SLAVERY
(See BOND-SERVANT, BONDSLAVE; SERVANT)
examples of slaves:
♦ Joseph:
♦ Israelites in Egypt:
♦ Gibeonites to Israel:
♦ Israelites to Philistines:
♦ Solomon's slaves:
♦ Israel in captivity:
♦ Israelites to fellow Israelites:
♦ Job's slaves:
♦ Babylonians to other nations:
♦ landowner's slaves:
♦ High priest's slave:
♦ centurion's slave:
♦ royal official's slaves:
♦ slave-girls:
characteristics of slaves:
♦ sometimes treated cruelly:
♦ could become members of the covenant people:
♦ subject to forced labor:
♦ could be sold:
♦ free from their master at death:
• Job 3:19
♦ could be treated justly:
♦ not instructed by words alone:
♦ responsible to obey their master's will:
♦ not above their master:
♦ tend to become like their master:
♦ could receive compassion:
♦ could be harsh, wicked, lazy and worthless:
♦ could be punished:
♦ could be good, faithful and sensible:
♦ could be blessed and rewarded:
♦ could be sent on a mission:
♦ do not remain in a house forever (i.e., as a son does):
♦ are not privileged to know what their master plans to do:
♦ could be called of the Lord:
♦ subject to divine judgment as other men:
regulations concerning slaves in Israel:
♦ could partake of religious feasts after circumcision:
• Exodus 12:43-44 (cf. Leviticus 22:11)
♦ allowed to rest on the sabbath:
♦ provided fair treatment in case of injury:
♦ subjected to laws of punishment:
♦ could be acquired from pagan nations and bequeathed to descendants:
♦ were not to make slaves of fellow Israelites:
♦ escaped slaves were not to be handed over to their master:
♦ slaves were not to be slandered to their master:
Israel in relation to slavery:
(See SLAVERY, examples of slaves)
♦ divinely delivered from Egyptian slavery:
♦ subjected to slavery as divine punishment:
♦ will be totally freed from slavery:
Christians in relation to slavery:
literal use of slavery
♦ Christian slaves should become free if possible
♦ Christian slaves have equal spiritual status with other believers
♦ Christian slaves are to obey, honor and respect their masters (see also EMPLOYEE)
♦ Christian masters are to treat their slaves justly and without threatening (see also EMPLOYER)
figurative use of slavery
♦ Christians should be slaves of obedience unto righteousness
• Romans 6:18, 19
♦ Christians should be slaves of God and of Christ
♦ Christians have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear
♦ Christian slaves are the Lord's freedmen
♦ Christians are not to be enslaved by man's control in place of God's control
• 1 Corinthians 7:22-23 (cf. 9:19)
♦ Christians may voluntarily be a slave to all men to win more men (i.e., to the Christian faith)
♦ should make their body their slave
♦ Christians are not treated as slaves but as sons and heirs of their Father's inheritance
unbelievers in relation to slavery (figurative sense):
♦ slaves of sin through committing sin:
♦ slaves of their own appetites:
♦ slaves of false gods:
♦ slaves through fear of death:
♦ slaves to corruption:
various other uses:
♦ the borrower is enslaved to the lender:
♦ the Lord's obedient slaves are still unworthy slaves:
♦ creation will be set free from slavery to corruption:
♦ those under the law are enslaved to the law:
This topic is from the Lockman Foundation.