Day 5: Indifference To The Poor
Daily Devotional
By Derek Prince
God’s character is to defend the poor and oppressed. It was part of the law of Moses (see for example Leviticus 19:9–10) but the prophets also show the same care God has for the poor.
If you read the prophets from Isaiah onwards, basically there were three sins that provoked God’s anger. The first was idolatry, the second was adultery and the third was indifference to the poor. We are all supposed to be shocked by idolatry and adultery. But what about the third thing that God puts on the same level? Indifference to the poor. This is what He says:
“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)
Failure to defend the fatherless is in the same category as idolatry and adultery.