The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 4 of 14

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 1998-07-19

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the biblical view of slavery, arguing that slavery itself is not inherently evil but is regulated by God's law. He distinguishes biblical slavery from pagan slavery, outlines six ways one could become a slave in Scripture, and explains divine rules protecting slaves. Weaver contends that rejecting biblical slavery has led to state enslavement of all people.

[John Weaver] Deuteronomy 24. We'll also look in Deuteronomy 15. But Exodus chapter 21 and Deuteronomy 24.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm not going to be able to finish this today, but it will be a start. So I'm going to be dealing with slavery, a biblical view. Exodus chapter 21, beginning there with verse 1. Are we ready? Exodus 21, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou by an Hebrew servant six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master hath given him a wife, and she hath borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her masters, and he shall go out by himself. If the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free, then his master shall bring him unto the judges, he shall also bring him to the door and to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

[John Weaver] And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid servant, she shall not go out as the men servants do. If she please not her master who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed to sell her into a strange nation. He shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. If he hath betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manor doors.

[John Weaver] If he take him another wife, her food, her way, but her duty of marriage, he shall not diminish. And if he do these three unto her, shall she go out free without money."

[John Weaver] Now skip down to verse 16,"...and he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to debt." Now verse 20,"...and if a man smites his servant, or his maid, with his rod, and he die under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Notwithstanding he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished, for he is his money." Skip down to verse 26. If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish, he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. If he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth, he shall let him go free for the tooth's sake."

[John Weaver] Now look in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, if you would please, at verse 7. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. The word of God says, If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and making merchandise of him, or sell of him, then that thief shall die, and thou shalt put evil away from among you." Skip down to verse 14,"...thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it, for he is poor instead of his heart upon it, lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee. The father shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor the fatherless, nor take a widow's raiment to pledge, but thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee Therefore I command thee to do this thing."

[John Weaver] Now verse 22,"...and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt. Therefore I command thee to do this thing."

[John Weaver] Now skip back to Deuteronomy chapter 15, Deuteronomy 15, and note, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Deuteronomy 15, verse 12. If thy brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years, then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty, thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock." and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress, of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee, thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee, therefore I command thee this thing today. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee, because he loveth thee in thine house, because he is well with thee, then thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear into the door. He shall be thy servant for ever, and also unto thy maidservant shalt thou do likewise.

[John Weaver] It shall not seem hard unto thee when thou sendest him away free from thee, for he hath been worth a double hired servant unto thee in serving thee six years, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest." Now I want to take just a moment and remind you that I have dealt so far were the abolitionist revolution. I showed you where the abolitionists not only did not care for the scripture, they also did not care for the constitution, and they did not care for the slaves. I gave you quote after quote and showed how they violated not only the Constitution, but the Scripture over and over as well. Then secondly, I dealt with the fact that broken churches foreshadowed a broken nation.

[John Weaver] And I emphasized that when individuals refuse to deal with problems biblically and scripturally, inevitably there are always going to be all kinds of disruptions and divisions. And then last week I dealt not only with the political issue, but also the economic issue and the sexual issue.

[John Weaver] Now remember the truth that I told you earlier, that ideas have consequences, and that you cannot have a cultural shift without having a theological shift. And one of the things that has happened in our country down through the years is we have consistently turned from the word of God and we have consistently committed cultural suicide with our children and with ourselves and with our families and with our nation.

[John Weaver] Now there has been a lot said concerning slavery. Most of that which has been said has been evil and wrong. Let me begin by asking a simple question. Is slavery unbiblical? Let me ask it another way. Were the abolitionists correct in their strenuous denunciations of the South? Let me just try to change a little bit. If the South was predominantly biblical, and it was, and if the South was predominantly Christian, how then could a Christian and biblical South allow a society Was the North more righteous than the South? Was Southern slavery biblical? I'm going to answer that question later. Let me ask just several other questions to stimulate your thinking. I'm not going to answer these questions today. But what about the propaganda that has been issued concerning the stud farms in the South, where blacks were just regularly employed to breed just to produce more slaves? What about the propaganda of the merciless beatings of the South? What about the mistreatment of all the slaves?

[John Weaver] How much of this is true? What is the actual truth concerning what happened?

[John Weaver] Now, before I try to answer any of those questions, and I'm not going to answer any of them today, hardly, I want to just draw your attention to the Word of God and show you what the Bible says about slavery. Is it wrong to own slaves? Is it unbiblical? And is the wrath of God against anyone who owns slaves? Now, there are several things I want you to understand today. First of all, there is a biblical slavery. We just read it from the Bible. There is a biblical slavery. Secondly, there is a pagan slavery that is unbiblical. Thirdly, I want you to understand that you could have a combination of those two. You could have some slavery that is biblical and pagan combined. In other words, you could have biblical aspects and also pagan aspects as well. Now, the truth of the matter is this, pagan slavery is condemned over and over in Scripture, but not slavery in and of itself. In fact, I'm going to correct what I just said. It is not pagan slavery that is condemned, it is more the stealing and the selling that is condemned.

[John Weaver] Now, the abolitionists were saying that slavery was inherently evil and wicked in and of itself. Now was it, or is it? May I remind you that right and wrong, good and evil, sinfulness and nonsinfulness are not determined by the whims or the desires or the rationalizations of man, but they are determined by the word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just get this started on off on the right foot. If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, as so many people have said and are teaching, then I've got a question to ask you. I want you to look back in your Bibles, first of all, to Exodus chapter 21 and verses 5 and 6. Now if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, I want you to answer a question for me. Watch this, Exodus 21 verse 5.

[John Weaver] And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife and my children, I will not go free. Then his master shall bring him unto the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, to the doorpost. and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him forever." So what happened was this. If the servant said, I love my master, I'm not going to go out free, then he was taken to the doorpost and his ear was pierced.

[John Weaver] I'll explain why a little bit later. But note that what was said.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 40. Psalm 40. I want you to see this in order to ask you a question. Look in Psalm 40. Psalm 40, of course, is a messianic psalm. This psalm refers to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. And look, if you would please, at verse 6. Psalm 40, verse 6. Scripture says, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire. Mine ear hast thou opened, or digged, or bored, but offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I," and of course this is Christ speaking,"'Lo, I come in the volume of the book that is written of me.

[John Weaver] I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart.'" Now turn over in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 5. Now I want you to understand, Hebrews 10 verse 5 is quoting Psalm 40. Hebrews 10 verse 5, Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice an offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared for me, and burn offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said, Sacrifice an offering, and for an offering, an offering for sin thou wouldst not, neither hast thou pleasure therein, which are offered by the law. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, he taketh away the first, that he may establish the second, by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all."

[John Weaver] is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, here's my question. Why did Christ himself take this picture, take this symbol, take this analogy of the slave who loved his master and apply it to himself to describe his ministry and his mission? When you read back in Psalm 40, my ear hast thou opened, it is literally, my ear hast thou digged or pierced through with an awl. In other words, if slavery is inherited evil and wicked in and of itself, how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil in and of itself to himself? It may surprise you to learn that one of the phrases that is used of Jesus Christ over and over in the Bible is the phrase, the sent one. In fact, he uses that phrase concerning himself.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 5, and notice verse 30. John, chapter 5, verse 30. John 5, verse 30. Look what Christ says. Here are the words of the perfect servant, or if you would prefer the word slave, the perfect slave. Christ says, I cannot of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father who hath sent me. What is Christ saying? Christ said, I came as the servant of my Father. I love my Father. I love his will.

