The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Deuteronomy 15:12,
"If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free."
Indentured servants were a part of Israel's workforce (as well as many other nations' workforces). A person could enter into a contract with another to provide services for an agreed upon time. "If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves." Leviticus 25:39-42. We see here that the Israelites were not to enslave one another forcefully.
In this chapter, we are told that all debts were to be cancelled every seven years and that all Israelites that had indentured themselves were to be set free from their obligation.
Not all, but in many passages in the Bible this form of employment is misunderstood as slavery, the kind of slavery perpetrated by many nations on the basis of race until Britan and the United States led the way in banning it in the 1800s. (On a side note, if you thought Europeans introduced slavery to this land, you need to learn about the forced slavery practiced by the American Indians.)
As I say, many people who have attempted to malign the Scriptures have misunderstood what they often point to in the Bible. That is not to say that slave ownership is unknown in the Bible. It is found in Israel's history and not banned by God, "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly." Leviticus 25:44-46.
"If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free."
Indentured servants were a part of Israel's workforce (as well as many other nations' workforces). A person could enter into a contract with another to provide services for an agreed upon time. "If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves." Leviticus 25:39-42. We see here that the Israelites were not to enslave one another forcefully.
In this chapter, we are told that all debts were to be cancelled every seven years and that all Israelites that had indentured themselves were to be set free from their obligation.
Not all, but in many passages in the Bible this form of employment is misunderstood as slavery, the kind of slavery perpetrated by many nations on the basis of race until Britan and the United States led the way in banning it in the 1800s. (On a side note, if you thought Europeans introduced slavery to this land, you need to learn about the forced slavery practiced by the American Indians.)
As I say, many people who have attempted to malign the Scriptures have misunderstood what they often point to in the Bible. That is not to say that slave ownership is unknown in the Bible. It is found in Israel's history and not banned by God, "Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly." Leviticus 25:44-46.
However, forced slavery on the basis of race as practiced in many nations in the past is unknown in the Scriptures.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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