Daily Devotion | Leviticus 25:35–55 | 2026 March 27

Title: Daily Devotion | Leviticus 25:35–55 | 2026 March 27

Scripture: Leviticus 25:35–55 (ESV, reference only)

Date: 2026 March 27

Speaker: Rev. John Chen

Transcribed, translated & edited by: Joseph Wang (Yufan)

Alright, dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you. We thank God for His grace that we can come into a new day to study the daily devotion. Today we are studying Leviticus chapter 25, verses 35 to 55.

After we finish studying Leviticus chapter 25, let us pray. God, we thank You that You are so willing to show grace and mercy to us. Lord, You know how weak our hearts are, and how much we love this world and love money. Lord, we ask that You forgive our sins, and let us know that everything we have belongs to You. Let us be able to use these possessions properly and securely to glorify Your name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Alright, let us continue to look at Leviticus chapter 25.

Verses 35 to 55 can still be seen as an explanation of the Jubilee regulations. Here, it continues to discuss some specific rules of the Jubilee. From this, we can also observe more deeply why God established this Jubilee system among the Israelites—what His purpose was. He wanted the Israelites to treat their wealth correctly, and to view their brothers correctly. This must be done within God’s grace, so that they may use these things properly. In fact, this also includes principles related to the sixth commandment and the eighth commandment. Alright, let us continue and look at it in detail.

Verse 35 says: if your brother becomes poor, you shall support him, so that he may live with you, like a stranger or a sojourner. That is, if a brother becomes poor, what should you do? You should support him. And if you lend money to him, what should you do? You shall not take interest from him, nor demand more. Then God gives the reason: you shall fear your God, so that your brother may live with you. The same applies to lending food—you shall not demand more.

Then God gives another reason: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.” Now sometimes you may find it difficult to connect these ideas—why does helping your brother relate to “the LORD is your God”? It seems like these two things are not directly connected, right? You lend me money, I owe you money, I repay you—what does that have to do with the LORD being our God?

But clearly, God is making this connection to lead the Israelites to establish a correct view of wealth. That is: whose wealth is it, ultimately? I have mentioned before that in secular culture there are two kinds of systems. One is private ownership. What is private ownership? It is: what is mine is mine, what is yours is yours, we have nothing to do with each other. Right? If you borrow my money, you repay me, because everything is mine.

There is also another kind, the so-called public ownership. But in fact, public ownership can be even worse than private ownership. What it means is: what is mine is mine, and what is yours is also mine—everything belongs to me. In other words, it eliminates private ownership, but actually it only eliminates others’ ownership, so that everything becomes mine. This creates such a kind of culture. These two systems, from the perspective of the Bible, are both wrong and evil.

The biblical view of wealth, which I have mentioned before and will mention again here, is this: what is mine belongs to God, and what is yours also belongs to God. This is the Christian view of wealth. Therefore, since what is mine belongs to God, if you are in need, I should naturally support you. If I lend to you, I should not take interest nor demand more. Then the connection becomes clear: you shall fear your God, so that your brother may live with you.

Therefore, for God’s people, wealth is something that must not be overly valued or overly calculated, because all these things are merely means in God’s hands. Everything belongs to God. Earlier it was said that the land cannot be sold, because the land belongs to God. Money also belongs to God. Then of course, you must fulfill God’s purpose. And what is God’s purpose? It is to support those who are poor.

In verse 38, God gives a very powerful example: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” You were once slaves, you had nothing. I brought you out of Egypt and into the land of Canaan, in order to give you that land. So everything you have is what I have given you. Therefore, you must properly use your wealth, and I will be your God. That is the meaning here.

So, brothers and sisters, I think for us as Christians, having a correct view of wealth is extremely important. That is: what is mine belongs to God, and what is yours also belongs to God. And together, we allow God to use our wealth. This is a healthy and correct attitude toward handling money.

As for so-called public ownership, we do not even need to discuss it—it is essentially a form of taking. But private ownership is also not correct. Private ownership says: what is mine is mine, what is yours is yours, and we have nothing to do with each other. This cannot be so. In fact, God’s heart is especially to have us help the poor, precisely because what we have already belongs to God.

God tells us that everything we have belongs to Him. In fact, even our lives belong to Him. So if God wants to use me to help the poor, we should rejoice and be glad.

Some of you may find this hard to accept, especially those who have some wealth—you may feel uncomfortable. You may say: “I earned all this through my own effort. I seized opportunities, I built factories, I started businesses, I earned this money—how can it be God’s?” But in reality, brothers and sisters, the reason we have some insight, some ability—even our endurance and our willingness to suffer hardship—none of these should make us proud. Everything is from God.

