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. 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 Protect the poor and the slave, and support the stranger.” Rehabilitate the poor at the hands of the king. 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: 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.
"And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt therefore I command you to do this thing." "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. "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. "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. "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. "You shall not pervert justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow's garment as a pledge. This command is first recorded in Deuteronomy 24:17-22: “He who calls you is faithful he will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).Ancient artifact - God protects widow & orphansĪfter 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. Īs you consider how God may be calling you to care for waiting children, take heart. Show Hope provides creative ways to get involved and make a difference. People are called by God to care well for children who have been orphaned in their giving. Deuteronomy 14:29 says, “And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” The following verse comes from a passage in Deuteronomy where God is instructing his people about tithing. The People of God Share Their Resources With Orphans Your actions matter and there are many ways you can help make a difference, whether you are a prayer partner, a fundraiser, a Show Hope sponsor, or a prospective adoptive parent. The words of the Bible call God’s people to actively pursue meeting the needs of children who have been orphaned, and a great place to start is through prayer. James 1:27 says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
God invites everyone to play his or her part in working toward justice. He also asks us to do something about it. God promises protection and help for those who cannot protect themselves, and he redeems injustice through his unfailing love.
That even one child does not know the love of a family is a great injustice, and there are millions of children living in this reality.ĭeuteronomy 10:18 says, “He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.”Īlso, Psalm 10:14 says, “But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands to you the helpless commits himself you have been the helper of the fatherless.” Justice is a fundamental part of God’s character, as we are shown in the Bible. That There Are Children Who Have Been Orphaned Is an Injustice of This World Psalm 68:5 tells us, “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.” His aim is to show orphans mercy, care, and protection, and because these waiting children are essential to him, they should be essential to us as his Church. God is the loving Father of all children who have been orphaned. For your personal study, family devotional time, or small group, the following outlines specific references to what the Bible says about orphans and how God teaches us to care for them. Early in the Old Testament, we see how essential the care of children who have been orphaned is to God, and from the establishment of his Church in the New Testament, that priority remains evident.
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