FREEDOM FOR THE SLAVES

FREEDOM FOR THE SLAVES

PROCLAMATION

“Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you.  After they have served you for six years, you must let them go free. …”  Jeremiah 34:14 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his army were attacking Jerusalem and Judah, The Lord God spoke to Jeremiah and again told him to go to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that the city would fall and be captured and burned. (Jeremiah 34:1-3)  Then the word came to Jeremiah that everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves. (Jeremiah 34:8-10)  They did, but afterwards they changed their minds and took the slaves back and enslaved them again. (Jeremiah 34:11)  The Lord spoke to Jeremiah and said that He made a covenant with their ancestors when He brought them out of Egypt, that every seventh year, the sabbatical year, they would free any Hebrew slaves. (Jeremiah 34:12-16)  Because they went back on their word, He was going to punish them. (Jeremiah 34:17-22)

APPLICATION

Slavery and indentured servitude have for the most part been eliminated.  The Emancipation Proclamation, which was sign by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, freed the slaves in America.  Although the slaves in Texas did not find out about it until June 19, 1865, “Juneteenth”, and “freedom” did not really occur until Congress passed and ratified the 15^th Amendment in 1870.  However, a loophole in that amendment allowed for “slavery” in the form of incarceration.  All believers, those who have undergone circumcision of the heart, need to understand that, just as in days of old, those who enslave us today will be punished.  Biblically, indentured servitude, work without pay, was not intended to last for a lifetime.  Some employees get paid so little that they feel like indentured servants and those employers will have to give an account. (Ephesians 6:9 and Colossians 4:1)  So, pray for those who are holding you down or back.  We all should be helping each other to achieve and accomplish more and not trying to limit or restrict each other.  We should help one another to become the best person that they can be and not use people for our personal gain.  Pray for each other because we all have something that we are a slave to and need to be free from.

We Are At War With Ourselves

"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual ... For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do. And if I do what I do not want to do ... it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members." Romans 7:14-23 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians in Rome, reports that he struggles with sin. He knows what is right and wants to do it, but he finds himself doing wrong. He admits that he struggles with his sinful nature.

The same is true for us Christians today, we know right from wrong, and yet we find ourselves thinking, speaking, and doing that which is wrong instead of doing right. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we struggle with sin daily. We are at war with ourselves daily, fighting against our sinful nature over control of our thoughts, words, and actions. These frequent battles can only be won with God's help. That is one reason why we ought to always be in prayer, and we must always focus on God. Being Christ-like is not easy, but do not give up and do not stop trying, for in the end it will be well worth it. Keep fighting, we will get the victory in the end.

The Truth Will Set You Free From Sin

"To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can You say that we shall be set free?' Jesus replied, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin ... I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word ... 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does' ... You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies ... He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." John 8:31-47 (NIV)

Even though the people wanted to kill Him for what He was saying, Jesus continued to teach the truth. To the Jews who were descendants of Abraham physically, their behavior revealed them to be the devil's descendants. The devil is the father of lies and there is no truth in him.

Jesus spoke the truth. We must hear the truth, believe the truth, and live the truth, if we want to be free from the penalty of sin. Those of us who belong to God can hear what He says, and we endeavour to do what He says. Our words and deeds reveal who is our real father.

Press On Don't Turn Back Or Look Back Longingly

"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?" Galatians 4:8-9 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul is preaching to the Galatians regarding justification by faith, explaining both the theological and the practical ramifications of the doctrine. After reminding them about Abraham, the promise of the covenant, and the purpose of the law, Paul points out the futility of ritualism and worshiping idols. His question to them was, do you really want to go back to being as you were before knew God?

Salvation bring with it a great responsibility, because we are children of a Holy God, we are expected to live holy. We are blessed, and to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48) Once we have a personal relationship with God, how can we turn our back on Him and reject all that He is and all that He has done. We do not want to be like Lot's wife who looked back longingly towards Sodom and Gomorrah, after being warned not to, and was turned into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:17 & 26) Once we accept Christ there is not turning back. Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62) One cannot do a good job with the plow and plow straight while looking back behind himself. Where we have been is not as important as where we are going.