[John Weaver] I want to serve him. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. And notice if you would what Scripture says here. Hebrews 3 verse 1. The Word of God says, Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, Consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Now look at that verse. You say, Brother Weaver, that has nothing in it about Christ as a servant. Oh? Let's go again. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. The Greek word for apostle is apostolos. You know what the word Apostolos literally means? It means a sent one. So literally he says, consider the sent one, the high priest of our profession, Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now if slavery was inherently evil and sinful and wicked in and of itself, would Christ have used this picture and this analogy to portray his ministry and his mission? That's not all. I could multiply this, but look very quickly in your Bibles to John chapter 13. John chapter 13. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. John 13 and verse 13. In fact, let's go back up to verse 3. John chapter 13, verse 3.

[John Weaver] Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand, and that he was come from God and went to God, watch. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself, and after that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." What is he doing?

[John Weaver] He's acting like a servant. He's acting like a slave. Skip down to verse 13. Christ said, you call me Master and Lord, and you say, well, for so I am. Watch. If I have been your Lord and Master and washed your feet, you are also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is greater than he that sent him.

[John Weaver] If you know these things, happier are you if you do them." Now turn over in your Bibles to Luke chapter 22 and look at verse 27. Luke 22, verse 27. Here it is out of Christ's own mouth. Luke 22, verse 27, Christ asked this question, For whither is greater he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? He is not he that sitteth at meat, but I am among you as he that serveth. Now listen to me. To denigrate the biblical doctrine of slavery, is to denigrate the person and work of Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ assumed that portrayal of himself and took it to himself to represent himself as the loving, obedient son of the Father who loved to do his Father's will.

[John Weaver] Now let's begin today, and here's my first point. It's very simple. There is a biblical slavery.

[John Weaver] Now when you and I think of slavery, unhappily, we most often think of black slavery. And I don't know why that is true. I suppose it's because the blacks were the most recently enslaved, historically speaking. But do you realize There have been a multitude of white slaves, of oriental slaves, of Indian slaves. In fact, if the figures were known, there were probably far more white slaves than there have ever been black slaves. In fact, there is a book that is out, and the title of the book is this, They Were White and They Were Slaves. Most people do not realize, or stop and think, that most of the white people that came to this country came as indentured servants. That is, they came as slaves for a period of time until they worked out their passage. Probably what many people do not know is even today, slavery exists.

[John Weaver] It exists not only in Arab countries, but in all probability it still exists in Africa as well. But many of the children, and especially the beautiful white young girls that are missing and kidnapped from this country, end up as white slaves overseas. So slavery exists today.

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to deal with the history of slavery a little bit later on, and it will surprise you to find out how The first permanent black slaves came to be in this country. But have you ever stopped to think of the first recorded forced slavery in the Bible? It was when the descendants of Jacob were enslaved by the descendants of Ham and the darker race was enslaving the white race.

[John Weaver] You can read about it in Exodus chapter 1. Now, the reason I said that is this. This message is not designed to be a racist message. You say, what do you mean by that? Because all races have been slaves. I don't care if you're black, white, pink, purple. If you have, there have been people out of every race that have been slain. Slavery in and of itself is not evil, it is not sinful. The Bible allows slavery, it allows it in the Old Testament, and it allows it in the New Testament. However, I'm going to tell you this, in Biblical slavery, God lays down the rules and the regulations.

[John Weaver] Now that's going to be my second point, okay? But the first one I'm trying to show you is this, that there is a biblical slavery.

[John Weaver] Now, there are basically six ways in the Bible that one could become a slave. What are those six ways? First of all, we're going to say a forced or a coerced slavery.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm going to tell you up front that that is unbiblical. In fact, if you look in your Bible to Exodus chapter 21, first of all, and verse 16, you'll see it very clearly. Exodus chapter 21, verse 16. Exodus 21, verse 16, God says, And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. So what is the penalty for kidnapping? What is the penalty for selling someone? Death.

[John Weaver] Now there is a forced labor. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy chapter 24, and notice verse 7, he says it again. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, now here It's not just a foreigner or a pagan, here it's specifically a brother. But man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and making merchandise of them, or sell of them.

[John Weaver] Then that thief shall die, and thou shalt put evil away from among you. Now, it is true that those who kidnap and sell people into slavery deserve the death penalty. But the fact is, that is how a lot of people got to be slaves. Black, white, oriental, and Indian.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to point something out to you. I want you to think about this with me. It is true that a lot of the black slaves that came into this country had been stolen, not by white people, but by their own people. No white man went into the interior of Africa and captured the blacks and brought them back. To do so would have meant certain death. Those African kings captured other black tribes and sold them to the white traders who brought them over here.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just show you this. You see, this is an argument that has gone around. They said, well, that means then, therefore, that our forefathers who bought some of these black slaves, that happened to have been stolen, Then what they were doing was just extending that sin, and therefore they had no lawful title to them. Now that sounds good, but let me show you. If you take that to its nth degree, are we going to take all the land in America and give it back to the Indians? Because a lot of that land was stolen from the Indians, or taken from them forcefully. And by the way, I hope you do know that the Indians were not the original settlers on this continent. They were the little people, and the Indians not only killed them and took it, they ate them. They cannibalized, were cannibals. So if you're going to take that kind of argument, who are you going to give it back to? I guess Adam. You know, there would be nothing.

[John Weaver] So it is true that whoever steals a man and sells him deserves to die. God gives a death penalty. But I want to show you, not only biblically, but historically, how especially many of those African slaves blessed the Lord for allowing them to be enslaved and sent to America. Because what they had over here was far better than what they had over there. I got tickled, and I was talking to a black man this week, and I don't even know how the situation, I know what it was.

[John Weaver] He said, and he was teasing when he said it. He said, I want to go back to Africa. I want to go back to my roots. He said, I want to go back where all the gold and silver and platinum and diamonds are. I said, yeah, and you want to go back to those tribal kings who stole all of you and sold you into slavery, you know. And he kind of laughed and he said, I suppose you even think that we ought to give the land back to the Indians. He laughed. He said, yeah, we do. I said, well, can I have my slaves back? No, no, no, no. I said, well, you see what I'm saying. I mean, what's right on one hand is right on the other hand as well, because the slaves were basically stolen from the South. by the norm. So there is a forced slavery. Forced slavery is wrong.

[John Weaver] It doesn't matter if it's a foreigner. It doesn't matter if it's a brother. God says whoever does it deserves death.

[John Weaver] Secondly, another way that you could be enslaved was punishment for a crime. Look in your Bible to the book of Exodus chapter 22. Exodus chapter 22. And note if you would, beginning there with verse 1. Exodus 22 verse 1. God said, if a man steal an ox or a sheep and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.

[John Weaver] If a thief be found breaking up and he be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. If the sun be risen upon him, that is, if you know who he is, there shall no blood be shed for him, for he should make full restitution. Watch, if he have nothing, then he should be sold for his theft.

