SLAVERY
Since The Fall of Humanity, mankind has had slavery. Greed and Laziness are slavery's parents. If these two spirits jump on a man or woman with power, influence, and/or money - look out, slavery is in the making. Another human may be the object of the enslavement or a group of people may be the object of enslavement. Also, an idea or technology could be considered an enslavement. "...for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." - 2 Peter 2:19 No matter what poison your slavery chooses to manifest itself, slavery is bad for everyone. For the enslaver he/she is really part of the slavery "gig". They are bound to the service that their slaves produce. Also the enslaver has a ticking time-bomb waiting to "explode" or rebel via the slaves.
I know we have been slave to sin almost from the word "go". "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." - John 8:34 "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," - Romans 3:23. However, can we not treat our fellow man better than enslavement to our whims and desires? It seems not.
It was a little perplexing, to half of me at least, to observe how after being enslaved themselves - the Hebrews had slaves (Jeremiah 34:9-11).
"Everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Jew in bondage. So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again."
Sometimes in Scripture we actually got a reason for why there were slaves in Jewish history.
"All the people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites), that is, their descendants remaining in the land, whom the Israelites could not exterminate--these Solomon conscripted for his slave labor force, as it is to this day." 1 Kings 9:20-21
We even get prophecy in Scripture that there will continue to be slavery well into the future, especially in the Tribulation Period of the world's history.
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead," (Revelation13:16)
For the Hebrews, with all the miracles that God gave them in delivering them out of Egypt and then throughout their history as a nation from various enemies - how do they justify slaves? Especially, after being slaves themselves. Was it because the people doing the enslaving were not the same generation and therefore had a different mindset about things? They still had the Law and stories about the LORD.
Fast-forward to today. We are no better. We are probably worse. We have more to be enslaved by now-a-days. Here is a perfect time to go introspective and take inventory of what we might be a slave to at this time in our lives and deal with it. Because if Christ is not at the center of our lives, if we are not living and moving and breathing "in Him" then we need a change.
I don't know when Galatians 3:26-28 will fully manifest itself but I really look forward to that time -
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
To experience life in Christ as not a Jew, not a Greek, not a Gentile, not a slave, not a freeman, not a male, not a female - just a spirit with a perfected body in harmony with Christ Jesus and His fellow believers. Perfect relationship. I can't wait, bring it on! The end of slavery! Maranatha!
I know we have been slave to sin almost from the word "go". "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin." - John 8:34 "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," - Romans 3:23. However, can we not treat our fellow man better than enslavement to our whims and desires? It seems not.
It was a little perplexing, to half of me at least, to observe how after being enslaved themselves - the Hebrews had slaves (Jeremiah 34:9-11).
"Everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Jew in bondage. So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again."
Sometimes in Scripture we actually got a reason for why there were slaves in Jewish history.
"All the people left from the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites (these peoples were not Israelites), that is, their descendants remaining in the land, whom the Israelites could not exterminate--these Solomon conscripted for his slave labor force, as it is to this day." 1 Kings 9:20-21
We even get prophecy in Scripture that there will continue to be slavery well into the future, especially in the Tribulation Period of the world's history.
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead," (Revelation13:16)
For the Hebrews, with all the miracles that God gave them in delivering them out of Egypt and then throughout their history as a nation from various enemies - how do they justify slaves? Especially, after being slaves themselves. Was it because the people doing the enslaving were not the same generation and therefore had a different mindset about things? They still had the Law and stories about the LORD.
Fast-forward to today. We are no better. We are probably worse. We have more to be enslaved by now-a-days. Here is a perfect time to go introspective and take inventory of what we might be a slave to at this time in our lives and deal with it. Because if Christ is not at the center of our lives, if we are not living and moving and breathing "in Him" then we need a change.
I don't know when Galatians 3:26-28 will fully manifest itself but I really look forward to that time -
"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
To experience life in Christ as not a Jew, not a Greek, not a Gentile, not a slave, not a freeman, not a male, not a female - just a spirit with a perfected body in harmony with Christ Jesus and His fellow believers. Perfect relationship. I can't wait, bring it on! The end of slavery! Maranatha!
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