In this episode we continue studying the Book of Exodus. In this episode God gives the nation of Israel judgments regarding servants.

The Israelites could not keep a servant longer than six years. He or she had to be released upon the 7th year.

This is in contrast to the Egyptians who created a whole nation of slaves by keeping the Israelites and their children slaves, for life.

We note that it was never God’s will for man to hold other men in bondage under oppression and grievous toil. This was instituted by the god of this world.

Many things happen in the world that are unjust, and are not the way God would have them to be.

Man partook of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, so good and evil exists in the world.

We experience evil in the midst of all the good in the world because man was yoked to the devil and learned to suppress and oppress others and hold them in cruel bondage.

Paul notes how this works in Romans chapter 6 verse 16.

Here's the text:

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

And God the king of Israel is seeking to mitigate the evil in a system at the time, that used servants for various forms of labor.

God commanded man to work six days and rest on the seventh day. Laborers and workers are required in the world, people were needed to do work in homes, palaces, markets and fields, but cruelty, harshness and abuse was not needed.

Unfortunately, God’s people will break the laws and keep servants more than six years. This will stir-up His wrath and bring judgment upon the land as noted in Jeremiah chapter 34.

In our current chapter God also gives a commandment against man-stealing.

Here’s the text:

Exodus 21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

Scripture calls it man stealing but we call it Human trafficking. This sin was mentioned a few times in scripture and is another reason God sent judgment upon the land.

He also mentions man stealing in Deuteronomy chapter 24 verse 7.

Here’s the text:

Deuteronomy 24:7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

He also notes that some even sold a girl for wine.

Joel 3:3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

Through these text we see that God see’s everything. Nothing goes unnoticed. Yet, he delays, judgment because he did not create people to destroy them. But He also did not create the world to be a place of misery, violence and oppression.

So if people don’t repent, at some point He visits the land with judgment to remove the violence and oppression.

This chapter also gives judgments regarding killings. The penalty for killing someone on purpose was death. But mercy was granted to those who accidentally killed someone. God said, the person was not worthy of death.

We note that the word “servant” was used to describe various types of workers. From highly skilled Egyptian physicians to field and vineyard laborers, to the kings wisemen, cup bearers, maids, and household managers, they were all called servants. Even servants could have servants (2 Samuel 19:17).

Although there was involuntary servanthood and slavery. Some willingly submitted to servanthood for various reasons, some were poor and needed food, clothes, shelter and the safety and protection that came from being a servant, especially of a kind master.

Pharaoh gave the Egyptians all those things but He wasn’t so kind. We willingly become God’s servants because He is loving and kind. We are called servants of God because we submit to him and do his will.

In this case a servant is someone who willingly and humbly submits to one in authority.

And as God's servants, although we may not understand some of his laws, or the reasons or purposes behind them, we obey them because we trust in His wisdom and because He is God and beside Him there is no other.

He is our creator, and regardless of all the evil in the world He is good.

So we delight in being his servants.