[John Weaver] Now, what about the case of fraud that was mentioned? Well, God says the person who committed the fraud should make full restitution of fourfold restitution. Let's say there was a thousand bucks stolen. That means that person owes $4,000 restitution. You say, well, what if the person doesn't have the money? Well, then that person is to become a personal slave from whom they stole that money until they work out $4,000. So you could be a servant or a slave for punishment of a crime. Thirdly, if you'll turn in your Bible to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 15, you could become a slave because of debt. Deuteronomy chapter 15, look if you would please at verse 12. Deuteronomy 15 verse 12. God says, and if thy brother in Hebrew man or in Hebrew woman be sold unto thee. Now why would a Hebrew be selling another Hebrew? Because of debt.

[John Weaver] Now let me point out that this type of debt slavery ended when the debt was paid. If you look back in your Bible to the book of Leviticus, Leviticus chapter 25, beginning there with verse 39, and I'll explain this a little bit later down the line. Leviticus chapter 25, look at verse 39. And if I, brother that dwelleth by thee, be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee, Thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bond-servant." Now, so a brother could be sold because of his debt, but he says you still can't treat him as a heathen. He said, you're not going to compel him to live like a heathen slave. Verse 40, But as a hired servant and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and thou shalt serve thee into the year of jubilee. And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family. and to his own possession of his father shall he return.

[John Weaver] For they are my servants which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt. They shall not be sold as bondmen." So it is possible then that a Hebrew could be sold because of his debt. He was so poor he could not pay it. So that is the third way that you could become a slave. The fourth way, which I'm going to explain next week, is by a curse.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9, and let's read verse 25. Genesis 9 verse 25. Here's what Noah says concerning his grandson. And he said, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants, or a slave of slaves, shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant, or his slave. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant, or his slave." So here was the curse of God upon a people, and they became servants. and slaves.

[John Weaver] Now, there's a fifth way that one could become a slave, and that is simply voluntary. Now, we read this a little bit earlier, and that's when the Hebrews six years was up and he went to his master and said, Look, I don't want to go free. I love it here. And I love my wife that you've given me, I love the children that I have, and I don't want to go free.

[John Weaver] I'm willing to serve you forever. And God says, if that is the case, then you take him and bore a hole in his ear, and he's going to be your servant forever. In other words, it'll be permanent slavery or permanent servitude, even for a Hebrew. Now, why was a hole bored into the ear? Because an earring was inserted, which meant permanent submission. The only people who really wore earrings in the Bible were slaves, Ishmaelites, and women, and today, Sodomites. You see what I'm saying? And so that ear was pierced and an earring was put there, which meant the man was now in permanent submission to another man. like a woman was. It was a mark of slavery. So the ear was pierced or bored, which means, men, you better make sure everybody knows you're a man. Don't get your ears pierced. Don't be wearing earrings, okay? There's a sixth way.

[John Weaver] that an individual could become a slave, and that would be by what we would call a captive, or a POW, a prisoner of war. By the way, included in this, I want to put this, you could be bought.

[John Weaver] Now, a Hebrew could not buy another Hebrew permanently. The only way a Hebrew could be a permanent slave is if he voluntarily submitted. But he could buy a foreigner, and that foreigner would be a permanent slave. For instance, look first of all in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus, chapter 25 again. Leviticus 25. Leviticus 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 44. Look what God says, Leviticus 25, verse 44. He says, Both thy bondmen and thy bondmaids which thou shalt have shall be of the heathen that are round about you. Of them you shall buy bondmen and bondmaids. So you could buy them lawfully, scripturally. God says they've got to be heathen. You can't buy your own brother unless it's going to be just temporarily because of debt. So he says, you can buy them of the heathen. Watch verse 45.

[John Weaver] Moreover, the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall you buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land, and they shall be your possession. And you shall take them, watch, as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for possession. They shall be your bondman forever. But over your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule one over another with rigor.

[John Weaver] Now God says you can buy a foreigner, you can buy a heathen, be your slave. But I'm including buying also at the same time with capturing because many times they did capture some of these people in war. And I want to show you the one exception. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 21 because here is another way. Well, it's the same way that you could become a slave, but here's the one exception where you could not permanently enslave a heathen. The one exception. Watch it. Deuteronomy chapter 21, beginning there with verse 10. He says, When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, so we're talking about captives now, POWs. When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captives, and seized among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldst have her to be thy wife, then thou shalt bring her home to thine house, and she shall shave her head, and pair her nails, and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full And after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she

[John Weaver] shall be thy wife. Now watch. And if it shall be that thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will. But thou shalt not sell her at all for money. Thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her. So God says if you capture a woman, and you tell her you want her to be your wife, And you decide a little while later, no, I don't want this woman because you can't make merchandise of her. You can't sell her. She's to go free. You've humbled her. She's to go free. Now, the point I'm trying to make is this. You could buy or you could capture a heathen in war and make them permanent slaves. Now the question has got to be asked, how could you make a foreigner, or a heathen, or a pagan, a permanent slave. Why is it they could be permanent slaves and a believer could not?

[John Weaver] Now let me give you the answer. For the same reason that you could exact usury from a stranger and you could not exact it from a brother. You say, that's no answer. Well, let me show it to you first. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy chapter 15. And I'll explain it. Deuteronomy 15. Look at it beginning there with verse 1. Deuteronomy 15, verse 1. Watch. He said, At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the matter of the release. Every creditor that lended audit to his neighbor shall release it. He shall not exact it of his neighbor or of his brother, because it is called the Lord's release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again. But that which is thine with thine brother, thine hand shall release." Now, look in Deuteronomy 23 verses 19 and 20. God says, thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother, usury of money, usury of bittles, usury of anything that is lent upon usury, unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury, but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury, that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou

[John Weaver] settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Now, here's my question. Let's suppose that Tom Grissy is a foreigner and Don Thomason is my brother. I can lend to Tom Grissy a hundred bucks and say, you must pay me back a hundred and twenty bucks. Charge him twenty percent interest. But if I lend Don, who is my brother, a hundred bucks, I only expect back a hundred bucks. No usury. I could not enslave Don, if he was indebted to me, any more than six years. Seven years he had to go free. But if Doc, who is a heathen, he could be my permanent slave. And at the seventh year release, hey, I might let him off the hook that year, but then I would exact it again and say, don't forget now after this year, you've got to pay me again, or I could keep him as a permanent slave. Why? Why did God allow permanency of slavery for a heathen and not for believers?

[John Weaver] And the answer is very simple. Twofold. Number one, a heathen, a pagan, is already a slave by nature. He's a slave to his own sin. He's a slave to his own lust.

[John Weaver] Secondly, both slavery and usury are forms of dominion. Why is it that the foreigners and the unbelievers who have control of the banks demand usury from Christians? Because they're exacting dominion. and exercising dominion over them. You see, we're basically a conquered people. because we've turned our backs upon God. So God allowed then the permanent slavery of unbelievers, of strangers, of foreigners, because they were, number one, already slaves by nature, and then, number two, it is a form of dominion.

