SFI Bible Study - part 5

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

As I state every week, I hope this can be a serious study of the Christian Bible, and I only ask that those who participate try to stay away from personal-level attacks. All pertinent comments are welcome, regardless of whether you are a believer or not.

We continue with the weird world of the Exodus.

*****************************

Ex 21:1-8 – These are the ordinances that you shall set before them: When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone. But if the slave declares, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out a free person," then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life. When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt unfairly with her.

Ex 21:20,21 – When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner's property.

Ex 21:26,27 – When a slaveowner strikes the eye of a male or female slave, destroying it, the owner shall let the slave go, a free person, to compensate for the eye. If the owner knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, the slave shall be let go, a free person, to compensate for the tooth.

***********************

Here's a sample of some "statutes from God", defining how people should go about owning slaves. It certainly looks like God had no problem with this barbaric practice. In fact, I thought that the “slave-for-life” ceremony was a particularly nasty touch!

I had to wonder why immediate death for a “piece of property” should require punishment (though apparently not death), while a day or two of suffering before the slave's death merits no reaction at all?

I’m sure being set free would make a half-blind ex-slave feel OK about such an injury – don’t you?

A note to all who are curious about what all the Bible says on the issue of slavery. Having read the whole thing (Catholic parts included), I can assure you that there's not a single statement in it that condemns slavery. The closest thing I saw was a comment by Paul condemning "slave traders." The Bible is hardly a book supporting human dignity, in my opinion.

Comments?

[BecauseHeLives]

I've always thought the following gave a fairly good explanation of slavery in the bible. There are lots of Christian websites that give an explanation of slavery in the bible but this is a site that I frequent a lot when I have questions myself.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-slavery.html

The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery. It gives instructions on how slaves should be treated (Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1), but does not outlaw the practice altogether. Many see this as the Bible condoning all forms of slavery. What many people fail to understand is that slavery in the Biblical times was very different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was more of a social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they could not pay their debts or provide for their family. In New Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, even politicians were slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to have all their needs provided for by their master.

The slavery of the past few centuries was often based exclusively on skin color. Black people were considered slaves because of their nationality – many slave owners truly believed black people to be “inferior human beings” to white people. The Bible most definitely does condemn race-based slavery. Consider the slavery the Hebrews experienced when they were in Egypt. The Hebrew were slaves, not by choice, but because they were Hebrews (Exodus 13:14). The plagues God poured out on Egypt demonstrate how God feels about racial slavery (Exodus 7-11). So, yes, the Bible does condemn some forms of slavery. At the same time, the Bible does seem to allow for other forms of slavery. The key issue is that the slavery the Bible allowed for in no way resembled the racial slavery that plagued our world in the past few centuries.

Another crucial point is that the purpose of the Bible is to point the way to salvation, not to reform society. The Bible often approaches issues from the inside-out. If a person experiences the love, mercy, and grace of God, receiving His salvation – God will reform his soul, changing the way he thinks and acts. A person who has experienced God’s gift of salvation and freedom from the slavery of sin, as God reforms his soul, he will realize that enslaving another human being is wrong. A person who has truly experienced God’s grace will in turn be gracious towards others. That would be the Bible’s prescription for ending slavery.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery. It gives instructions on how slaves should be treated (Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1), but does not outlaw the practice altogether. Many see this as the Bible condoning all forms of slavery. ... The slavery in the Bible was not based on race.

Actually, in some parts, it was. When in later books we read about the conquest of Caanan, there are orders for the extermination of all living beings in the nations that already existed... yet in later history books, we read that there are slaves working for the Israelites who are from those exterminated nations. Perhaps they are indentured servants only, but IIRC, the context doesn't give that impression.

I can provide the references later, if anyone is interested. I don't have access to my detailed notes at this time.

[BecauseHeLives]

I know that there are instances in the bible where God gave instructions to kill all the persons but it was not carried out. In those instances the Jewish people paid dearly. Is this what you were referring to?

[End Times Prophet]

As I state every week, I hope this can be a serious study of the Christian Bible, and I only ask that those who participate try to stay away from personal-level attacks. All pertinent comments are welcome, regardless of whether you are a believer or not.

We continue with the weird world of the Exodus.

*****************************

Ex 21:1-8 – These are the ordinances that you shall set before them: When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone. But if the slave declares, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out a free person," then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life. When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt unfairly with her.

Ex 21:20,21 – When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner's property.

Ex 21:26,27 – When a slaveowner strikes the eye of a male or female slave, destroying it, the owner shall let the slave go, a free person, to compensate for the eye. If the owner knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, the slave shall be let go, a free person, to compensate for the tooth.

***********************

Here's a sample of some "statutes from God", defining how people should go about owning slaves. It certainly looks like God had no problem with this barbaric practice. In fact, I thought that the “slave-for-life” ceremony was a particularly nasty touch!

I had to wonder why immediate death for a “piece of property” should require punishment (though apparently not death), while a day or two of suffering before the slave's death merits no reaction at all?

I’m sure being set free would make a half-blind ex-slave feel OK about such an injury – don’t you?

A note to all who are curious about what all the Bible says on the issue of slavery. Having read the whole thing (Catholic parts included), I can assure you that there's not a single statement in it that condemns slavery. The closest thing I saw was a comment by Paul condemning "slave traders." The Bible is hardly a book supporting human dignity, in my opinion.

Comments?

I will throw another twist on the subject.
1. This was a shadow picture of bondage to Satan.
We must look at two aspects of the word of God to understand them.
a.) The law of the Bondservent is exactly what will take place during the 7 years of Tribulation.
The bondservent is Israel and the owner is Satan the Jews have become Satans property because of their rejection of Yahshua/Jesus as the Messiah.Yahshua is the one that has paid the price for them but after the 6th. yr. they will not receive the redemption and will voluntarily stay in bondage one more year. It will take 7 years during this time FOR them to receive Yahshua as their Messiah and all will be saved Zech.3:9-10 at Armageddon,WHICH WILL BE THE FULFILLMENT OF YOWM KIPPUR OR THAT YEAR WILL BE JUBILEE IN WHICH THEY WILL RECEIVE THEIR FREEDOM.
b. ) All this is the meaning of the seven seals.
The seals are seals of bondage each seal is opened by the one that paid for them. The one who has paid the price for them Yahshua. Each is symbolic of a year when what has been fulfilled within the seal the next seal can be opened each year the bondservant is closer to his freedom.
The 7th. seal is opened and silence in Heaven.All Heaven is waiting for all Israel to repent and receive the atonement for their sins and gain freedom on Jubilee.
God Bless