Oppression

"So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive." (Ecclesiastes 4: 1, 2 KJV)

To "oppress" means to "press down upon" or to "crush," and to "violate," and to "defraud," and to "exploit." It is the doing of "violence" to another, or to acquire from another by "deceit" and through "wrong," or to "extort." It includes the ideas of "exhausting one by hard labor" and "to afflict or oppress with evils," or "to make trouble for," or "to treat roughly." It is the "exercising of harsh control over" another, and the "using of one's power against another." It involves the "unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power" over another. It involves the "utilization of another person or group for selfish purposes."

With these definitions before us, it is easy to recognize the fact that we live in a world full of oppression. It is a common sin. It is also a sin and evil that is addressed much in the bible. God has a lot to say about the subject.

Solomon, the great wise king of Israel, spoke about oppression in both his Proverbs and in the Ecclesiastes. In the above words, he says he "beheld" or noticed the widespread "oppression" in the world. He also observed that, for the most part, the oppressed had no "comforter," or one who could help or deliver them from their oppressions. The oppressors possessed earthly "power," while the oppressed had only "tears."

An oppressor is indeed a mean and violent person. Such a person cares not for others and has no fear of God. The oppressor takes away comfort and strength, and robs both material possessions and the joys of the poor and less fortunate.

"Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them." (Psalm 62: 10 KJV)

"Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant." (Isaiah 30: 12, 13 KJV)

"Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways." (Proverbs 3: 31 KJV)

"He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress." (Hosea 12: 7 KJV)

These four verses, taken together, give us a divine description of the one whom God designates as an "oppressor." All men have a propensity to oppress and to mistreat their neighbors, lacking divine love in their hearts, yet some make the daily practice of this particular sin their chief concern. These people "love to oppress," and "trust in" or "believe in" the practicing of "oppression."

Every "oppressor" began his life of oppression with an envy towards the lifestyle and ways of the oppressor, and then made a choice to become an oppressor themselves. Yet, it was done out of blindness and wickedness of heart, for there is nothing in the life of the oppressor that is worth imitating or following.

There are all kinds of "oppressors" in the world today. Some get more notoriety than others, however. Certainly violent street gangs practice this vice. The "prey on" the weak, the poor, the widows, and the fatherless. They scam, they extort, and they rob and spoil.

Yet, Lord God calls out to all men to "choose not" and "envy not" the thinking and the ways of the oppressor. Those who practice "oppression" also practice "perverseness."

"They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily." (Psalm 73: 8 KJV)

It is the morally and spiritually "corrupt" and the "proud boasters" who practice the sin of "oppression." They promote their sinful lifestyle, and seek converts to their way of life.

"Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart." (Ecclesiastes 7: 7 KJV)

"Oppression" will "drive a man crazy," morally and spiritually. The lifestyle may look enticing, but a closer look will reveal such a life will only end in utter loss.

"He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor." (Proverbs 14: 31 KJV)

Oppressors prey on the weak and timid, and on the helpless and less fortunate. Those who practice oppression are guilty of "reproaching" the Lord their Maker. Such a person will be dishonored and judged by the Lord.

"Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1: 17 KJV)

These are things that every people and nation need to teach their citizens. But, it is more than just good "civics," but a duty to God as well as to man. Men "do well" and practice good "judgment" when they are involved in "relieving the oppressed," and in eliminating the oppression of the poor, weak, fatherless, and widows.

"Good Samaritans" do not stand looking on at the violent perverting of justice, nor at the oppression of the weak, but rather they come to their aid, when they are able to do so.

"The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully." (Ezekiel 22: 29 KJV)

What an evil land is this! A place where none are safe and where oppressors and violent men roam the streets! A place where no one's possessions are safe! A place where the poor and needy are crushed and despised.

"He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want." (Proverbs 22: 16 KJV)

Yes, the sin of the "oppressor" will surely "find him out." (See Numbers 32: 23 KJV) It is ironic justice that the oppressor, who entered his sinful course with the desire and intent to rob and spoil others, so that he might never be "in want," will himself, by God's decree, come to be "in want," both in the end of his life here, and in the world to come.

"A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food." (Proverbs 28: 3 KJV)

"But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2: 6 KJV)

It is rare that poor people become oppressors of other poor people. Generally it is the rich that are most visibly seen as oppressors of the poor. But, poor people do oppress other poor people. Somewhere along the line of one who practices oppression, he becomes totally insensitive to the sufferings of others, rich or poor.