[John Weaver] May I just quote the Bible in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 17? The Bible says, now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is what? Liberty or freedom. Now where the Spirit of the Lord is not, which is unbeliever, there's nothing but bondage. Unsaved men are already slaves by nature. Now, Christians are not to be slaves. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 23, that we are the Lord's free men. And the Bible tells us in Galatians 5, verse 1, that we are not to become entangled again with the yoke of bondage wherewith we have been set free. So I want you to understand there is a biblical view of slavery, and there is a biblical slavery, and this is basically how men became slaves. Now, secondly, I want you to understand there are some divine rules and regulations concerning slavery.

[John Weaver] First of all, number one, we've already talked about this one, but number one, a Hebrew slave or servant could be held only for six years. Now, I want you to note something. Look back in your Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 15. As you turn back there, let's suppose Chester has been my slave for six years. Maybe he owed me some money. Maybe he just had a stroke of providence that was against him.

[John Weaver] And so he said, I've got to live somehow. And so he came to me and said, I'll serve you for six years. So he served me for six years. So at the end of six years, I said, OK, Chester, you're free to go. Now, my question is, is that the end of it? No. Watch it. Deuteronomy, chapter 15, verse 12. And if I, brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee and serve thee six years, then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free. Watch. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty. Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress, of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. And thou shalt give unto him, and thou shalt remember that thou wast abundant in the land of Egypt. And the Lord thy God redeemed thee, therefore I command thee this thing to say, and it shall be." And then he goes on, but look what God says, you have got to furnish him liberally.

[John Weaver] Why? I want you to remember that many men were sold for debts. Many men got into slavery because they could not take care of themselves and their family. Biblical slavery was designed to teach people to be personally and financially responsible. And what God is assuming is this, that after serving a capable man for six years, the man has learned something, and he's responsible, and now the one who has had him as a slave enables him to get a fresh start. And so God says, you give to him. Now let me show you something.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, right before the book of Hebrews. The book of Philemon, look beginning there with verse 10. Paul writes to Philemon, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds, which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. Whom I have sinned again, thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels, whom I would have retained with me in thy stead. He might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel, but without thy mind would I do nothing, that thy benefits should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season." that thou shouldest receive him forever, not now as a servant or a slave, but above a servant or a slave, a brother beloved, as special to me, how much more to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord." Now, Onesimus was a runaway slave. He belonged to Philemon.

[John Weaver] He stole some money, or stole something, just left, and ran away to Rome. When he was in Rome, he got thrown into the prison with the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul preached to him, Onesimus was converted, and guess what? Paul sent him back. He didn't say now, Onesimus can no longer be a slave, he's a Christian. He sent him back to his master. Now, I want you to note something. Look in verse 16. So Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon. He sends him back, he says, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother, beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, watch, both in the flesh and in the Lord. Onesimus was Philemon's fleshly brother. You say, how could Philemon hold his own brother as a slave?

[John Weaver] The answer is very simple. Onesimus had gotten in some kind of problems in time past, and Philemon had bought him out of it. And Onesimus was responsible now to be the servant and slave of Philemon until he worked out what he owed his brother. And instead of doing that, he took off down to Rome. What does Paul do? Paul sends him back. He says, you go back and you pay your debt. You work it out. There were plenty of families that held their own members as slaves, not out of hatred, but out of love, out of concern, out of teaching them to be responsible and teaching them how to live. Look back in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 25. Leviticus 25. Watch what God says. Leviticus 25 beginning there with verse 47. Leviticus 25 verse 47.

[John Weaver] And if a soldier or stranger whacks rich by thee, so here's a pagan that's a wealthy man, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger, or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family, After that he is sold, he may be redeemed again, that is, he can be bought out of his slavery. One of his brethren may redeem him, either his uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him, or any that is not akin to him of his family may redeem him, or if he be able he may redeem himself.

[John Weaver] And he shall reckon with him that brought him from the year that he was sold to him and to the year of jubilee, and the price of his sale shall be according to the number of years, according to the time of the hired servant shall it be with him. If there be yet many years behind, according unto them, he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. And if there remain but few years in the year of Jubilee, then he shall count him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with thee." That is the one that bought him back. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him, that is the family member now, and the other shall not rule with rigor over him in his sight. And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he and his children with him.

[John Weaver] For unto me the children of Israel are servants whom, they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." So God's law then allowed for a family member to buy another family member out of pagan slavery. But yet they were still slaves or servants to that believing family until they worked out the redemption price. So it was very possible then for a believer to be a slave and to own slaves, even those of his own family.

[John Weaver] Secondly, here's a very controversial one, but I'm going to tell it to you. The slave could be beaten. He could be whipped. He could be flogged by the master. Now, I'm going to tell you very plainly that this was for a very serious crime. Look at it in your Bible to the book of Exodus chapter 21, verse 20 and 21. Here is the plain teaching where a slave could be beaten, whipped, flogged by his own master. Exodus chapter 21, verse 20, and if a man smite his servant, or his maid with a rod, and he died under his hand, he shall surely be punished." Now, you could not just go out and kill your slave, okay? God said if you beat your slave to death, you're going to be punished. But look what He said in verse 21,"...notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished, for he is his money." Isn't that amazing? So the master had a right to whip the slave, even had a right to whip him severely.

[John Weaver] Now God says if he whipped him too severely and he continued several days, he died, then both of them lost. The slave of course lost his life, but the master lost the slave and his services. So verse 20 then forbids the killing of the slave, but nevertheless, and this is a very touchy point, Verse 21 recognizes the master's property in the slave.

[John Weaver] Now, before everybody gets upset about referring to slaves as property, which they did in the 1860s, and any other time as well, may I remind you that in the Bible, even a wife is referred to as property. We get our word property from the word proprius, a Latin word, and it literally teaches us that it means this, one's own or one's peculiar or one's own private or something for oneself. When I say my wife is my property, not only am I saying I have a vested interest in her, I told her, I said, you know, sugar, it surely never cost me much to marry you before.

[John Weaver] The upkeep has been awful. So not only do I have a vested interest in her, she is peculiarly and particularly my own. You see what I'm saying? So where property is not a bad word. In fact, she also has a property right in me. Because I'm peculiarly and particularly her own. And so the slave did indeed have a property And that property belonged to the master. Now, it would certainly be in the master's best interest not to kill the slave, because he'd be punished as well if he did. It would certainly be in his interest not to beat the slave, because if he beat him too severely, he's not going to get any work out of him until he heals.

[John Weaver] So very clearly then, this beating that is talked about here, watch now, had to be for some very serious criminal offense, by the way. or beating was a biblical punishment given not just to slaves, but to many people. The Bible tells us in the book of Deuteronomy that usually the slave or anybody could not be beaten over 40 stripes. And usually what they would do, they would stop at 39 just to make sure that they had not miscounted. So if Doc had done something wrong under biblical law, and it did not require restitution or the death penalty, he could be whipped publicly. Up to 40 stripes, but 40 stripes were not to exceed. Now let me show you something. I told you this whipping or this beating or this flogging had to be for severe crimes. Something had to be done. The Bible doesn't specify what, but it had to be.

[John Weaver] How do I know that? Because the same Bible that tells us that a master has the right to whip his slave also tells us that the master does not have the right to mistreat or cruelly treat his slave. Look in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 21 and verse 26. Look what God says. If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish, he shall let him go free for the eyesake. So here's the master and he just gets mad and reaches up and slaps the maid or the servant for no reason at all. And he knocks his eye out or blinds him. He knows that that servant is to go free.

