“NO MAN shall take the nether or the upper millstone to upper pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge." Here we have another instance of the Lord's care for the poor of His people. A creditor might take a pledge of his poor neighbor, but not part of the millstone by which he ground his corn for his daily bread. It would be counted the same as taking a poor man's life for a pledge when he borrowed something.
The next verse supposes a man's love of money might even lead him to practice kidnapping to satisfy his greed. Such a one was to be punished with death. How wonderful the grace of God now that can rise above man's fearful evil and save the vilest!
Then they were to be careful not to bring the plague of leprosy upon them, as Miriam had done in the wilderness. This meant banishment from God as punishment, and tells of the solemn place the sinner is in now. Again how wonderful the grace of God now that cleanses the poor leprous sinner and brings him back into God's presence and favor, all through the work of Christ who died to put sin away.
If a man loaned his brother something he was not to enter his house to take his pledge. This would be intruding. But he was to stand abroad outside and his brother would bring his pledge out to him. He was not to assume a superior attitude toward his brother because he had loaned him something.
Then if the brother were poor and his pledge was something he could only spare for the day, it must be
returned to him before nightfall. A garment thus pledged might be the man's only covering during the cold of the night. "And it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God." The poor man would bless him and he would have the Lord's own gracious approval as well.
Furthermore he was not to hold back the laborer's hire from him, but he was to pay him his wages at the close of the day. Otherwise the poor man might cry to the Lord about it; it would be sin and God would deal with him accordingly.
In all these precepts of mercy and goodness we can see how God was regulating the life of His people, even in the most ordinary matters of everyday living, and at the same time He would put a curb on man's evil nature. How happy for Israel if they sought grace to go on with the Lord in these things, for He sought their good and blessing. May we profit by their failures and experiences and cleave to Him with purpose of heart. He ever desires our happiness, even as He has told us:
Messages of the Love of God 11/2/1975