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what might 'ruling over many nations' mean in an ethical financial sense today?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Deuteronomy 15:6

“For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you: and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.”

This verse is part of Moses' address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. He is reiterating God's covenant promises and laws, emphasizing the blessings that come from obedience and the responsibilities that accompany prosperity within the new nation.

How might our financial practices today, whether as individuals or institutions, reflect a disposition of stewardship and responsibility rather than dominance?

Then — the setting

This passage was delivered by Moses to the Israelites in the 15th-13th century BCE, on the plains of Moab, just before they entered Canaan. The promise of blessing, including the ability to lend and 'rule over many nations,' was tied to their covenant faithfulness. In the ancient Near East, economic strength and the ability to lend to other nations often signified political dominance and self-sufficiency, contrasting sharply with borrowing, which could lead to subjugation or tribute. This wasn't about imperial conquest in the modern sense, but about Israel's secure and prominent position among its neighbors, a testimony to the God who blessed them.

Across the Testaments

In the Old Testament, promises of national blessing often include economic prosperity and political stability, seen as direct results of covenant faithfulness. The New Testament, while not explicitly re-iterating national promises to Israel in the same way, reorients the concept of 'ruling' from national political-economic dominance to spiritual authority and service, particularly within the Christian community (e.g., Jesus' teaching on servant leadership). While material blessings are acknowledged, there's a strong emphasis on detachment from wealth and using resources for the common good and the spread of the Gospel, rather than for personal or national accumulation of power over others. The ethical implications of wealth and lending are consistently stressed across both testaments.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Proverbs 22:7
This proverb states that the borrower is slave to the lender, highlighting the power dynamics in financial relationships.
Matthew 6:24
Jesus warns against serving two masters, God and money, which challenges the ultimate allegiance of financial pursuits.
James 5:1-6
This passage offers a strong critique of the wealthy who exploit workers, reminding us of the ethical responsibilities that accompany financial power.

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