[John Weaver] Let me show you something else. Skip down to the next verse. He said that if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth, he shall let him go free for the tooth's sake. Now let me tell you something, folks. The loss of a tooth is very incidental. Especially if you've got a mouthful of it. And if that master just cruelly knocked a tooth out to be knocked in a tooth out, the slave went free.

[John Weaver] You see, the beating, the flogging had to be for some serious criminal offense. Because you could not just beat for no reason at all, and if you hurt for some selfish or cruel reason, then the slave went free and you lost. So the same Bible then that allowed whipping for serious crimes and serious infractions also allowed that if that slave was mistreated, then he was to go free.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, and I'm going to hurry, slaves ultimately became identified with the family. By the way, this is not only true biblically, it is also true historically. In the book that I have just finished reading on the slave narratives in Georgia, every slave, I don't care, man or woman, one of them, his name was Neil Upton. And he worked on the Upton Plantation. Every one of them took their names from their master. Every single one. Now, let me just give you some scriptures. You don't have to look these up. First of all, slaves were to be circumcised.

[John Weaver] Exodus chapter 12 verse 44, Genesis 17 verse 12. What does that mean? It meant that they were being brought into the family. They were being identified even with the religion of the family, of the covenant.

[John Weaver] Secondly, slaves could eat of the holy things. In Exodus 12 and verse 44, Leviticus 22, verses 10 through 11, the holy things around the tabernacle and the temple were even given to slaves. Slaves not only had a position in the home, but rights as well. Let me show you something. Look in your Bible. So Genesis chapter 24. Genesis 24. Look in verse 1 and 2. Genesis 24, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Slaves not only could be circumcised, they could not only eat the holy things. Watch verse 1. And Abraham was old and well stricken in age, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house that ruled over all that he had. Put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh. Did you hear that? What did that slave do? He ruled over everything that Abraham had. Look in verse 10. And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed. For all the goods of his master were in his hand." Look in verse 35. And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly, says the slave, and he has become great, and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and aspens. All this was under this slave's hand. You remember what?

[John Weaver] Potiphar, it's said in the Bible about Potiphar when Joseph was his slave, he knew not what he had, for Joseph had control over all of it. So, the point I'm trying to make is, the slave ultimately became identified with the family. And by the way, one, and I'll give you the quote, I've forgotten her name, but one of the Elderly slave women said this, and I'm quoting her exact words.

[John Weaver] She was longing for the plantation days and she said this, when us was slaves, we was somebody. Now ain't nothing but niggers. Now what did she mean when she said, when us was slaves, we were somebody, in other words, we belong to someone. We had a family. We were identified with that family. And slaves in the Bible and slaves historically have become identified with the family.

[John Weaver] Fourthly, slaves also could inherit. Look back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 15, Genesis 15, look at verses 2 and 3. In fact, we'll begin reading verse 1. After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward watch. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?

[John Weaver] And the steward of my house is this Eleazar of Damascus, which means he was a Syrian. And Abram said, Behold to me thou hast given no seed, and lo, one born in my house is mine heir. What's he saying? God, if you don't give me a child, Eliezer, my eldest servant, is going to inherit everything I've got. Look in the book of Proverbs chapter 17 and verse 2. Proverbs 17 and verse 2. Look what the Bible says, Proverbs 17 verse 2, a wise servant shall have rule over some that causes shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. How about that? A wise servant is going to rule over some that causes shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

[John Weaver] Slaves are required to rest on the Sabbath just like everyone else. All you've got to do is read Exodus chapter 20 and verse 10. God said, Thy men servants and thy maid servants and thy ox and thy lass, everything is to rest. Sixthly, slaves were not to be returned to pagan masters if they escaped to Israel. Look in your Bible, Deuteronomy chapter 23.

[John Weaver] Now, we're not talking about slaves in the land who were voluntary, nor are we talking about slaves who were there for debt or for punishment. But if a pagan slave escaped to Israel, then that pagan slave was not to be returned to his pagan master. Look at Deuteronomy 23, verse 15. He says, Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee. He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in the place which he shall choose, in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best, thou shalt not oppress him. So if a heathen slave got away from a heathen master and got to Israel, he could live wherever he wanted to. He was free when he got there. What God is forbidding by that, of course, is the selling of slaves, because even a foreign slave was not to be returned to his master. Slavery was on a different level under pagan law than it was under biblical law. In biblical law, a slave was counted as a member of the household, and he had certain positions and certain rights.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make two applications. I want you to think about this. First of all, the first one is very simple, you already know it. Slavery is not inherently wrong. Slavery is not inherently evil. There is a biblical slavery. Here is the second application. And biblical law permits voluntary servitude or voluntary slavery because it recognizes that some people either cannot or will not maintain a position of independence.

[John Weaver] And what do they do? They attach themselves to capable men and serve them. And they are protected by biblical law. And this type of slavery, this type of servitude is a legitimate way of life, although it is a lesser one. Now, listen to me. Involuntary servitude or servitude for debt or even servitude for punishment, the master assumes the role as benefactor, the bestower of welfare, rather than the state. What does that mean? It means if we have a biblical form of slavery, you don't have state welfare. You don't have state workfare. You don't have federal welfare, federal workfare. What you have are individual men who are assuming that responsibility. And they are receiving for that responsibility the work and the effort and the time of those individuals who have attached themselves to that master.

[John Weaver] Now, and I'll get into more of this later, but the problem in our country is this. We have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else. We've traded a biblical slavery for a pagan slavery. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today for your love, for your grace, for your mercy. We ask, Lord, that you would teach us, that you would enable us, Lord, to form biblical concepts and biblical attitudes based upon your words. Enable us, Father, to understand where we are and how we got here. And once again, Lord, it all stems from our refusal to submit to Your truth and Your law. And help us, Lord, to be obedient in every area of our life. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 4 of 14

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1200417055
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	1998-07-19
Dictation Name
Book	Book 119: Where We Are & How We Got Here — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	91

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Deuteronomy 24. We'll also look in Deuteronomy 15. But Exodus chapter 21 and Deuteronomy 24. Now, I'm not going to be able to finish this today, but it will be a start. So I'm going to be dealing with slavery, a biblical view. Exodus chapter 21, beginning there with verse 1. Are we ready? Exodus 21, verse 1.

"Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master hath given him a wife, and she hath borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever."

"And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters." "If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money."

Now skip down to verse 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." Now verse 20, "...and if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand, he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money." Skip down to verse 26. "If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake."

Now look in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, if you would please, at verse 7. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. The word of God says,

Scripture Reading — 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."

Skip down to verse 14, "...thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: at his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: but thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Now verse 22,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 15:12-18

"...and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Now skip back to Deuteronomy chapter 15, Deuteronomy 15, and note, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Deuteronomy 15, verse 12.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 15:12-18

"If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise."

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews previous messages on the abolitionist revolution, broken churches, and cultural shifts, emphasizing that ideas have consequences and theological shifts precede cultural shifts.

