Read the whole Bible in one year

Week 42, October 22, 2011:  “The Haves and Haves Not”
This week's Reading:  October 15 to 21

Old Testament:  Jeremiah 26:1 to  38:28

New Testament:  2 Thessalonians 3:1 to 1 Timothy 6:21

Psalms:  Psalm 85:1 to 89:52

Proverbs:  Proverbs 25:16 to 25:28

Discussion Points:

Old Testament:

Why did King Zedekiah free the slaves?

Jeremiah 34:8-17 (WEB)

[8] The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them; [9] that every man should let his male servant, and every man his female servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondservants of them, of a Jew his brother. [10] All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant, and everyone his female servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:  [11] but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.  [12] Therefore the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, [13] Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, [14] At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you: but your fathers didn’t listen to me, neither inclined their ear.  [15] You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and you had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:  [16] but you turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and you brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.  [17] Therefore thus says Yahweh: you have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim to you a liberty, says Yahweh, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.

New Testament:

Most Christians agree that there is nothing wrong with being wealthy, in itself.  But if money leads to so many problems, wouldn't we be better off if we didn't have too much money?

1 Timothy 6:10 (RSV):

[10] For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.