I’m taking sort of an indirect approach to the Text today.

Observing perhaps an “incidental” fact imbedded in its main story, plot, thrust, trajectory.

Another of God’s “Laws” for Israel, in conducting her everyday life.

“Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.” Deuteronomy 24:14-15

The noun “servant” means “worker,” in this context.  And “his day” means at the end of his eight or ten or twelve (whatever) hour shift. Imagine he’s working for YOU, one of your hires.

God in essence says: “Pay him daily, he’s abjectly poor.”

If not, you could get “in trouble” with God … IF that man prays to God for his lost (withheld) wages!

Once again, a recap …

Don’t take advantage of any poor man, especially in business ventures.

If he works for you a single day … pay him by sunset.

He needs the money that much!

Children to feed, urgent bills to pay … those kind of things.

God’s great love and care are (again) here on display. In Deuteronomy … one of the so-called harshest Books in all the Bible!

But, what if a farmer does NOT pay his day laborers promptly. According to the admonition God just gave?

Then, that poor man has at least one option.

He could “cry out to God” … telling the Almighty about the wrong just done! About his unpaid wages for (usually) back-breaking, hard work.

And if he does so?

God will hear him.

And the selfish (or careless) landowner will be found “in sin” because of his callousness.

Pay him … “lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.”

Wow!

Wow!

Wow!

I just learned that (instead of taking matters into my own hands) when I am wronged … I can “tell on” the offender! I can tell Jesus about the injustice I have suffered.

Yes, God’s Ear is always open to the meek, lowly, sufferer.

And that (wicked) man will be found sinful in God’s Economy!

I’ll have to mentally and spiritually sort through these thoughts one more time.

Then I think I’ll go pray a while!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell