Before you lend money at interest to a friend or family member, decide which you want more.
The seventh day, the Sabbath, was both a holiday and a holy day. Even the indentured servants were not to work on that day; it was for rest, fellowship, and communion with God. But the sabbatical year was more than a release from labor. “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts” (Deut 15:1). Thus any loans must have a maximum repayment term of seven years. Any debt outstanding must be forgiven in the sabbath year. However this only had to do with one’s Hebrew brothers; loans to Gentiles did not have this limitation since Gentiles did not follow the regulations given by God. The Lord anticipated this would lead to the Jewish people becoming providers of financial resources for the nations, something that has resulted to this day. “For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you” (v 6). A word of warning on personal borrowing is seen in that last statement. As Solomon would restate it, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Prov 22:7). But there were other financial matters to deal with. What if a Hebrew needed funds shortly before the sabbatical year? “You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand” (Deut 15:10). Do you see the principle? God is actually the Banker and we all work for Him. Therefore, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given” (Prov 19:17). We can always afford to be generous because of the Lord’s open-handedness to us.