Covenant, Land, and Social Justice in the Bible

A persistent theme to be found within the biblical tradition, first in the Hebrew Bible and later in the Christian New Testament, is one of liberation from oppression. The biblical book of Exodus, the second book of the Pentateuch, begins with a depiction of the captivity of the people of Israel. The Israelites are being held as slaves to the Egyptians. Because their numbers are growing, the Egyptian pharaoh begins to fear a slave revolt. He subsequently orders the slaughter of all male Israelite children in order to reduce the slave population. The child Moses is saved when his mother places him in a small boat that sets sail on the Nile River. The child in the boat is discovered by the daughter of the Pharaoh. Moses is then raised as a member of the Pharaoh’s household.

The significance of this story is that it will later be Moses who emerges as the leader of the Israelite people as they come to resist their captivity, and eventually flee Egypt. Because Moses knows that he is an Israelite, he becomes outraged at the treatment of his own people by the Egyptians. At one point, Moses observes the beating of an Israelite slave by an Egyptian, and he subsequently kills the Egyptian slave master. Moses is then a fugitive, and flees into the land of Midian where he marries the daughter of the priest Jethro. During this time in Midian, Moses experiences a vision. The god Yahweh appears to him in the form of a burning bush. Yahweh tells Moses he has been chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the land of Canaan. Yahweh had earlier promised this land to Abraham, the patriarchal father of the Israelite nation (Ex. 1-5).

When Moses returns to Egypt to request the release of the Israelite slaves, the Egyptian pharaoh refuses. Moses is persistent in his demands that the Hebrew slaves be set free, but the pharaoh stubbornly refuses Moses’ repeated requests. Because of the pharaoh’s stubbornness, Yahweh begins to inflict a series of plagues on the Egyptians. The plagues include a variety of supernatural occurrences such as the appearance of a river of blood, and a state of permanent darkness where the sun never sets. Other plagues include the dramatic appearance of an ever increasing number of frogs, flies, lice, and other troublesome insects. The Egyptian people are plagued with health problems such as an epidemic of boils and, finally, the death of the first born child of every Egyptian household (Ex. 6-9).

After this series of ongoing plagues, the pharaoh finally allows the Israelites to leave Egypt in order to make their journey to Canaan. However, the pharaoh soon has a change of heart, and sends an army to recapture the fleeing Hebrew slaves. As the Israelites approach the Red Sea, it appears that their re-capture by the Egyptians is inevitable. However, an opening of dry land appears suddenly and miraculously and allows the Israelites to cross. When the Egyptians attempt to follow them, the opening disappears and the Egyptian army drowns in the Red Sea. After the miraculous crossing, the Israelites find themselves stranded in the desert. They begin to panic, thinking they will not be able to survive due to the lack of food and water. However, Yahweh provides for his chosen people by causing a bread-like substances called “manna” to fall from the sky, and by causing water to suddenly appear (Ex. 13-17).

The overarching theme of this story is God’s concern for the oppressed and outcast. God adopts the enslaved Israelite people as his children, and sends Moses to them to serve as their liberator. God enables the escape of the Israelites from Egypt by sending plagues to persuade the Egyptians to give the Hebrew slaves their freedom. The Israelites continue to enjoy the protection of God as they leave Egypt through such incidents as the parting of the Red Sea and the provision of manna and water. At each point during this chain of events in the story, God is shown to be on the side of the poor, oppressed, and suffering and to punish oppressors and unjust rulers (Malchow 56).

The Book of Exodus depicts the Israelites escape from Egypt, while the fifth book of the Pentateuch, the Book of Deuteronomy, describes the challenges the Hebrew people face as they seek to establish a society of their own. At this point in their journey, the Israelites are preparing to finally enter the land of Canaan, which has been promised to them by Yahweh. This is a momentous occasion for the Hebrew people, as they have been wandering for forty years as a nomadic people before reaching their promised homeland. The bulk of the text of Deuteronomy describes of series of addresses made by Moses to the people as their crossover into Canaan becomes imminent. Moses reminds the people of their long journey, and how God originally delivered them from Egypt and provided for their care during the ensuing forty year period they were adrift in the wilderness. During the course of their travels, God had provided a set of laws for the Hebrews to follow while they were camped at the mountain of Sinai. Moses reminds the people of the importance of keeping God’s laws if they wish to prosper in the promised land of Canaan (Deut. 4-7).

