When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. Exodus 21:2 – It can be odd for us to read passages like this in scripture and see the Lord giving commands about slavery. Is God accepting of slavery? Is commands like this showing that slavery is a part of God’s plan and even His desire? First, let’s remember that slavery was a thing long before God instituted these commands around slavery. Yet the mindset in these ancient cultures around slavery was far different than God’s posture towards it. Slaves were simply property, considered not even to be humans in most cultures. If a master wanted to kill them, beat them, or use them in horrible way, he had all the rights to do so because they were his slave. What we see though is God speaking into this culture and giving His posture towards the idea of slavery. God saw those in slavery as actual people with value, and they should be treated as such. God’s heart also isn’t for us to be under enslavement, which is why we see Him give this law about the slave being set free the seventh year. In a culture that devalued people and embraced enslavement, the Lord is creating a way slaves to be valued, treated properly, and even given a path to freedom. God’s heart towards slavery is the same today as it was then. He doesn’t desire anyone to be slaves to sin and death and Satan. Satan wants to strip away all our value and worth and keep us under his weight for the rest of our lives. God though has created a pathway to freedom just like He did in our verse above. Through Jesus we have the doors opens to us to walk freely out of our enslavement to sin and into the freedom Christ gives us. No, God is not for slavery, but He understands that in the Israelites day and our day that slavery is a real thing, and He has spoken into our lives the pathway to freedom. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3165
Question To Ponder: How do you see slavery play itself out in our day still?
See Full Chapter
See Previous Devotions Over This Chapter
Daily DEVO 
Leave a comment