“You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
Laws About the Sabbath and Festivals
“For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the beasts of the field may eat. You shall do likewise with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.
“Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.
“Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.
“Three times in the year you shall keep a feast to me. You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. None shall appear before me empty-handed. You shall keep the Feast of Harvest, of the firstfruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field. You shall keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labor. Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord GOD.
Comment: Some of these laws would not have applied whilst they were travelling through the wilderness. I can’t imagine as I’ve read the story how they would have been able to plant a crop or a vineyard and managed it so long that they they had to rest the soil for the seventh year. However, it fitted into God’s plan for them for having a sabbath during the week and resting the soil and giving it a chance to ‘revive’. But there was much for them to start applying at the present time. They were to treat strangers among them kindly. I remember once eating a meal with an Ethiopian family. Mid-meal a person came to the front door and said that he was hungry. A good portion was taken out to him and water to drink. Having eaten he said ‘thanks’ and wandered off. I asked who it was. No one knew ‘but he was hungry they replied!’ Then there were feasts to be kept. One of which applied immediately but other two in relation to cropping would have to have been held in anticipation or started to apply when they settled in Canaan.
Their obedience towards God was to be unwavering and completely fulfilled! And we should not forget this even to this age. After the coming of Jesus we have so much more to be truly thankful for than even they had!
Prayer: And, Father, we are truly thankful!
As I read it! 