"And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies." (Numbers 10: 9 KJV)

The Lord commanded us to "relieve the oppressed." There are times when an enemy makes war and oppresses to an intolerable degree, and thus it is justified for the oppressed to defend themselves.

"If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they." (Ecclesiastes 5: 8 KJV)

"Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee." (Deuteronomy 24: 14, 15 KJV

Every oppressed person is thankful when they are delivered from the hand of their oppressors. It is also a strength to the oppressed to know that God sees all their sufferings at the hands of their oppressors and knows their plight. He promises that the "oppressor" will get his due reward. He calls upon the oppressed, who are unable to free themselves, to look to him for deliverance.

"Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me." (Psalm 56: 1 KJV)

"Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts." (Psalm 119: 34 KJV)

"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly." (Psalm 17: 8-10 KJV)

"Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them." (Exodus 3: 9 KJV)

"Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Exodus 23: 9 KJV)

"And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them." (Judges 2: 18 KJV)

Those who have been delivered from oppression, great or small, can thank God for their deliverance. Yes, it may have been another person who delivered the oppressed one, but it was only because God sent them to be "saviors." He sent Moses to deliver the Israelites from their cruel oppressors. He sent many others too in the time of the Judges, when there were long periods of time when the Israelites were greatly oppressed and sore vexed by their violent and non-peaceful neighbors.

"Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God. Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety." (Leviticus 25: 17, 18 KJV)

To behold a poor man oppressing a poor man is a shocking and disgusting sight. But, so is beholding families and brethren doing the same towards each other! Notice how this passage puts lack of fear for God as the reason for men being given to the practice of oppression. Surely if oppressors really knew the enormity of their sins, in the sight of God, and the blackness of them, and the end result of them, then they would immediately cease and desist in their practice.

"I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" (Psalm 42: 9 KJV)

"For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" (Psalm 43: 2 KJV)

"Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?" (Psalm 44: 24 KJV)

These verses describe the struggling of mind that men of faith experience when they are oppressed. The oppressed question God, saying - "where is he?" And, "why does he not relieve me?" Yet, they are instructed in the reasons why. They are also instructed to keep faith in God, and to be patient, to bide their time till he is pleased to send them a savior. He has informed them of his awareness of all the oppression in the world, and that he is delivering even now many who are oppressed, and that he has plans to rid the world one day of all oppression.

"My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?" (Job 10: 1-3 KJV)

Job, in the moment of his greatest of sufferings, questioned God about his sufferings and oppressions. But, what caused him the greatest of grief was how God, seemingly, was acting as an oppressor towards him. He asks the Lord - "does it do you good to oppress me?" Yet, God was not oppressing him, for he had no evil intent towards Job, but only a purpose to bless him. Job would later come to understand all this, yet, in the midst of his oppressive state, he imagined God might be a tyrant, one who delighted in oppressing the weak, rather than being a God who takes pity upon the poor and the oppressed.

"He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor." (Psalm 72: 4 KJV)

"The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed." (Psalm 103: 6 KJV)

"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." (Psalm 9: 9 KJV)

"LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress." (Psalm 10: 17, 18 KJV)

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him." (Psalm 12: 5 KJV)

The end of the story of Job demonstrates the truth of these words. The history of God's dealings with his people Israel also demonstrate it. The millions of unknown people who have been freed from the hand of the oppressor is also a testimony of it. The message to all those who are oppressed is to cry out for help, to others, their neighbors and friends, to their judges and governmental leaders, and also to God, and to believe and trust in the Lord to do as he has promised.

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." (Isaiah 53: 7 KJV)

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10: 38 KJV)

Jesus experienced oppression himself! He knows what it means to be oppressed. He was oppressed for the sake of his people. He knows by experience what it means to be oppressed. He also has power to save all who are oppressed by enemies and accusers (the word "devil" means enemy or adversary), even by the greatest enemy and oppressor of man, the Devil or Satan.

"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." (Isaiah 54: 13, 14 KJV)

"And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts." (Malachi 3: 5 KJV)

The first verse above promises total and absolute freedom from all oppression and suffering to the servants of the Lord, while the latter verse describes the awful judgment and destruction that is reserved for all the oppressors of the earth. To which group do you belong?