Deuteronomy describes the essence of the relationship between God and the children of Israel. God has chosen the Hebrews to be his people, and they are expected to exhibit unswerving loyalty to Him in return. God has given an elaborate set of civil and ceremonial laws to the people of Israel, and they are expected to keep these laws faithfully. This is the nature of the covenantal relationship between God and Israel. God will act as their provider and protector, but fidelity to God’s laws is the price of this protection. God has established a set of laws so that the nation of Israel might function in a more civil, just, and orderly manner. God expects justice and righteousness from his people, and will withhold his blessings from them if they are disobedient (Deut. 29-32).

These concepts of liberation from oppression, and a duty of justice and righteousness, have their roots in the earliest biblical texts and emerge as central themes within the wider Jewish and Christian traditions. The story of the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt becomes an archetype which can be made to symbolize struggles for justice and against oppression that human beings experience during every historical era. The body of law depicted in the text of Deuteronomy demonstrates a concern for the weakest and most vulnerable members of the community, and emphasizes the obligation of leaders, rulers, and lay citizens alike to work for justice in the wider society (Baker 22).

These ideas later find their way into the Christian tradition, and are most explicitly expressed in the Sermon on the Mount depicted in the first book of the Christian New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most well-known and widely cited pieces of Christian literature. The sermon itself is depicted as having taken place not long after Jesus first emerges as a public religious teacher, and shortly after his baptism by John the Baptist. The Sermon on the Mount begins with a collection of sayings from Jesus that emphasize compassion for the poor, suffering, and downtrodden. These sayings are known as The Beatitudes, and emphasize primary Christian virtues. Praise is given to those who are humble, concerned with justice and peace, and who “hunger and thirst for righteousness.” It is said by Jesus that those who exhibit such virtues will “inherit the kingdom of God.” (Matt. 5-7)

Jesus’ teachings were issued during the time of the height of the Roman Empire and its emphasis on martial glory and material acquisition. Jesus describes an entirely different outlook on human life and social existence. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is emphasizing peace, love for other human beings, and a concern for the suffering and needy. According to Jesus, individual honor is not found in wealth, power, glory, or fame. Instead, an honorable person is one who is “pure of heart,” and who seeks to do what it right. Even good works alone are not enough if one does not do good for the right reasons, such as selfless devotion to helping others rather than self-interest or personal recognition. Jesus also issues the edict “judge not, that ye be not judged.” (Matt. 5-7)

The story of the exodus from Egypt and the subsequent establishment of the kingdom of Israel found in the Pentateuch, and the teachings of Jesus Christ found in the Sermon on the Mount, combine to create a very powerful narrative. The Exodus story and the Sermon on the Mount are as central to the Judeo-Christian tradition as any other aspect of the Bible. The prevailing themes that emerge are liberation and hope for the oppressed, and the superior virtue of those who renounce selfish ambitions and desires. Honor is found in assisting the suffering, and God rewards those who struggle for justice and righteousness. God is concerned with the plight of the poor and oppressed, and there is hope for those who suffer. Justice will ultimately win out over injustice.

Biblical concerns for social justice are frequently illustrated in Scripture in terms

of possession and use of land. Of course, the societies described in the ancient biblical texts were agrarian societies where nearly all people received their sustenance through the direct cultivation of land. Therefore, access to land becomes a key component in the pursuit of social justice in such societies. The connection between social justice and land ownership is highlighted in various ways in Scripture. God is shown to exhibit his goodness through the granting of land to his children. Further, God is concerned with the care of all his children, and the duty of society to its most vulnerable members is demonstrated in biblical teachings concerning the possession and use of land.

