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Ecclesiastes 4:1 (NLT) Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under
the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them.
The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless.
Oppression is like a ball and chain bound to a person to tie them down, to hold them
back, to keep them in their place so they cannot rise above their circumstances
https://thecontentauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/oppression-ball-and-chain.jpg
Ecclesiastes 4:2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, more than
the living who are still alive.
Ecclesiastes 4:3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, who has not
seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
1) JESUS CAME FOR THE OPPRESSED.
Luke 4:16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His
custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
Luke 4:17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had
opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to
preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty
those who are oppressed;
Luke 4:21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Ecclesiastes 5:8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of
justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official
watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
Luke 22:24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should
be considered the greatest.
Luke 22:25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over
them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’
Luke 22:26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you,
let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
2) JESUS CAME TO BE OPPRESSED.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so He opened not His mouth.
Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.”
Exodus 2:23 Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died.
Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out;
and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
Exodus 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me,
and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
To be a Jew means always being with the oppressed and never the oppressors.
Cornell University posting by Hamas:
… Jews are human animals and deserve a pig’s death. Liberation by any means.
From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,
3) JESUS CAME TO BRING LIBERATION FOR THE OPPRESSED.
Luke 4:18 ” … to set at liberty those who were oppressed;
Jesus the oppressed identified with those in humanity who were oppressed.
John 4:7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
John 4:8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
John 4:9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew,
ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
The oppressed Jews were clearly capable of being the oppressors themselves in
certain situations and against certain people.
John 4:16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
John 4:17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her,
You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’
John 4:18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not
your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said
to the men,
John 4:29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be
the Christ?”
John 4:30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
Luke 16:19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen
and fared sumptuously every day.
Luke 16:20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was
laid at his gate,
Luke 16:21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.
Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s
bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
Luke 16:23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame.’
Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received
your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you
are tormented.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power,
who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for
God was with Him.
Ultimately either in this life or the life to come, the oppressed will be blessed and
the oppressor will be cursed.
Psalm 103:6 The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
Psalm 72:4 He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children
of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.
