHAN Yew Ming

Ancient Israel received land from Yahweh who established a covenant with them. Yahweh expected Israel to understand that the land is a unique gift that requires Israelites to manage the land and avoid the pitfalls of their neighbors. Unfortunately, these Israelites failed to comprehend the nature of the gift and instead opted for the institutionalization of their society and fell into idolatry. Their mismanagement of the land revealed a rejection of Yahweh's sovereignty that led to a breakdown in the divine-human relationship. Yahweh's specific demands were established via the Law, and numerous prophets reminded Israel to meet them. Israel's failure to keep the Law and its mismanagement of the land produced a society that requires tackling the divide between the affluent and the poor. The Old Testament acknowledges that wealth is a gift but reminds us that the poor must be taken care of and fairly treated.