"It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest." Now I want to take just a moment and remind you that I have dealt so far with the abolitionist revolution. I showed you where the abolitionists not only did not care for the scripture, they also did not care for the constitution, and they did not care for the slaves. I gave you quote after quote and showed how they violated not only the Constitution, but the Scripture over and over as well. Then secondly, I dealt with the fact that broken churches foreshadowed a broken nation. And I emphasized that when individuals refuse to deal with problems biblically and scripturally, inevitably there are always going to be all kinds of disruptions and divisions. And then last week I dealt not only with the political issue, but also the economic issue and the sexual issue.

Now remember the truth that I told you earlier, that ideas have consequences, and that you cannot have a cultural shift without having a theological shift. And one of the things that has happened in our country down through the years is we have consistently turned from the word of God and we have consistently committed cultural suicide with our children and with ourselves and with our families and with our nation.

Questions About Slavery

Weaver poses questions about the biblical nature of Southern slavery, the truth of propaganda about slave mistreatment, and whether slavery is inherently evil.

Now there has been a lot said concerning slavery. Most of that which has been said has been evil and wrong. Let me begin by asking a simple question. Is slavery unbiblical? Let me ask it another way. Were the abolitionists correct in their strenuous denunciations of the South? Let me just try to change a little bit. If the South was predominantly biblical, and it was, and if the South was predominantly Christian, how then could a Christian and biblical South allow a society... Was the North more righteous than the South? Was Southern slavery biblical? I'm going to answer that question later. Let me ask just several other questions to stimulate your thinking. I'm not going to answer these questions today. But what about the propaganda that has been issued concerning the stud farms in the South, where blacks were just regularly employed to breed just to produce more slaves? What about the propaganda of the merciless beatings of the South? What about the mistreatment of all the slaves?

How much of this is true? What is the actual truth concerning what happened? Now, before I try to answer any of those questions, and I'm not going to answer any of them today, hardly, I want to just draw your attention to the Word of God and show you what the Bible says about slavery. Is it wrong to own slaves? Is it unbiblical? And is the wrath of God against anyone who owns slaves? Now, there are several things I want you to understand today. First of all, there is a biblical slavery. We just read it from the Bible. There is a biblical slavery. Secondly, there is a pagan slavery that is unbiblical. Thirdly, I want you to understand that you could have a combination of those two. You could have some slavery that is biblical and pagan combined. In other words, you could have biblical aspects and also pagan aspects as well. Now, the truth of the matter is this, pagan slavery is condemned over and over in Scripture, but not slavery in and of itself. In fact, I'm going to correct what I just said. It is not pagan slavery that is condemned, it is more the stealing and the selling that is condemned.

Christ as the Perfect Slave

Weaver argues that if slavery were inherently evil, Christ would not have used the imagery of a pierced ear and servanthood to describe His mission, citing Psalm 40, Hebrews 10, and John 13.

Now, let me just get this started off on the right foot. If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, as so many people have said and are teaching, then I've got a question to ask you. I want you to look back in your Bibles, first of all, to Exodus chapter 21 and verses 5 and 6. Now if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, I want you to answer a question for me. Watch this, Exodus 21 verse 5. "And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever." So what happened was this. If the servant said, I love my master, I'm not going to go out free, then he was taken to the doorpost and his ear was pierced.

I'll explain why a little bit later. But note what was said. Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 40. Psalm 40. I want you to see this in order to ask you a question. Look in Psalm 40. Psalm 40, of course, is a messianic psalm. This psalm refers to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. And look, if you would please, at verse 6. Psalm 40, verse 6. Scripture says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 40:6

"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened"

—or digged, or bored—

Scripture Reading — Psalm 40:6

"burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I,"

and of course this is Christ speaking, "'Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.'"

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:5-10

"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."

Now turn over in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 5. Now I want you to understand, Hebrews 10 verse 5 is quoting Psalm 40. Hebrews 10 verse 5,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:5-10

"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, here's my question. Why did Christ himself take this picture, take this symbol, take this analogy of the slave who loved his master and apply it to himself to describe his ministry and his mission? When you read back in Psalm 40, "mine ear hast thou opened," it is literally, "mine ear hast thou digged" or "pierced through with an awl." In other words, if slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil in and of itself to himself? It may surprise you to learn that one of the phrases that is used of Jesus Christ over and over in the Bible is the phrase, "the sent one." In fact, he uses that phrase concerning himself.

Look in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 5, and notice verse 30. John, chapter 5, verse 30. John 5, verse 30. Look what Christ says. Here are the words of the perfect servant, or if you would prefer the word slave, the perfect slave. Christ says,

Scripture Reading — John 5:30

"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."

What is Christ saying? Christ said, I came as the servant of my Father. I love my Father. I love his will.

I want to serve him. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. And notice if you would what Scripture says here. Hebrews 3 verse 1. The Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:1

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

Now look at that verse. You say, Brother Weaver, that has nothing in it about Christ as a servant. Oh? Let's go again.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:1

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

The Greek word for apostle is apostolos. You know what the word apostolos literally means? It means a sent one. So literally he says, consider the sent one, the high priest of our profession, Jesus Christ.

Now if slavery was inherently evil and sinful and wicked in and of itself, would Christ have used this picture and this analogy to portray his ministry and his mission? That's not all. I could multiply this, but look very quickly in your Bibles to John chapter 13. John chapter 13. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. John 13 and verse 13. In fact, let's go back up to verse 3. John chapter 13, verse 3.

"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;" watch. "He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." What is he doing? He's acting like a servant. He's acting like a slave. Skip down to verse 13. Christ said, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." Watch. "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Now turn over in your Bibles to Luke chapter 22 and look at verse 27. Luke 22, verse 27. Here it is out of Christ's own mouth. Luke 22, verse 27, Christ asked this question,

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:27

"For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth."

Now listen to me. To denigrate the biblical doctrine of slavery is to denigrate the person and work of Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ assumed that portrayal of himself and took it to himself to represent himself as the loving, obedient son of the Father who loved to do his Father's will.

There Is a Biblical Slavery

Weaver asserts that the Bible permits slavery and outlines six ways one could become a slave: forced slavery (unbiblical), punishment for crime, debt, curse, voluntary servitude, and captivity/purchase.

Now when you and I think of slavery, unhappily, we most often think of black slavery. And I don't know why that is true. I suppose it's because the blacks were the most recently enslaved, historically speaking. But do you realize there have been a multitude of white slaves, of oriental slaves, of Indian slaves. In fact, if the figures were known, there were probably far more white slaves than there have ever been black slaves. In fact, there is a book that is out, and the title of the book is this, They Were White and They Were Slaves. Most people do not realize, or stop and think, that most of the white people that came to this country came as indentured servants. That is, they came as slaves for a period of time until they worked out their passage. Probably what many people do not know is even today, slavery exists.

It exists not only in Arab countries, but in all probability it still exists in Africa as well. But many of the children, and especially the beautiful white young girls that are missing and kidnapped from this country, end up as white slaves overseas. So slavery exists today. Now I'm going to deal with the history of slavery a little bit later on, and it will surprise you to find out how the first permanent black slaves came to be in this country. But have you ever stopped to think of the first recorded forced slavery in the Bible? It was when the descendants of Jacob were enslaved by the descendants of Ham and the darker race was enslaving the white race. You can read about it in Exodus chapter 1. Now, the reason I said that is this. This message is not designed to be a racist message. You say, what do you mean by that? Because all races have been slaves. I don't care if you're black, white, pink, purple. If you have, there have been people out of every race that have been slaves. Slavery in and of itself is not evil, it is not sinful. The Bible allows slavery, it allows it in the Old Testament, and it allows it in the New Testament. However, I'm going to tell you this, in biblical slavery, God lays down the rules and the regulations.