In Genesis 12:1-9, God speaks to Abram, who will emerge as the patriarchal founder of the Israelite nation. Abram is told to go to the land of Canaan, which God says will be the land of Abram’s offspring. Abram travels to Canaan with his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot. Upon arriving in Canaan, Abram pitches a tent and builds an altar to the Lord. These acts by Abram represent the establishment of Israel’s claim to the land of Canaan. It is this land which will become the “promised land” described in the Book of Exodus, and to which the Israelites will later make their arduous journey. As a representation of Abram’s new beginning as the father of his nation, his name is changed to Abraham. He is told by God that while his descendants will be as great in number as the stars in the sky, his people will also suffer four hundred years of oppression before achieving their place in the land that has been promised. Circumcision is adopted as a symbol of this special relationship between God and the descendants of Abraham (Gen. 12: 1-9).

As the book of Genesis progresses, a problem arises when Abraham’s wife Sarah is unable to have children. Abraham instead conceives a child with Hagar, who is described in the biblical text as Sarah’s handmaiden. Through his union with Hagar, Abraham fathers a son named Ishmael. When Abraham asks for God’s blessing on his son Ishmael, God tells Abraham that Sarah will eventually be able to conceive a child of her own, and it is through this line of Abraham’s descendents that the nation of Israel will be founded. However, God also promises Abraham that Ishmael’s descendents will also be a great nation (Gen. 12-17).

The biblical narrative provides a description of the development of the context in which the later Israelite nation will emerge. Abraham’s nephew Lot is depicted as the ancestral father of the Moabite and Ammonite peoples, who will later become rivals to the Israelites, through incestuous sexual relations with his two daughters. One of Abraham’s other wives, Keturah, produces children who will be the beginning of the ancestral line of the Midianites. Meanwhile, Abraham is told by God to take his son by Sarah, Isaac, to the top of a mountain and offer him as a human sacrifice. This is meant by God to be a test of Abraham’s faith. When Abraham complies and is about to kill Isaac, God intervenes to save Isaac and tells Abraham that it is through Isaac that the future great nation of whom Abraham will be the father will be formed (Gen. 18-22).

As an adult, Isaac marries Rebekah, and she has two twin sons, Jacob and Esau. It is through Jacob that the Israelite nation will continue to grow, and through Esau that the Edomite nation will be founded. Jacob has twelve sons from his various wives and mistresses, and it is through these sons that the twelve tribes of Israel eventually emerge. Jacob has a favorite son, Joseph, who is later sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers. However, Joseph eventually finds the pharaoh’s favor in Egypt due to his ability to interpret dreams. The Book of Genesis describes Joseph as eventually relocating his entire family to Egypt in the land of Goshen. It is through this scenario that the Israelites’ presence in Egypt begins. The biblical narrative depicts the exodus from Egypt as occurring four hundred years after Joseph’s death, during which time an evil pharaoh has enslaved Joseph’s descendants. When the Israelites eventually make their escape, they carry the bones of Joseph’s remains with them (Gen. 23-50).

The narrative outlined above contains within it the overarching biblical themes of promise, possession, loss, and restoration. Abram, later Abraham, is first promised by God that the land of Canaan will be the homeland of the future Israelite nation of whom he will be the father. Abraham’s migration to Canaan with his family signifies the original possession of the land which has been promised to Abraham on behalf of his posterity. However, the land is depicted as being lost when Joseph is sold into slavery, and his family, who will be the ancestors of the Israelites, is moved to Egypt. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are restored to their historic promised land when they finally make their escape from captivity in Egypt and begin their journey to Canaan (Malchow 45).

