“Prayer of The Oppressed Hired Hand” Deut. 24:14-15

“Thou shalt not, (sounds like one of the Ten Commandments) oppress (ashak – violate, defraud, deceive, cheat, extort, or exploit – that pretty well covers it) an hired servant (sa-kar – laborer, hierling) that is poor (ane – humble, meek, lowly, not necessarily penniless) and needy (eb-yown – in want, needing help, a needy person, the Ebionites adopted this name) whether he be of thy brethren (the nation of Israel) or of thy strangers (gar – sojourners, foreigners, temporary inhabitants, immigrants, nomads) that are in thy land or within thy gates (sha-ar – boundaries, borders, territories).” Deut. 24:15

How does that verse apply to us today? Every one of us in this country, if you trace your lineage back far enough is an alien.  I was born in CT and my father was born in NJ but his parents were born in Poland and came over on a ship to Ellis Island, how about yours?  One of my wife’s descendant’s was an American Indian but where did they come from and how did they get here?  ‘Strangers in the Land,’ sounds like a title for a book, especially today with all the illegal immigration laws going on.  But our verse is talking about hiring a person, any person, legal or illegal for an agreed upon wage and then not paying them, cheating them, or withholding it from them.  If they then cry out or pray unto the LORD then you are in big trouble and hot water.  It doesn’t mention whether they or you have to be a born-again Christian, an Orthodox Jew, a Muslim, or even a religious person. This is a principle for all people because He is the LORD of lords.

In fact, Deut. 24:15 says, “At his day (yom; working day, I take it to be his pay-day) thou shalt give (na-than; bestow, pay wages, give over) to him, his hire (sa-kar; wages, pay, fee, reward, price for which he was hired) neither shall the sun (sheh-mesh) go down (bo; go in, or set) upon it; for he is poor (ane; humble, meek, lowly, afflicted, pious) and setteth (nasa; lifted up, raised up) his heart (neh-fesh; his soul, life, desire, living breath) upon it; (his life and maybe the lives of his wife and children depend on that small pay check; watch this) lest he cry (ka-ra; call out, cry out, in the name of GOD, with a loud voice, to shed tears) against thee (his employer, his boss)  unto the LORD (YHVH; The Self Existent One, YeHoVaH!  The GOD of redemption, the Creator of the universes and all things mortal and immortal, the GOD of life and death and eternity, the GOD of yesterday today and forever, the GOD who owns every shekel in your pocket and put it there) and it be sin (chet; missing the mark, to fall short of GOD’s glory and standard, like a tight-rope walker making a false step, or a mis-step) unto thee.”

Some verse wouldn’t you say? Let’s read it without the extras, “At his day, you shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor and sets his heart upon it; lest he cry against you unto the LORD, and it be sin unto you.”  So, maybe, just maybe we go to the wrong person when we feel cheated on a raise at work or passed over on that promotion.  Maybe complaining to our co-workers over a cup of Joe is the wrong place to be when we need to be on our knees crying out to our real ‘Boss’ and telling Him all about it and letting Him handle the cheater or liar, if there really is one.  Or maybe GOD has something better for us than that raise or that promotion and we just can’t see it through the clouds yet and He is using our employer to get us to the pinnacle of faith He wants for us.  What we need to make sure of is that we are NEVER that unjust employer who cheats, defrauds, or exploits our employees whether we own a corporation or it is just the neighbor’s son cutting our grass or the paper-boy.  That is probably the toughest job of all and I did it for several years and it is amazing how many people will cheat a paper-boy out of 50 cents or even a quarter.  To them it is just pocket change, but to that boy it is half of his weekly wages, especially when a couple of people do it to him.

Why would GOD have to take the space to include this commandment if He did not think it was necessary and relevant for His people about to enter His “Promised Land” populated with strangers and foreigners, that they would need to employ? There are so many verses in His Holy Book, dealing with a laborer and his employer and his wages.  Even Jesus had to deal with it in some of His parables, but just remember if and when it happens to you, and it will happen to you as sure as the sparks fly upwards, go to your Boss in heaven and cry unto Him, before the sun sets and let Him deal with that unjust employer.  You don’t need to go postal, that isn’t the answer to anything except rage and always involves the wrong people. Listen to James 5:4, “Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud crieth; and the cries of them who have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” (The LORD of Warrior Hosts!) Is this the GOD you want fighting against you or fighting for you? I don’t know about you, but I want Him on my side, as my Boss!   If GOD is talking to you today, pick up your phone, say hello, and talk to Him; He is waiting to hear from you.  Till next time, I’ll see you, “…..Between The Lines…..”

“Prayer of The Oppressed Hired Hand” Dt. 24:15  1/30/18