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| After God brought His people out of the land of Egypt, one of His first commands to them was that they should not oppress others as they had been treated by the Egyptians. |
| This command is first recorded in Deuteronomy 24:17-22: |
| "You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow's garment as a pledge. "But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing. |
| "When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. |
| "When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. |
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| "When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. |
| "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing." |
| This command of protecting orphans, widows and strangers is repeated over and over in Scripture, and amazingly enough His command has surfaced once again in our generation. |
| One proposed translation by Professor Gershon Galil of a recent archaeological find in Israel, although very controversial, may record the following instructions to the people and rulers: |
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| “you shall not do it. But worship the Lord. Judge the slave and the widow. Judge the orphan and the stranger. Plead for the infant. Plead for the poor and the widow. Rehabilitate the poor at the hands of the king. Protect the poor and the slave, and support the stranger.” |
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| The inscription, which is deemed to be one of the earliest dated finds of Hebrew writing, was found on a piece of broken pottery and is known as the Qeiyfa Ostracon Chroncle |
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| The first line of the inscription is a warning against worshiping false gods which is a repeat of the first of the Ten Commandments which says: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.” |
| And the rest of the inscription teaches what is found in Deuteronomy 27:19: “Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen!' |
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| SUPPORT WIDOWS AND THE FATHERLESS |
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| "When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year; the year of tithing; and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled." Deuteronomy 26:12 (NKJV) |
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| DEFEND THE WIDOW AND THE FATHERLESS |
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| "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow". Isaiah 1:16-17 (NKJV) |
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| BEWARE NOT TO MISTREAT STRANGERS, WIDOWS AND THE FATHERLESS LEST THE LORD TURN YOU UPSIDE DOWN |
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| The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. Psalms 146:9 (NKJV) |
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| CHRIST WILL ONE DAY DESTROY THOSE WHO FORSAKE HIM AND MISTREAT THE WIDOWS AND THE ORPHANS. |
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| Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.. |
| Therefore the Lord says, The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, "Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries, And take vengeance on My enemies. I will turn My hand against you, And thoroughly purge away your dross, And take away all your alloy. |
| I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city." Zion shall be redeemed with justice, And her penitents with righteousness. |
| The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed. Isaiah 1:23-28 (NKJV) |
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| Our 3 volume book series "Bible Believer's Archaeology," one of the best on Bible proofs, can be downloaded for your ebook reader by visiting our resource download page by Clicking Here. |
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| Qeiyafa Ostracon Inscription |
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| Resources: |
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| The Holy Bible, Author: The Lord God |
| Scripture taken from the New King James Version unless noted. |
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| Qeiyafa Inscription photos, drawings and translations |
| Qeiyafa Inscription translation by Prof. Gershon Galil |
| http://qeiyafa.huji.ac.il/ostracon2.asp |
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| Qeiyafa Inscription article |
| http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-01/uoh-mah010710.php |
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| Artwork: “Comfort Widows” |
| copyright © 2017 www.clipart.com |
|
| Artwork: “Qeiyafa Inscription” based upon photos and drawings |
| Artist: John Argubright |
| copyright © 2017 www.biblehistory.net |
|
| Artwork: “Widow’s Mite”” |
| copyright © 2017 www.clipart.com |
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