From the very beginning of the biblical narrative, the matter of land possession is very heavily intertwined with notions of justice. This higher concern with justice continues to emerge in the Book of Deuteronomy where the laws of the Israelite nation are established. The laws involving social regulation that are described in the Book of Deuteronomy indicate an abiding concern for social justice regarding the poorer and weaker members of society. Biblical law states that debts must be cancelled every seven years. This law applies only to one’s fellow Israelites, and not to foreigners, indicating that one’s neighbors are part of one’s community, and that a citizen has an obligation to their neighbors. Scripture states that there need not be any poor people as the riches of the Earth belong to all of God’s children. The oppression of the poor is forbidden, and generosity is commanded. The laws of Deuteronomy also state that servants must be feed after seven years, and that they must be cared for after they are released. Also, the first born animals of every herd and flock are to be set aside for regular feasts in which all members of the community may participate. Those with wealth and affluence are described as being obligated to care for those who are dependent on them, and from whose labor their wealth is derived (Baker 54).

A similar concern for the relationship between land and social justice is shown in the Book of Joshua after the Israelites finally enter the land of Canaan, and have once again reclaimed the promised land. This reclaiming itself is depicted as a restoration, and a fulfillment of God’s promise that the people of Israel will be restored to their homeland after their many sufferings. As the Israelites enter Canaan, the land is divided among the various tribes. Great concern is shown for an equitable division of the land among the twelve tribes, and among the multiple clans of which each tribe in comprised. This method of dividing the land is once again indicative of the biblical concern for social justice and the need to care for all members of society, including the poor, weak, and vulnerable (Joshua 13-19).

The entire narrative of the biblical story of the growth of the nation of Israel, the establishment of its laws and customs, and its claiming of the land promised to the ancestors of the Israelites is one where concerns for justice emerge as a central theme. The nation of Israel is depicted as not merely an agglomeration of individuals, but as a community where there is a great deal of connectedness between the past, present, and future. The life of the nation of Israel is described as a covenantal relationship between each successive generation. Ancestors are revered. There is concern for every individual member of the present generation and for posterity. Above all, there is a covenantal relationship between the nation of Israel and God. The promised land is the unifying thread of the Israelite nation, and this land represents the nation’s wider body of wealth. Poverty is condemned as lacking justification in a society whose resources are plentiful. Greed, avarice, and selfish materialism are depicted as vices, and those in positions of wealth, power, and status are shown to bear the responsibility of caring for the more vulnerable (Baker 45).

Many lessons can be drawn from this biblical narrative of the promised land and its related obligations with regards to present day society. Those whose religious faiths are rooted in the biblical tradition can easily identify many parallel issues in contemporary times. One of these is the ongoing and widening disparity between rich and poor in both the industrialized and technologically advanced countries, and in the lesser developed poor nations around the world. In recent years, there has been much talk of the “one percent.” Much of society’s wealth and political power is becoming increasingly concentrated. This disparity between the “one percent” of the rich and powerful, and the “ninety-nine percent” of the masses who are experiencing ever growing economic hardship, continues to expand. Political demonstrations have occurred in recent years, such as the “Occupy” movement, for the sake of calling attention to this ever growing disparity, and challenging those in positions of economic and political leadership to address such issues (Baker 87).

The ranks of the poor, unemployed, or homeless have grown significantly even in the affluent societies of the Western world. For instance, the economy of Greece has collapsed. Unemployment rates in many European countries are extraordinarily high. Unemployment in the United States is currently higher than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The situation in the poor nations is much worse. In many regions of the African continent, for example, people continue to needlessly die from treatable illnesses or social conditions that are possible to rectify. Yet, many political and business leaders show a casual indifference to the rising suffering associated with these conditions. Some political leaders even dismiss such concerns with contempt. It is ironic that even supposed Christian political leaders are often indifferent to very basic issues of social justice. Clearly, a greater familiarity with the traditional, biblical value of concern for the poor is needed. A heightened commitment to social justice on the part of people of faith would be of great benefit in present times.

Works Cited

Baker, David L. Tight Fists Or Open Hands?: Wealth and Poverty in Old TestamentLaw. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.Print.

Malchow, Bruce V. Social Justice In The Hebrew Bible. Collegeville, Minnesota:Liturgical Press, 1996. Print.

New American Bible. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Web. October 24,2013. http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm