Land Rights in The Bible

 

All land on Earth is God’s personal property and mankind can only ever be stewards, or tenants of it:

God speaks to Moses: “The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; and you are but my tenants”. Leviticus 25:23

‘Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.’ Deuteronomy 10:14

‘The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it ‘ Psalm 24:1

Theft of land or inheritance is a cardinal sin:

‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s house…’  Tenth Commandment, Exodus 20:17

 

Heirs have the right to receive their estates intact:

‘And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren. And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the Lord commanded Moses.’  Numbers 27:1-11

 

Greed for property draws the heart away from God

‘Woe to those who join house to house and field to field, until there is no more room, and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land. Yahweh of heaven’s armies has sworn in my hearing: “Surely many houses shall be desolate, large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.’ Isaiah 5:8-9

 

The poor, the lowly and the humble are the children of Christ:

‘But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain other brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, “These that have turned the world upside down have come here also”’. Acts 17:5-6

‘Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.’ Matthew 23:12

 

Jesus’ disciples and apostles held all things in common:

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things in common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God and having favour with all the people. And YAHWEH added to the church daily, such as should be saved. Acts 2:41-47

 

Jesus directly demonstrates the right to roam:

And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first, that He went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. Luke 6:1

 

The Jubilee provides for all debts and tenancies to be temporary and reset every couple of generations:

‘And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.’  Leviticus 25:10

 

The Sabbath year reminds all landholders that the land is God’s property and it is their duty to manage it so the poor landless are provided for.

And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard. Exodus 23:10-11

 

Producers must take responsibility for what they sell, and pay for any adverse consequences:

‘If, however, an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.’  Exodus 21:29

 

Respecting property boundaries:

‘You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark, which the ancestors have set.’ Deuteronomy 19:14

‘Do not move the ancient boundary or go into the fields of the fatherless.’ Proverbs 23:10

 

Government is only one of five co-equal institutions: Marriage promulgates; The family cultivates; Commerce invigorates; and The church translates.  When government goes unchecked by other powers, laid down by God, it is used to take property from the people, confiscating more and more for the privileged eating into the rights of the other four to thrive and, ultimately, survive. Beware of theft by runaway government in a fallen world:

‘So Samuel spoke all the words of the Lord to the people who had asked of him a king. He said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.’   1 Samuel 8:10–18

 

The faithful shall inherit the earth through Christ:

‘God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.’ Heb 1:2

‘And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.’ Rom 8:17

 

True wealth is accumulated by ones own and ones family’s labour

Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.’ Proverbs 13:11

 

You are not allowed to charge interest on loans to fellow believers:

Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.’  Deuteronomy 23:19-20

 

The Jerusalem Temple is not Biblical:

Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith YAHWEH, “Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another”.  1 Chronicles 17:4-5

‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.’ Revelation 21:2 & 22

 

Israel is commanded not to discriminate, but to love intermingled ethnic groups as themselves

‘But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.’ Leviticus 19:34