Now that's going to be my second point, okay? But the first one I'm trying to show you is this, that there is a biblical slavery. Now, there are basically six ways in the Bible that one could become a slave. What are those six ways? First of all, we're going to say a forced or a coerced slavery.

Now, I'm going to tell you up front that that is unbiblical. In fact, if you look in your Bible to Exodus chapter 21, first of all, and verse 16, you'll see it very clearly. Exodus chapter 21, verse 16. Exodus 21, verse 16, God says, "And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death." So what is the penalty for kidnapping? What is the penalty for selling someone? Death.

Now there is a forced labor. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy chapter 24, and notice verse 7, he says it again. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel," now here it's not just a foreigner or a pagan, here it's specifically a brother. "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." Now, it is true that those who kidnap and sell people into slavery deserve the death penalty. But the fact is, that is how a lot of people got to be slaves. Black, white, oriental, and Indian.

Now, I want to point something out to you. I want you to think about this with me. It is true that a lot of the black slaves that came into this country had been stolen, not by white people, but by their own people. No white man went into the interior of Africa and captured the blacks and brought them back. To do so would have meant certain death. Those African kings captured other black tribes and sold them to the white traders who brought them over here.

Now, let me just show you this. You see, this is an argument that has gone around. They said, well, that means then, therefore, that our forefathers who bought some of these black slaves, that happened to have been stolen, then what they were doing was just extending that sin, and therefore they had no lawful title to them. Now that sounds good, but let me show you. If you take that to its nth degree, are we going to take all the land in America and give it back to the Indians? Because a lot of that land was stolen from the Indians, or taken from them forcefully. And by the way, I hope you do know that the Indians were not the original settlers on this continent. They were the little people, and the Indians not only killed them and took it, they ate them. They cannibalized, were cannibals. So if you're going to take that kind of argument, who are you going to give it back to? I guess Adam. You know, there would be nothing.

So it is true that whoever steals a man and sells him deserves to die. God gives a death penalty. But I want to show you, not only biblically, but historically, how especially many of those African slaves blessed the Lord for allowing them to be enslaved and sent to America. Because what they had over here was far better than what they had over there. I got tickled, and I was talking to a black man this week, and I don't even know how the situation, I know what it was. He said, and he was teasing when he said it. He said, I want to go back to Africa. I want to go back to my roots. He said, I want to go back where all the gold and silver and platinum and diamonds are. I said, yeah, and you want to go back to those tribal kings who stole all of you and sold you into slavery, you know. And he kind of laughed and he said, I suppose you even think that we ought to give the land back to the Indians. He laughed. He said, yeah, we do. I said, well, can I have my slaves back? No, no, no, no. I said, well, you see what I'm saying. I mean, what's right on one hand is right on the other hand as well, because the slaves were basically stolen from the South by the North. So there is a forced slavery. Forced slavery is wrong.

It doesn't matter if it's a foreigner. It doesn't matter if it's a brother. God says whoever does it deserves death. Secondly, another way that you could be enslaved was punishment for a crime. Look in your Bible to the book of Exodus chapter 22. Exodus chapter 22. And note if you would, beginning there with verse 1. Exodus 22 verse 1. God said, "If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep."

"If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. If the sun be risen upon him," that is, if you know who he is, "there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution;" watch, "if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft." Now, what about the case of fraud that was mentioned? Well, God says the person who committed the fraud should make full restitution of fourfold restitution. Let's say there was a thousand bucks stolen. That means that person owes $4,000 restitution. You say, well, what if the person doesn't have the money? Well, then that person is to become a personal slave to whom they stole that money until they work out $4,000. So you could be a servant or a slave for punishment of a crime. Thirdly, if you'll turn in your Bible to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 15, you could become a slave because of debt. Deuteronomy chapter 15, look if you would please at verse 12. Deuteronomy 15 verse 12. God says, "And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee." Now why would a Hebrew be selling another Hebrew? Because of debt.

Now let me point out that this type of debt slavery ended when the debt was paid. If you look back in your Bible to the book of Leviticus, Leviticus chapter 25, beginning there with verse 39, and I'll explain this a little bit later down the line. Leviticus chapter 25, look at verse 39.

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:39-43

"And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant."

Now, so a brother could be sold because of his debt, but he says you still can't treat him as a heathen. He said, you're not going to compel him to live like a heathen slave. Verse 40,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:39-43

"But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: and then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."

"For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen." So it is possible then that a Hebrew could be sold because of his debt. He was so poor he could not pay it. So that is the third way that you could become a slave. The fourth way, which I'm going to explain next week, is by a curse. Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9, and let's read verse 25. Genesis 9 verse 25. Here's what Noah says concerning his grandson.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:25-27

"And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants"

—or a slave of slaves—

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:25-27

"shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant"

—or his slave.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:25-27

"God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant"

—or his slave. So here was the curse of God upon a people, and they became servants and slaves.

Now, there's a fifth way that one could become a slave, and that is simply voluntary. Now, we read this a little bit earlier, and that's when the Hebrew's six years was up and he went to his master and said, Look, I don't want to go free. I love it here. And I love my wife that you've given me, I love the children that I have, and I don't want to go free. I'm willing to serve you forever. And God says, if that is the case, then you take him and bore a hole in his ear, and he's going to be your servant forever. In other words, it'll be permanent slavery or permanent servitude, even for a Hebrew. Now, why was a hole bored into the ear? Because an earring was inserted, which meant permanent submission. The only people who really wore earrings in the Bible were slaves, Ishmaelites, and women, and today, Sodomites. You see what I'm saying? And so that ear was pierced and an earring was put there, which meant the man was now in permanent submission to another man, like a woman was. It was a mark of slavery. So the ear was pierced or bored, which means, men, you better make sure everybody knows you're a man. Don't get your ears pierced. Don't be wearing earrings, okay? There's a sixth way.

that an individual could become a slave, and that would be by what we would call a captive, or a POW, a prisoner of war. By the way, included in this, I want to put this, you could be bought. Now, a Hebrew could not buy another Hebrew permanently. The only way a Hebrew could be a permanent slave is if he voluntarily submitted. But he could buy a foreigner, and that foreigner would be a permanent slave. For instance, look first of all in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus, chapter 25 again. Leviticus 25. Leviticus 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 44. Look what God says, Leviticus 25, verse 44. He says,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:44-46

"Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids."

So you could buy them lawfully, scripturally. God says they've got to be heathen. You can't buy your own brother unless it's going to be just temporarily because of debt. So he says, you can buy them of the heathen. Watch verse 45.

"Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour." Now God says you can buy a foreigner, you can buy a heathen, to be your slave. But I'm including buying also at the same time with capturing because many times they did capture some of these people in war. And I want to show you the one exception. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 21 because here is another way. Well, it's the same way that you could become a slave, but here's the one exception where you could not permanently enslave a heathen. The one exception. Watch it. Deuteronomy chapter 21, beginning there with verse 10. He says, "When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies," so we're talking about captives now, POWs. "When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she

Why Heathens Could Be Permanent Slaves

Weaver explains that heathens could be permanent slaves because they are already slaves to sin by nature, and slavery and usury are forms of dominion over unbelievers.

