2018-07-01 Exodus 21

Exodus 21:1–11 CSB

“These are the ordinances that you are to set before them: “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone. “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life. “When a man sells his daughter as a concubine, she is not to leave as the male slaves do. If she is displeasing to her master, who chose her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners because he has acted treacherously toward her. Or if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her according to the customary treatment of daughters. If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife. And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any payment.

(CSB)

“These are the ordinances that you are to set before them: 2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. 3 If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

LAWS ABOUT SLAVES

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. 3 If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

5 “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ 6 his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

The bible brings civility to a broken world.

“These are the ordinances that you are to set before them: 2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. 3 If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

5 “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ 6 his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

The bible did not create slavery, but sought to bring civility into a depraved institution. (deal with understanding that it is debtors servitude)

(CSB)

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. 3 If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything. 3 If he arrives alone, he is to leave alone; if he arrives with a wife, his wife is to leave with him. 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children belong to her master, and the man must leave alone.

5 “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ 6 his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

7 “When a man sells his daughter as a concubine, she is not to leave as the male slaves do. 8 If she is displeasing to her master, who chose her for himself, then he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners because he has acted treacherously toward her. 9 Or if he chooses her for his son, he must deal with her according to the customary treatment of daughters. 10 If he takes an additional wife, he must not reduce the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she may leave free of charge, without any payment.

Illus: We need to define a few things in this sermon.

1. the type of slavery or servanthood described in this passage is a debtors slavery. they did not have credit cards or banks to loan in those days. If you got into a debt you could not repay, your payment would be to offer yourself as a slave to the one you owe, until you can pay it off.

2. Slavery is sinful institution of a broken world. We need to be clear that the bible does not in any way support slavery, but instead seeks to redeem it.

3. Just as a doctor who prescribes medicine to his patient is not endorsing the illness, so the bible giving civility and freedom to men in slavery is not endorsing the practice.

4. The american practice of slavery was depraved, and wicked. The bible specifically condemns the practice we saw in our founding days. The bible specifically convicts both the person who captures the slave and the person who purchases the slave.

5.

(specifically dealing with american slavery)

16 “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession. : (specifically dealing with american slavery) )

16 “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.

16 “Whoever kidnaps a person must be put to death, whether he sells him or the person is found in his possession.

6. Slavery still exists today throughout the world. It is a practice that should not be tolerated, and we cannot turn a blind eye to it, whether the sexual slavery which is practiced openly in america, or the millions of people from impoverished countries (or among us) who are enslaved today.

7. The modern picture of debtors slavery pictured in this text is still practiced as payday loan sharks who charge roughly 400% interest keep people impoverished through cruel greed.

Redemption, and restoration is the goal of God’s law towards slavery.

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything.

Illus: One of the clear teachings in scripture is to show grace to people. It is to give them what they don’t deserve because God shows us grace when we don’t deserve it.

Here in this passage God does not give conditions on how much is owed, but instead puts a clear timeline for the freedom of the debtor.

The passage places the higher standard on the wealthy ruler to give tot he servant grace and a plan for freedom.

God’s intent is to free men from slavery, not hold them in. God’s intent for the ruler is actually set up the servant for success in the future. In the book of deuteronomy God commands the rulers to set up the debtor for success after they are freed.

(CSB) 12 “If your fellow Hebrew, a man or woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, you must set him free in the seventh year. 13 When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed. 14 Give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You are to give him whatever the Lord your God has blessed you with.

RELEASE OF SLAVES

12 “If your fellow Hebrew, a man or woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, you must set him free in the seventh year. 13 When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed. 14 Give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You are to give him whatever the Lord your God has blessed you with.

The biblical teaching of slavery and redemption paints a beautiful picture of our salvation.

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything.

5 “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ 6 his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

Our lives and actions have placed us under the slavery of sin and death.

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything.

Illus: It is essential that we define (properly and historically) that the specific practice in this text is debtors servitude.

Why?

What the bible teaches is that there is a day of redemption coming for every man.

It helps us to understand the predicament we are in in our sin.

There is a day when you will be rescued from what you have earned.

Don’t miss that this is the first law following the ten commandments. As we sin, our lives build a debt of judgment from God on us.

THere is a day coming when you will be free from the slavery you are in.

As we sin we fall bankrupt completely hopeless of ever repaying God through our attempts at good works.

There is a day when you will no longer be bound.

We get to a point where we are enslaved to our works and hopeless unless we are set free by grace.

We all have earned the slavery of death and judgment in our lives. No questions about it. The reward for the lives we have lived is enslavement to our own sin, to judgment and an eternal death.

This is where the redemption seen in verse 2 becomes so important. It says he is a freeman without paying anything. Freedom is costly to the dept holder. It means the dept holder has to pay the dept himself.

This is what God has done. We deserved the slavery of sin and death. God, in his perfection, has payed the debt himself in Christ.

(CSB) 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness., 21 So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death. 22 But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God painted a picture of salvation in redeeming men from ownership, His plan was for every man.

2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for six years; then in the seventh he is to leave as a free man without paying anything.

Illus: There is a biblical theme that this passage introduces of what you deserve vs. what you are given. The bible is not disputing that many under debtors servitude made foolish decisions. Many under debtors servitude put themselves in that place.

What the bible teaches is that there is a day of redemption coming for every man.

There is a day when you will be rescued from what you have earned.

THere is a day coming when you will be free from the slavery you are in.

There is a day when you will no longer be bound.

We all have earned the slavery of death and judgment in our lives. No questions about it. The reward for the lives we have lived is enslavement to our own sin, to judgment and an eternal death.

This is where the redemption seen in verse 2 becomes so important. It says he is a freeman without paying anything. Freedom is costly to the dept holder. It means the dept holder has to pay the dept himself.

This is what God has done. We deserved the slavery of sin and death. God, in his perfection, has payed the debt himself in Christ.

(CSB) 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world. 4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.

18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

In Christ we have been set free to serve Jesus Christ.

5 “But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I do not want to leave as a free man,’ 6 his master is to bring him to the judges and then bring him to the door or doorpost. His master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he will serve his master for life.

Every person is free to choose what to do with their own life. True freedom is found in the willing servitude of Jesus Christ.

Illus: We fall bankrupt in our debt and sin, and are freed by the grace of God.

Because of this we come back to our gracious and loving lord willingly to serve him our of love.

This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

(CSB)

3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world. 4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.

7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir.

8 But in the past, since you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods. 9 But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?