God of the Oppressed — Our Bible App

Day 1 of 5: God of the Oppressed

“Again, I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed — and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors — and they have no comforter.”
Ecclesiastes 4:1 (NIV)

Looking back on 2020, it is difficult to ignore the problem of oppression. When we look to the Bible, we are also shown many examples of oppression and freedom. But what is oppression? And who are the oppressed?

The book of Ecclesiastes is thought to be written by Solomon and a group of prophets, and expresses the lamentations of the Jewish people during the time. Ecclesiastes was written when the Greek people were conquering land across the Mediterranean, so battles and poor treatment were common, especially for the Jewish people as their religion was quite different than that of the Greeks. Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 goes into the suffering of the oppressed. In verse 1, the author details how the oppressed have no comforter and they are to fight alone.

This lamentation is quite heavy, but may be relatable to certain oppressed groups: fighting and grieving without any support. Oppression thrives on isolation and hopelessness. But God stands for togetherness and hope; They are here to comfort, They are the power for the oppressed.

Looking to oppression both today and of the bible, those who were oppressed were not much different. They are typically women, people of color, disabled people, and queer and trans folk.

During the times of the bible, many of these groups were not allowed to worship in public spaces. If they were, it was typically at a lower standard as they were seen as unclean or unworthy. Royalty made laws regarding the treatment of these people, deeming them unworthy of any love or kindness. Even fellow Christians of this time oppressed others, believing that certain groups would never be able to enter, despite this going against Yeshua’s (Jesus) teachings.

In modern, typically American, churches, many groups are excluded from the love of God due to them being seen as unworthy or unclean. Those outside of certain boxes are not able to be holy in the eyes of the churches. However, God’s love is unconditional; They love us because of love, not because of the boxes we fit into. God’s love, as highlighted by Paul in Galatians 1:27, is for everyone equally. We are all welcomed into the home and love of God. These claims that we are unworthy and unclean connects us to our Christian ancestors that faced the same pain and rejection by their oppressors.

God shows us these stories of the oppressed overcoming their oppressors throughout the bible. God gives power and love to the oppressed, and over the next few days, we will examine these stories and what they mean for us today.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Try to hold the above quote close to your heart throughout the day. Remember that change is only made through love and light.

Laine Kessler

Day 1 of 5: God of the Oppressed

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