One of the things we hear when Congress is considering a bill is how it would help the children of America. “It’s for the kids.” God considers the kids, too. The orphans and widows were top of mind for Him and His people. The whole gleaning law highlighted in the Book of Ruth is to help those who had no recourse.
After the Kingdom of Israel divided, the Lord frequently sent prophets to chastise “Ephraim” (AKA the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Judah. They weren’t following His Law. The kings and leaders were grabbing what they could, whenever they could, without thought to how it would affect the people. When corrupt leaders are in power, the poor are apt to suffer the most. That was demonstrated back then, and we can see it play out today.
When a society suffers, who suffers the most? The poor. That was true in ancient Israel, and the people who raised crops were supposed to leave parts of their harvest for poor people to sustain themselves. Did they fulfill the intent of that law? No. They might leave a “smidgen” at the edges of the field, but they would make a judgement call on how much they could get away with. If someone called them out for doing what they were supposed to, they’d make excuses and leave a little more next time.
Think about how IRS forms are filled out. I know someone who claimed their cable TV bill as a deductible expense. As far as I know, they got away with it. That’s the same idea as those who cut down wheat with only a slender remnant at the edge of the field to appease the demands of the Law of Moses.
That law, by the way, had more taxation than we would ever put up with. First there was the basic tithe of ten percent. For every ten bushels of wheat harvested, one bushel was sent to the priests. Then there was another bushel sent to take care of the poor. Every third year another one-in-ten was required to support the various festivals. On average, that’s about 23%.
But there’s more.
Keep in mind this society was agricultural. They used animals to help thresh their harvest. The beasts would walk over the top of the harvest, pulling a heavy sledge, to break the hulls off the wheat. And they were not to muzzle them - usually oxen - while doing so. That means the animals would eat part of the harvest.
There’s even more.
The ancient Hebrews were forbidden to farm the land every seventh year. Whatever grew was allowed to grow. That was left for whomever passed by.
Can you imagine taking a year off your job? Work six years, take the seventh year off. Is it any wonder that ethnicity got a reputation for being penny-pinching? They had to store up enough to take a full year off.
Those laws were designed to help the poor and destitute. Now think abut what the American tax laws are designed to do.
We have what’s known as a “progressive” tax system. That means if you make more money, you pay a higher proportion. But does it really? When you realize the wealthy are the ones who write tax policy, it throws a different light on things.
Let’s say Widgetman is making a hundred million dollars every year making widgets. One day Wannabe Widgeter opens a competing business. Widgetman knows a dozen members of congress who are making changes to the tax code. He knows a higher tax rate will keep Wannabe from expanding the business. But a slight change in wording will mitigate the impact on the established business, and Wannabe can’t take advantage of it. In essence, Widgetman manipulates the tax code to keep his near-monopoly on widget manufacturing. And if for some reason Wannabe makes any significant impact on him, Widgetman can always buy Wannabe’s business. He makes a good enough offer it would be silly to refuse.
Think that’s fantasy? Look at the telecom giants. Every time you see a multinational business buying out a smaller company, you could be looking at an example of keeping the Wannabes out of the Mega Business club.
This same process works on a smaller scale, too. Paying for energy is a tax, and if the price of energy climbs ten percent, that has an enormous impact on the poor. The wealthy, though, don’t really care. If their electric bill climbs ten percent they don’t even notice. So there’s no incentive for them to reduce the cost associated with powering your home. Gas price doubles? The poor can’t move around, and a population that can’t travel is far easier to control. Pushing more and more people out of the middle class only makes things easier for the people who want to control everything.
The Lord isn’t affected, however, by people who travel. There is nowhere we can go that’s not within his power. I could say that even the wealthy are subject to Him, but since He created everything it’s kind of a given.
Assyria was His plaything.
Babylon was His plaything.
Right now, Russia and China and Iran and Gaza and the newborn baby on Main Street in your town is within His control. His plan includes everyone. Even the evil landlord who evicts everyone.
We may be heading into tough times. If you have the ability, keep a little extra cash on hand. If the bad actors mentioned in previous posts take out the power grid, your credit card is useless. It would be nice to be able to pick up a thing or two using the money which (as of now) still proclaims, “In God We Trust.”
As always, make sure you keep in mind the poor and destitute. The Hebrews were judged for NOT helping those people out. America might be judged that way soon.
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