As we read the books of the prophets, we can see how they totally disregarded these commands of Yahweh!
First of all they worshiped the false gods of the people with whom they settled.
They were always being told by the prophets to end their injustice to the poor, the widows and the orphans.
They were not kind to the aliens who sought sanctuary either.
I wish that all those who call themselves Christian would realize that these warnings are not just for the Jews, but for all of us.
We worship the false gods of wealth and power and we have little care for the poor.
Greed is a leading cause for most of the problems of our world today.
People are greedy for money, they are greedy for fame and they are greedy for power.
It doesn't make any difference who they have to climb over or how much destruction they cause or how many lives are lost if their appetite for wealth and power are satisfied.
Of course, their appetite is never truly satisfied, so if they succeed once, they keep trying to gain more.
The only thing we can do is work for the poor; work to prevent persecution of those who need a safe place to live and raise their children and earn a decent living without having to fear the very people who are charged with protecting them.
We need to heed God's warnings or we will suffer in the same way that the Israelites did.
There are nations today who are willing to overtake anyone who is weaker if it will make them stronger.
We must continue to be faithful and to pray for our leaders as well as for all those who would sacrifice the poor for the sake of wealth or power.
As both this passage and the psalm say, "The Lord hears the cry of the poor."