If you think that wealth is yours, and you are unwilling to help those in need, then in fact this shows that you are under God’s wrath. So we must be careful, especially those of us who came from difficult backgrounds—we may tend to be particularly stingy, because we think, “I earned this money bit by bit, with great hardship.”

Now if you are asked to give it away, you may be unwilling. But you must understand: first, you are not giving it away casually—you are helping God’s children, helping those who are in need. Second, everything you have belongs to God. And when we act in this way, God will greatly show mercy and bless us. Do not be afraid.

Therefore, when lending money, do not take interest; when lending food, do not demand more. When you see those in need, you must help them.

So from Leviticus 25:35–38, you can also understand more clearly the story that the Lord Jesus told about the rich man and Lazarus. You can clearly see how serious the sin of that rich man was. He allowed his brother to lie at his gate, picking up crumbs that fell from his table. The law has already condemned him for this.

If he did not understand that his wealth belongs to God, and that he should use his wealth to fear God, then even the punishment of hell would not bring him any real benefit. Remember what Abraham said in that story: if they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, even if someone rises from the dead, they will not repent.

So this tells us that he must recognize that everything belongs to God, and that he should use his possessions to fear God—not merely wait until suffering in hell makes him want to repent. In fact, he should have understood God’s heart from the beginning.

God, here, repeatedly gives the reason: “fear your God,” “I am your God.” In this way, God is telling the Israelites where their possessions come from. You were a group of slaves, you had nothing. It was I who saved you and gave you the land of Canaan. Therefore, you must love your brothers—this is the reason God gives.

Then there are also the regulations concerning selling oneself as a servant. One very interesting point is that Scripture here does not seem to directly oppose the institution of slavery. Many people find this difficult and may say, “Isn’t the Bible not advanced enough? Shouldn’t it have opposed slavery at that time? Wouldn’t that have been better?” But such thinking lacks wisdom.

Why? First, from the historical context of that time, slavery was a common system. Selling oneself as a servant was something that happened because people did not have the means to survive. In fact, it was not until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that human society gradually abolished this system and entered what we call modern society without slavery. So this is a historical process—we should not judge ancient people harshly.

Secondly, there is a deeper point. In reality, on earth, some people are suited to be masters, and some are suited to be servants. This is something we often overlook. We tend to criticize slavery and say it is bad, but in reality, when you work for someone, are you not also making that person your master, selling your labor time?

Of course, compared to ancient slavery, this is somewhat better—you still have your own time. But you are still selling your time. You cannot simply do whatever you want as in starting your own business. So behind this, there is actually a deeper reality about how God has created people—some are suited to lead, and some are suited to serve.

Now, do not misunderstand this. It does not mean that we are encouraging slavery. Rather, it refers to a kind and proper employment relationship, which can actually be good. However, this relationship should only involve your labor time—it must not invade or oppress the rest of your life. This is progress, and we should acknowledge it. In ancient slavery, the whole person belonged to the master—that was wrong.

But what I want to point out is this: although Scripture speaks in terms of masters and servants, it is also telling us something about employers and workers today. So, brothers and sisters, do not think that this is extreme. When many people study hard, what are they aiming for? To find a good job. And what does that mean? Essentially, it means obtaining a better opportunity to serve under someone else.

If you understand it from this perspective, then what I am saying is not excessive. Scripture is telling employers how they should treat their workers. They must not oppress them—they must love them. And in that era, this teaching was extremely advanced.

At that time, slave owners would often constantly oppress their slaves, deprive them of all rights, and take all their labor time and resources. That was evil. But here, God establishes principles regarding servants. Although the regulations are not extremely detailed, the principle of love is clearly expressed within them.

When someone becomes poor and sells himself to you, you must not treat him as a slave. Instead, how should you treat him? Like a hired worker or a sojourner. In other words, you must treat him as a hired worker. You must not treat him as a slave. Why? Because slaves were valued more highly, while hired workers were paid less—hired workers only sell their labor time.

So if you take an Israelite as your servant, you must only treat him according to his labor time. You must not violate his personal freedom. And he serves only until the Jubilee. God places great importance on this matter—Israelites are not to be treated as slaves.

They serve until the Jubilee, and then they and their children go free and return to their ancestral land. Because they are My servants. So we continue to see the same principle: there are different views—what is mine is mine; what is mine and yours are both mine; and then the biblical view—what is mine belongs to God, and what is yours also belongs to God.

So whose servants are they? They belong to God. God says: I brought them out of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God. The same principle again—fear God.

Because in ancient times, servants were also considered assets. So here God continually reminds the Israelites: you must be careful how you use your assets. You must not oppress your brothers. You must fear God. You must not oppress them, because they are My redeemed ones—they are My servants.

As for servants from other nations, you may acquire them from the surrounding peoples, including the sojourners among you and their families born in your land. These may become your property, and you may pass them on to your children as inheritance. But your brothers, the Israelites, you must not rule over them harshly.

