- 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
- Exodus 21 Daily DEVO When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. Exodus 21:28-29 – It’s one thing to have something we are in control over hurt someone because we were unaware of the damage it could bring, it’s something else to know how dangerous something is and refuse to keep it in check. For example, your words. Maybe you just haven’t learned yet how destructive words can be. You speak, hurt someone, yet see the pain you brought and make sure that you don’t ever use your words like that again. Sadly though we see more of people understanding the damage that words, and many other things in their control, can bring yet continuing to keep them unchecked. Let’s not be this way. Whether it’s your words, anger, etc, be in control. Their is a reason one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control and it’s because God knew how damaging an unchecked life can be. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 815
- …his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. Exodus 21:6 – Without context, this sounds like a seriously cruel rule God would make concerning slaves, but understand the whole picture. After the years of service that needed to be completed for the slave, if he loved his master and wanted to remain with him forever, he could willingly allow himself to remain under the service of his master for the rest of his life. This mark in the ear would be a sign to all that he was now a permanent part of the master’s household and under his care. You and I don’t have a mark in our ears saying we’re a part of God’s household or under his care. The mark though is in Jesus’ wrists. He allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross so you could freely become a part of God’s household. He holds the marks forever as a sign to you that you’ve been redeemed and are now under care of God. When the struggles come and the pain rises, dwell on the scars that Jesus bears for you. They tell you that you are His, you are deeply known by Him, and He is going to provide for your need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1904
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