Slavery – Part 1

June 28, 2020

Good day to you reading this column and do hope that each of you have received God’s blessings and thanked him for all things great and small that he has done for you.

Before we get to the topic, have you read the wisdom of Solomon in Proverbs & Ecclesiastes? As you read the book of Proverbs, life, as we know it, would be fair and our world would be without sin. As a contrast, the book of Ecclesiastes explains what usually happens in our sinful and imperfect world. What it is and what it should be and with so much wisdom.

Turn to I Kings 3: 1-15 and take the time to read about the greatness of God—go somewhere quiet and ponder on the fact that God will you give you what you ask for in accordance to your needs to which Solomon asked for a discerning heart to govern the people and to distinguish right from wrong.

As a Christian, I urge all our leaders of the Israelite nations to read this chapter and ask for a discerning heart to govern the people and to distinguish right from wrong. Is this too hard for God? Are the leaders any different than Solomon?

Great countries are great because they begin and end all things with God—He is the beginning and the ending of all things and he will provide discernment to those who ASK—Ask, Seek, and Knock and yes, it is just that simple. God is ready to hear us, but we must follow 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Now, let’s tackle a subject that has had worldwide repercussions since the time Adam and Eve were created. The subject is slavery, which, if used in the right sense, is for the good and in the wrong sense is wrong.

Slavery, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, College Edition, n.  1. The owning or keeping of slaves as a practice or institution; slaveholding. 2. the condition of a slave; bondage; servitude. 3. A condition of submission or domination by some influence, habit, etc. 4. hard, continuous work like that done by slaves; drudgery. —- SYN. see servitude.

Ponder on this question, where in the Bible does it say that God condoned man’s type of slavery? Where did God say it is acceptable for one man to own slaves, keep slaves, or to put another man in drudgery?

Here, in the USA, I have read in the paper, seen on television, and heard on the air waves that “Black Lives Matter”—Old News – In God’s eyes ALL LIVES MATTER, no matter the color or the race.

Personally, I have not gone on the Black Lives Matter website, but I ask that you turn to Matthew 10:28-31 (NIV) Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

As a double witness, turn to Luke 12:4-7 (NIV) “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do more. But I will show you whom you should fear; Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

So what does this have to do with slavery? First, the very hairs of your head are all numbered—think about that, the creator knew eons ago before you and I were created of the amount of hairs on our head. Next, when God creates, he leaves nothing, not one thing to chance and that includes everything that takes a breath including a sparrow somewhere in the world who has fallen to the ground. All lives matter even the sparrow.

We can all agree that when Adam & Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden that God said Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. But did Adam & Eve rule over all of the above? NO and here is where slavery began because Adam & Eve did not rule over the serpent for the serpent was more impudent than any of the wild animals of the field which the EVER-LIVING GOD has made. Genesis 3:1 (FF)

The serpent was impudent—Impudent, according to Merriam-Webster, is marked by contemptuous or cocky boldness or disregard of others : INSOLENT.

As we examine slavery, here is the first introduction of the subject of slavery and its effect on both man and woman. Adam and Eve had a choice to be enslaved to the words of the serpent or to disregard everything the serpent said.

Slavery, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, College Edition is a condition of submission or domination by some influence, habit, etc. which fits what happened in the Garden of Eden to a tee. The serpent or Satan is impudent, contemptuous, cocky and has complete disregard for others.

We have established how and where slavery first began—let’s trace the roots of slavery—Turn with me to Genesis 16:1-6 (FF) Sarai, Abram’s wife, had given him no children, but she had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “See, now, the EVER-LIVING has kept me childless, therefore go to my maid, perhaps she will have a son for me.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. Therefore Sarai, the wife of Abram, took Hagar the Egyptian maid, at the end of the tenth year of Abram’s residence in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband, as his wife. So he went to Hagar, and she conceived; when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despicable in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong came from you. I gave my maid to you as wife, and she sees that she has conceived, and I am despicable in her eyes. Let the EVER-LIVING decide between me and you.” Abram answered Sarai, “Well, your maid is under your hand; do to her whatever you consider right.” So Sarai persecuted her, and she fled from her presence.

Let’s break down Genesis 16:1-6—Patience first comes to mind for God had promised Abram & Sarai that one who shall owe his birth to yourself, shall become your heir in Genesis 15:4 (FF). But Sarai was barren for many years and her faith dwindled to the point of being a disgrace to her husband and herself.

It was time at that point to take matters into her hands and to have Abram take a secondary wife to produce a child.

Stop right there and turn with me to Genesis 2:24 (FF) Man shall therefore leave his father and his mother and shall unite with his wife; and they shall be one body. Secondary wives and concubines are sinful in the eyes of the EVER-LIVING. By taking matters into their own hands and disregarding God’s promise in Genesis 2:24, Sarai gave her female slave, Hagar, to Abram, in hopes that she might bear a son. This meets the perfect saying—Oh, the wicked web we weave, when we practice to deceive.

Now for the rest of the story, right out of a soap box opera—Abram & Sarai were expected to hold themselves to a higher standard, exercise a richer faith and bound by a purer code, but Abram took the easy way by conceding to his wife and taking Hagar into his tent. Hagar began despising Sarai and Sarai detested Hagar. Sarai blamed Abram for her troubles as jealousy came about and entangled the threesome.

Slavery comes into play in verse 6 for Sarai persecuted Hagar and Hagar fled from her presence. We don’t know to what degree, but to persecute or ill-treat another person indicates with possible insurmountable tasks, heavy duties or even bodily punishment. In essence, Sarai was supplying the drudgery to Hagar and Hagar hit the road.

Let’s forge ahead with another example—For those who have brothers or sisters, bad thoughts would come into your head about your siblings, but you erased them and loved them with a passion for that was your family or your blood.

So how would you like to be sold into slavery by your siblings? Slavery, Jealousy, envy all came into play for this is what happened to Joseph. Joseph, as a young man was a rather cocky person for, he knew that he was Jacob (his father) favorite son, eludes with confidence, self-assurance and a rather personal knowledge of God.

The brothers, who thought of Joseph as the dreamer, were fed up with him, his dreams, and his favored relationship with his father so they devised a plan to kill Joseph.

Genesis 37:19-27 (NIV) “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams.” When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “let’s not take his life,” he said. “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and them him back to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the richly ornamented robe he was wearing—and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?” Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.

The brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver and a trip to Egypt as a slave to some Egyptian family.

Before I close part one, there are so many lessons to take away—

• Slavery was first introduced by the serpent to Eve and to Adam.
• Slavery is bondage & a condition to submission.
• Slavery, when man or woman uses it, is sin and leads to other sins.
• Slavery, in the verses above leads to jealousy, envy, malice.
• Slavery is man’s power over another for self.

All lives matter for God gazed upon all that He had made, and it was very beautiful. Thus the close came, and the dawn came of the sixth age. Genesis 1:31 (FF).

Until next time, may God Bless You and May you Bless God in all that you do.

Jeff