11/21/76

DOCTRINE OF SLAVERY

A. Introduction.

1. There were two sources of slavery in the ancient world: poverty in peacetime and captured prisoners in war.

2. A man could sell himself into slavery, Lev 25:39-41. This was a way of declaring bankruptcy and paying off his debts. But he had to be freed during the Year of Jubilee (every fiftieth year).

3. A father could sell his daughter or son into slavery to pay off the debts, Ex 21:7; Neh 5:5.

4. A widow’s children could be sold to pay off their father’s debt, 2 Kgs 4:1.

5. A woman could sell herself into slavery, Deut 15:12-17.

6. Slaves were often acquired through trade, purchase, payment of debt, as a gift, through birth, plunder in war, or by self-determination.

7. Slaves were manumitted by redemption or purchase, by the elapse of time (six years), Ex 21:2-4, by the year of jubilee (the fiftieth year), Jer 34:8-10, through physical disability or being maimed, Ex 21:26. In this case the master was responsible to take care of the slave for life.

B. Rights of the Master. Abram as the master of slaves had certain rights. Certain people find security in slavery.

1. He had the right to hold his slaves as chattel, Lev 25:45.

2. He had the right to leave slaves as an inheritance to his children, Lev 25:46.

3. He had the right to hold as property the wife and children of all slaves who were unmarried at the time they became slaves, Ex 21:4.

4. He had the right to pursue and recover run away slaves, 1 Kg 2:39- 41.

5. He had the right to free slaves on the Sabbatical year or the Year of Jubilee, or at any time.

6. He was commanded to circumcise his slaves, Gen 17:12-13, 23, 27.

7. He had the right to sell, trade, or give away slaves, Gen 29:24.

8. He had the right to punish or discipline slaves, but not to kill them, Ex 21:20.

9. He had the right to marry a slave or give slaves in marriage, 1 Chron 2:35.

10. He had the right to marry a daughter to a slave, 1 Chr 2:34.

11. He had the right to purchase slaves in foreign markets, Lev 25:44.

12. He had the right to enslave or sell as a slave anyone caught stealing his property, Gen 44:8-33.

13. He had the right to demand service from his slaves, Gen 14:14, 24.

C. The Rights of the Slave.

1. He had the right to freedom by the purchase of his redemption, or by the elapse of time, or in the Year of Jubilee, or he could work his way into freedom.

2. He had the right to good treatment, Lev 25:43, 46.

3. He had the right to justice, Ex 21:20; Job 31:13ff.

4. He had the right to marry, have children and live a normal life, Ex 21:5.

5. He had the right to voluntary slavery where having been freed could choose to remain a slave, Ex 21:5ff; Deut 15:16. His request had to be honored. This was done in front of two witnesses. The mark of this voluntary slavery was having his ear lobe nailed to a door.

6. He had the right to own property and money, Lev 25:29.

7. He had the right to promotion, Gen 15:2, 39:4.

8. He had the right to worship God without interference from the master, Ex 12:44; Deut 12:12.

D. Slavery has continued throughout world history.

1. In the New Testament, the Church was not issued any decree abolishing slavery, even though many early church believers were slaves. Nor were slaves commanded to rise up and overthrow their masters.

2. The responsibility of a slave to a master is taught in Eph 6:5-9 and Col 3:22-4:1.

3. Even the epistle to Philemon doesn’t advocate the abolition of slavery, but emphasizes just treatment of slaves who are believers or otherwise. It also gives strong emphasis on the personal option to free slaves under principles of grace righteousness. However, this is an option to be exercised by the individual slave owner and not the federal government.

4. The War between the States became a turning point in U.S. history because it permitted the federal government to tamper with individual freedoms rather than to protect those freedoms. Legislation that interferes with personal freedom is evil. When self determination was taken away by the abolition proclamation of Lincoln, more freedom was lost for everyone, than was ever gained for a few.

5. Slavery means great responsibility to the slave owner in the execution of his authority. The owner is a one man welfare system.

6. Slavery provided the option between security and freedom. Today people select the pseudo-security of welfare rather than freedom. Most people in the U.S. prefer the security of labor unions, and federal handouts rather than freedom. In a welfare state, you don’t have failures; the failures are killed off by the state. When you get away from doctrine, you get security conscious, which is a great evil. Idiots want security rather than freedom. These people prefer slavery. _____________________________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------