I write this because I have to! I witnessed, and witness everyday the treatment of the poor by the very people who call themselves ‘the children of God’, or ‘the remnant’, or what ever title that helps them sleep at night while the image of the living God lies in the gutter dying, alone. The statistics on how many homeless people die each year in the USA is between 9 – 13 thousand a year! I do not understand… when I read the same book we claim as our guide! At this moment I am sitting in a mission day shelter, and there are thirty men crammed into a 15 feet wide by 25 feet long room, with plywood walls, no insulation, concrete floors, concrete benches, and it’s cold, and wet just around the corner, and most are sick, and alone in this world. This is why I have to write about the hypocrisy, and idolatry God hammered Israel for because of how they treated the poor, and needy. And don’t misunderstand me, I love Israel! She is the apple of God’s eye, period!
God has a few pointed verses about the treatment of his poor.
Ezekiel 18:12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination.
Ezekiel 18:13 Hath given forth upon usery, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
Ezekiel 18:17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usery nor increase, hath executed my judgements, hath walked in my statues; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
Ezekiel 22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy, yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
I have placed these here because, I think they are important to hopefully spark an interest in what else God has to say through His prophets! These verses in Ezekiel amazed me, and opened my eyes to seeing in a whole different way by breaking my heart so I can see a little clearer what God is witnessing every single moment.
Psalm 9:18
For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
Psalm 10 ( I need to show you the whole Psalm because, it’s all about the treatment of the poor, and God’s love towards us.)
Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? 2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3 For the wicked boasteth of his hearts desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgements are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 6 He has said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. 7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. 8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doeth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. 9 He lieth in wait secretly as a loin in his den: he doeth catch the poor, when he draws them into his net. 10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. 12 Arise, O LORD, O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. 13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he has said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. 14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to require it with thy hand: the poor commiteth himself unto thee: thou art the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. 16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of the land. 17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.
Psalm 12 ( This Psalm also surrounds the poor with the loving-kindness of our God! As many Psalms do.)
Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth: for the faithful fail from among the children of men. 2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. 3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said, with our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. 8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.
Psalm 14:6 Ye have shamed the councel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
Psalm 35:10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which delivereth the poor from him that is to strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him.
Psalm 37:14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
Psalm 40:17 But I am poor and needy: thou art my help and my deliver; make no tarrying, O my God.
Psalm 41:1 Blessed is he that concidereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
Psalm 49:2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.
Psalm 68:10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared for thy goodness for the poor.
Psalm 69:29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
Psalm 69:33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
Psalm 70:5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God, thou art my help and my deliver; O LORD, make no tarrying.
Psalm 72:12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth: the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
Psalm 72:13-14 He shall spare the poor and needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
Psalm 74:19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.
Psalm 74:21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.
Psalm 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
These are just the beginning… The proverbial tip of the iceberg! A man named Tozer wrote once, that God couldn’t use a man until that man’s heart was broken. For me God touched a place inside of me through these verses that no one else could have touched! My prayers are that, these verses connect you to the heart of God himself, and you see as the Lord sees. “And Jesus wept.” This is what I sense in regards to the treatment of the poor and needy by the Church!!!
God bless you and your families!! And may the Mother of God wrap you all in her mantle of blue!!
Thank you for stopping by and reading the writings of a crazy old man!
Is it just me, or is the world insane? 