At first glance, it seems that there are two categories—foreigners and Israelites. Israelites cannot be treated harshly, but foreigners seem to be allowed to be treated that way. But if you read Scripture like this, you are misunderstanding it.

God consistently commands the Israelites to treat servants with kindness. And more importantly, there is also a deeper redemptive aspect here. If a servant was bought by an Israelite, he could partake of the Passover lamb. In other words, these foreigners who were bought actually received blessing—they could enter into God’s covenant community and receive salvation.

So if someone was bought as a servant by an Israelite, in a sense, he should be very glad, because he would be able to participate in the Passover and receive salvation. Although this is not the primary point of the passage, which distinguishes between Israelites and foreigners, it still shows that being brought into Israel could be a blessing.

Then in verse 47, if a foreigner becomes wealthy and an Israelite sells himself to that foreigner, what should be done? After he is sold, his brothers have the responsibility to redeem him. Whether it is a brother, an uncle, or a close relative, they may redeem him. He may also redeem himself if he prospers.

If he is sold due to poverty, the Israelites have a responsibility and obligation to redeem him, demonstrating the principle of brotherly love. He must not remain a servant of a foreigner. Then the buyer calculates the price based on the number of years until the Jubilee.

If there are many years left, the price is higher, like wages. If it is near the Jubilee, the price is lower. At the Jubilee, he goes free. The redemption price is calculated like the wages of a hired worker. The buyer must not treat him harshly.

If no one redeems him, then at the Jubilee, he and his children shall go free. And again God gives the reason: the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

So here in chapter 25, this phrase appears repeatedly: “I am the LORD your God,” “I brought you out of Egypt,” “you are My servants.” Therefore, the regulations concerning redemption and release are very clear—Israelites must not become slaves to others; they belong only to God.

If a foreigner buys them, you must redeem them. From one perspective, this teaches horizontal relationships—between people. We must practice brotherly love. If you buy your brother, you must not treat him like a slave. In fact, financially, you may even incur loss—you cannot exploit him fully as a slave, but must treat him as a hired worker.

If your brother is sold to someone else, you must redeem him—you must spend money to bring him back. From the human perspective, this is the principle of loving your brother.

However, in Israel’s history, these commands were not faithfully practiced. The Israelites, like the nations, oppressed the poor and failed to love their needy brothers. This provoked God’s great anger.

God called Israel to be a people who love one another, to live as a community shaped by His grace. But when they lost this testimony, they fell under God’s wrath, and God drove them out of the land of Canaan.

That is the horizontal dimension. From the vertical dimension—between us and God—this passage is also a powerful reminder. Everything we have—our possessions, our servants, our work—all belong to God.

Some may say, “Pastor, we don’t have servants today.” But if you are an employer, how you treat your workers follows the same principle. Do not treat them harshly.

What we have discussed here, relating to the sixth and eighth commandments, is a principle of love. It continually reminds the Israelites that everything belongs to God, so they must use their wealth and relationships according to God’s will. Do not treat others harshly, but show patience and generosity.

Earlier regulations about not exploiting others already pointed in this direction. Here it becomes even more direct—you must treat your servants kindly. That means you must use what God has given you to bless others.

Some may say, “If I live this way, my wealth will decrease. My assets will be less than others.” That is possible. You may earn less money. Others may make ten or twenty thousand in one deal, while you may only make five or six thousand, or even less.

But that is not the goal. Brothers and sisters, you must change your thinking—making money is not the goal. If you have food and clothing, you should be content. The purpose of your wealth is to serve others, to treat your workers well. That is what God wants you to do. Do not be greedy—God hates such greed.

Is it also possible that God will bless you even more? I believe so. In fact, in chapter 26, God’s blessings are clearly described. God desires that we show kindness to others.

This also reminds us of something: we often forget the God behind our wealth. We forget the God behind everything we possess. This is something Christians must overcome.

Our foolishness is that we rely on our stable jobs—our government positions, state-owned enterprises, or official identities—and we consider these things extremely important. But in reality, this is foolish, because everything ultimately comes from God.

If God blesses our work, it will be stable. If God does not permit it, we can lose it in an instant. The same applies to wealth itself. Do you think your wealth can guarantee your lifelong security? If housing prices drop by half, you lose half your assets without doing anything.

This reminds us to depend on God and to live according to His statutes and rules. That is what pleases God. Do not be like the rich man who violated God’s law and ended up in judgment.

This passage is a reminder to help us manage our wealth, our possessions, and our relationships well under God’s grace. It also reminds us to treat our employers well. Everything is included within God’s commandments.

May God have mercy on us, so that before His law we may continually humble ourselves, obey it faithfully, and live a life that glorifies Him. Alright, today’s sharing ends here. Thank you, everyone.