In Deuteronomy 15:1-6 Moses gave a charge concerning the release at the end of every seven years. "At the end of every seven years you shall issue a release" (v. 1). Every creditor was to release that which he had lent to his neighbor. An Israelite was to do this even if he had lent something to his neighbor shortly before the year of release. This requirement regarding the release at the end of every seven years is related to God's way of balancing the social wealth and natural resources among His people. We may say that God was practicing a "divine communism."
"This is the manner of the release: Every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it from his neighbor or his brother, for Jehovah's release has been proclaimed" (v. 2). However, there was a limitation to the heavenly communism: the children of Israel were to release their brothers only, not the foreigners (v. 3). If God's people released that which they had lent to their brothers, they would bring in God's blessing that there would be no poor among them (vv. 4-5). Further, because of God's blessing, they would lend to many nations and rule over many nations. "Jehovah your God will bless you as He has promised you. And you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you" (v. 6).
God's people were not only to practice the release every seven years; they were also required to lend to the poor brothers. Deuteronomy 15:7-11 speaks about the lending to the poor brothers. Some of the people might have lost money during the year of release. As a result, they might have decided never to lend anything again. Thus, there was the need for an ordinance to govern the requirement regarding lending to the poor.
The children of Israel were not to harden their heart nor close up their hand from the poor brother (v. 7). Suppose a poor brother had once asked an Israelite for a loan, and this brother was released from his debt in the year of release. If this poor brother should ask the same person for another loan after the year of release, that person might harden his heart and close up his hand. However, this was forbidden by the ordinance governing lending to the poor brothers.
The people were required to open their hand to the poor one and to lend enough for his need in whatever he lacked (v. 8). Today we should not be reluctant to give to the poor brothers among us. When we give to meet the needs of the poor brothers, the Lord will return to us much more than we gave. All the believers who give willingly can testify of this.