Exodus 21:1-11 "I Love My Master, I Will Not Go Free"

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Exodus 21:1–11 (ESV) — 1 “Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 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. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. 7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has 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 broken faith with her. 9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. 10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

Intro

The past few weeks we have been standing with the Hebrews as they receive the law from Moses.

Last week we saw how they trembled with fear before the Lord and asked for a mediator to speak with God on their behalf. That mediator was Moses, for a time, but our mediator is Christ. [flesh this out = why can we stand before God?]

Hebrews 10:19–25 (ESV) — 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Exodus is often divided by 3 sections of law-giving. There is the moral law (the 10 commandments), the civil law (what we will discuss today about the life of the Hebrews), and the ceremonial law (laws about relation to God in worship).

Laws About Slaves

One of the first sets of laws and regulations in civil life is in regards to slaves, servants, employees. God’s first priority isn’t to protect the wealthy class and their investments, His concern is for the lowly, the vulnerable, and the poor.

It’s interesting to note that here we have Moses writing down the laws of God and dispensing them to all of the people. That’s a new reality for them. In Egypt, the only one to make and uphold the law was Pharaoh. If a situation needed to be judged as to whether it was right or wrong, you went to Pharaoh and he decided what to do. It was up to his personal whims - what is called Rex Lex, or the king is law. With the Israelites, we have God giving His law to all of the people. They could all appeal to the law for justice and freedom - what is called Lex Rex, or the law is king (or God’s law is king). The people were not to be ruled by the flimsy and wavering passions of man, but by the absolute holy truth of God.

This comes right off of the 10 commandments which teach us two fundamental realities that are confirmed by Jesus - that we are to love God and to love our neighbor.

Conditions/Stipulations For Slavery

We must take a minute to really look at what slavery was to this culture.

When we think of slavery we often can’t help but recall images and stories of the horrific Atlantic slave trade of the 17th-19th centuries in the Americas. This involuntary, race-based subjugation isn’t the same thing that is happening in our text with the Hebrews.

Here’s how the editors of the ESV translation put it when dealing with this word for slave in Hebrew ebed:

“A particular difficulty is presented when words in biblical Hebrew and Greek refer to ancient practices and institutions that do not correspond directly to those in the modern world. Such is the case in the translation of ‘ebed (Hebrew) and doulos (Greek), terms which are often rendered “slave.” These terms, however, actually cover a range of relationships that requires a range of renderings—“slave,” “bondservant,” or “servant”—depending on the context.”

“Thus in Old Testament times, one might enter slavery either voluntarily (e.g., to escape poverty or to pay off a debt) or involuntarily (e.g., by birth, by being captured in battle, or by judicial sentence). Protection for all in servitude in ancient Israel was provided by the Mosaic Law, including specific provisions for release from slavery.”

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016).

Does the Bible argue for slavery? Is the Bible pro-slavery? No

Does the Bible abolish slavery explicitly? Man-stealing or abuse or racial vain-glory (racism)? Yes. But slavery/servanthood as an institution? No.

Does the Bible put such regulations on the practice that it makes it impractical of futile? Yes.

Let’s look at our text and think through some of the aspects of their culture that are foreign to us

Exodus 21:2 (ESV) — 2 When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

Term limits. See Jeremiah 34 where the Israelites violate this command.

A modern example of this could be military service. You are subjecting yourself to the service of others for limited amounts of time and for a certain amount of compensation.

Hebrew slaves. This means that some of their fellow Hebrews are selling themselves into servitude for provision/protection. — Sometimes you will see this in the prison system. A person will commit a petty crime so that he can be put back in jail where he has a bed, food, and shelter.

Sometimes we trade credit for slavery. A credit card company or bank gives us money and then we agree to give them many, many hours of our lives to return the investment.

Exodus 21:3 (ESV) — 3 If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him.

There are provisions for the servant’s property and family. He is not a product that is stripped of his rights.

[let’s jump down to v. 7 for a minute]

Exodus 21:7–11 (ESV) — 7 “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her master, who has 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 broken faith with her. 9 If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. 10 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. 11 And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money.

A man may sell hid daughter to protect or provide for her.

Of course, a man may simply do this for personal gain and compensation.

A master of such a woman is obligated to protect and provide for her.

We will se later how people and servants must be treated under the law.

These servants could be released or redeemed.

If a servant escaped, they were not to be returned (Deut. 23:15). Slavery was becoming impractical and non-viable.

[let’s go back to verses 4-6]

Exodus 21:4–6 (ESV) — 4 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. 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

If a master gives a servant a wife and they have children, then when the male servant goes free, he cannot take his wife and children with him. This was likely to protect the investment of the master. However, the servant could pay to redeem his family, or he could wait until their release.

But the servant could also choose to stay of his own will. We are told that the servant isn’t to be coerced or branded or pierced by the master unless it is done before God and with a covenant ceremony. This is borne by the testimony of the servant when he says, “I love my master; I will not go free.”

You remember the story of Ruth and Naomi? When Naomi told Ruth that she was free to leave and to worship the gods of her fathers, Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more (Ruth 1:16-18).

John 6:66–68 (ESV) — 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

So you could choose. You could say, “I’m staying with you. I love you. My joy is here, with you.”

What would you think about a master who had an estate filled with servants who had pierced ears? What would that tell you about that man?

And if we draw back a little and look at this story, we remember that the Hebrews used to be slaved in Egypt to Pharaoh, and now they have been redeemed and purchased, but they are not free to themselves. They are the servants of YHWY. And it is to Him that they say, “we will obey”.

Exodus 24:3 (ESV) — 3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

And so this becomes our story and choice as well. We are slaves to someone - Either sin and self, or we become the servants of Christ. You ear is bored out now — you have chosen to love and serve something - it’s inescapable. But there is a kind of servanthood that is miserable, oppressive, and damning, and there is the kind of servitude that is liberating, holy, and ironically what is really true freedom.

The testimony of the Christian is this: “I love my Master; I will not go free”

Do you love Christ? Because that’s the difference between those who are condemned to hell or not. Being a Christian isn’t mere obedience to Christ, it is love for Christ. Is it strange for you to think about loving Him? Would you find that loving Him is hard because you don’t know Him and His words to you? Have you spent time with Him? — He loves you. He has mercy for you. He has freedom and provision for you. He has purchased you not with silver or gold but with His blood and with His love. Do you know that you need that?

Application

“It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam," said Frodo, "and I could not have borne that." "Not as certain as being left behind," said Sam. "But I am going to Mordor." "I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I'm coming with you.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Repentance

1 Corinthians 7:23 (ESV) — 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

Psalm 51:12 (ESV) — 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Reassurance

Christ also has a bride that He loves and will not forsake. And for the joy set before Him, refusing to grasp His freedom and throne, He emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 2:7–11.

Communion