Freedom for Slaves

Slavery in Israel was not how we think of it. It was usually due to economics: chosen or mutually arranged because of extreme poverty; bankruptcy or for restitution. It was of limited duration and highly regulated.

Israel was required to release Hebrew slaves after 6 years (Exodus 21:1ff). Jerusalem was under siege here by the Babylonians. Instead of obedience to God, they may have released slaves more because there was no work so they couldn’t afford it and then slaves could be soldiers. But the Babylonians were drawn off as the Egyptian army approached Israel perjured themselves and went back on their vows to God. A stern reckoning will follow!

A great Gospel benefit is freedom (John 8:32) to believers. And our Liberator Jesus never takes back the freedom He grants!

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REFLECTION

Obedience…

by Tom Richards

Today’s reading takes place in 588 BC. Jerusalem is under siege by the Babylonian army lead by King Nebuchadnezzar. God speaks to King Zedekiah through Jeremiah regarding the release of Hebrew slaves in accordance with the law spoken through Moses many years earlier. When King Zedekiah and the people follow God’s command the Babylonians leave. (God used the threat of the Egyptians intervening on behalf of the people of Judah to make this happen – see Jeremiah 37: 5, 11).

Sadly, in Jeremiah 34:11 there is the key word “afterward”. “After” the Babylonians stopped their siege of Jerusalem King Zedekiah and the people went back on their promise to free their slaves. As you can read in verses 17 – 22, God is not pleased by this action and things do not end well. 

God calls all of us to repentance, just like he did with King Zedekiah and the people of Judah. And while we will never live sinless lives, his desire for us is obedience – no different than the parent/child relationships that we experience in our lives. When we confess our sins, whether privately in times of prayer or publicly in our worship service we are led to repentance, just as King Zedekiah and the people were. Unfortunately, due to our sinful nature we always seem to find a way back into sin of some type, once again leading to the need for confession and repentance. With Christ as our savior we have the assurance of God’s forgiveness when we come to him with our shortcomings, not because we deserve it, but because of his grace.

Many years ago, I heard a description of how this works. This is probably not perfect theology, but I think you will get the idea:

Justice is when we get what we deserve – punishment for our sins.

Mercy is when we do not get what we deserve – we are not punished for our sins.

Grace is when we get what we do not deserve – forgiveness for our sins and the gift of eternal fellowship with the Triune God, starting now!

Amen!

UALC’S CAMPAIGN OF PRAYER

TUESDAY - UNITY: God of peace, we pray for de-polarized, non-defensive pursuit of truth, unity, and equality. We pray for well engaged minds. Set us free from the competing narratives of our culture wars that funnel us into opposing camps and make of us a house divided. Kindle in us a desire for your truth that is larger than our desire to have been right.