Now let me give you the answer. For the same reason that you could exact usury from a stranger and you could not exact it from a brother. You say, that's no answer. Well, let me show it to you first. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy chapter 15. And I'll explain it. Deuteronomy 15. Look at it beginning there with verse 1. Deuteronomy 15, verse 1. Watch. He said, "At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release." Now, look in Deuteronomy 23 verses 19 and 20. God says, "Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou

settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it." Now, here's my question. Let's suppose that Tom Grissy is a foreigner and Don Thomason is my brother. I can lend to Tom Grissy a hundred bucks and say, you must pay me back a hundred and twenty bucks. Charge him twenty percent interest. But if I lend Don, who is my brother, a hundred bucks, I only expect back a hundred bucks. No usury. I could not enslave Don, if he was indebted to me, any more than six years. Seven years he had to go free. But if Doc, who is a heathen, he could be my permanent slave. And at the seventh year release, hey, I might let him off the hook that year, but then I would exact it again and say, don't forget now after this year, you've got to pay me again, or I could keep him as a permanent slave. Why? Why did God allow permanency of slavery for a heathen and not for believers?

And the answer is very simple. Twofold. Number one, a heathen, a pagan, is already a slave by nature. He's a slave to his own sin. He's a slave to his own lust. Secondly, both slavery and usury are forms of dominion. Why is it that the foreigners and the unbelievers who have control of the banks demand usury from Christians? Because they're exacting dominion and exercising dominion over them. You see, we're basically a conquered people because we've turned our backs upon God. So God allowed then the permanent slavery of unbelievers, of strangers, of foreigners, because they were, number one, already slaves by nature, and then, number two, it is a form of dominion.

May I just quote the Bible in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 17? The Bible says, now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is what? Liberty or freedom. Now where the Spirit of the Lord is not, which is unbeliever, there's nothing but bondage. Unsaved men are already slaves by nature. Now, Christians are not to be slaves. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 23, that we are the Lord's free men. And the Bible tells us in Galatians 5, verse 1, that we are not to become entangled again with the yoke of bondage wherewith we have been set free. So I want you to understand there is a biblical view of slavery, and there is a biblical slavery, and this is basically how men became slaves. Now, secondly, I want you to understand there are some divine rules and regulations concerning slavery.

Divine Rules and Regulations

Weaver details biblical regulations: Hebrew slaves freed after six years with liberal provision, slaves could be beaten for serious crimes but not mistreated, slaves became identified with the family, could inherit, rest on Sabbath, and escaped pagan slaves were not returned.

First of all, number one, we've already talked about this one, but number one, a Hebrew slave or servant could be held only for six years. Now, I want you to note something. Look back in your Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 15. As you turn back there, let's suppose Chester has been my slave for six years. Maybe he owed me some money. Maybe he just had a stroke of providence that was against him. And so he said, I've got to live somehow. And so he came to me and said, I'll serve you for six years. So he served me for six years. So at the end of six years, I said, OK, Chester, you're free to go. Now, my question is, is that the end of it? No. Watch it. Deuteronomy, chapter 15, verse 12. "And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. And it shall be." And then he goes on, but look what God says, you have got to furnish him liberally.

Why? I want you to remember that many men were sold for debts. Many men got into slavery because they could not take care of themselves and their family. Biblical slavery was designed to teach people to be personally and financially responsible. And what God is assuming is this, that after serving a capable man for six years, the man has learned something, and he's responsible, and now the one who has had him as a slave enables him to get a fresh start. And so God says, you give to him. Now let me show you something.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, right before the book of Hebrews. The book of Philemon, look beginning there with verse 10. Paul writes to Philemon,

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: but without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant"

—or a slave—"but above a servant"—or a slave—

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?"

Now, Onesimus was a runaway slave. He belonged to Philemon. He stole some money, or stole something, just left, and ran away to Rome. When he was in Rome, he got thrown into the prison with the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul preached to him, Onesimus was converted, and guess what? Paul sent him back. He didn't say now, Onesimus can no longer be a slave, he's a Christian. He sent him back to his master. Now, I want you to note something. Look in verse 16. So Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon. He sends him back, he says,

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother, beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee,"

watch,

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"both in the flesh, and in the Lord."

Onesimus was Philemon's fleshly brother. You say, how could Philemon hold his own brother as a slave?

The answer is very simple. Onesimus had gotten in some kind of problems in time past, and Philemon had bought him out of it. And Onesimus was responsible now to be the servant and slave of Philemon until he worked out what he owed his brother. And instead of doing that, he took off down to Rome. What does Paul do? Paul sends him back. He says, you go back and you pay your debt. You work it out. There were plenty of families that held their own members as slaves, not out of hatred, but out of love, out of concern, out of teaching them to be responsible and teaching them how to live. Look back in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 25. Leviticus 25. Watch what God says. Leviticus 25 beginning there with verse 47. Leviticus 25 verse 47.

"And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee," so here's a pagan that's a wealthy man, "and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: after that he is sold he may be redeemed again;" that is, he can be bought out of his slavery. "One of his brethren may redeem him: either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself." "And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him. If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him:" that is the one that bought him back. "And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him," that is the family member now, "and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight. And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him."

"For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." So God's law then allowed for a family member to buy another family member out of pagan slavery. But yet they were still slaves or servants to that believing family until they worked out the redemption price. So it was very possible then for a believer to be a slave and to own slaves, even those of his own family. Secondly, here's a very controversial one, but I'm going to tell it to you. The slave could be beaten. He could be whipped. He could be flogged by the master. Now, I'm going to tell you very plainly that this was for a very serious crime. Look at it in your Bible to the book of Exodus chapter 21, verse 20 and 21. Here is the plain teaching where a slave could be beaten, whipped, flogged by his own master. Exodus chapter 21, verse 20, "And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished." Now, you could not just go out and kill your slave, okay? God said if you beat your slave to death, you're going to be punished. But look what He said in verse 21, "Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money." Isn't that amazing? So the master had a right to whip the slave, even had a right to whip him severely.

Now God says if he whipped him too severely and he continued several days, he died, then both of them lost. The slave of course lost his life, but the master lost the slave and his services. So verse 20 then forbids the killing of the slave, but nevertheless, and this is a very touchy point, verse 21 recognizes the master's property in the slave. Now, before everybody gets upset about referring to slaves as property, which they did in the 1860s, and any other time as well, may I remind you that in the Bible, even a wife is referred to as property. We get our word property from the word proprius, a Latin word, and it literally teaches us that it means this, one's own or one's peculiar or one's own private or something for oneself. When I say my wife is my property, not only am I saying I have a vested interest in her, I told her, I said, you know, sugar, it surely never cost me much to marry you before.

The upkeep has been awful. So not only do I have a vested interest in her, she is peculiarly and particularly my own. You see what I'm saying? So the word property is not a bad word. In fact, she also has a property right in me. Because I'm peculiarly and particularly her own. And so the slave did indeed have a property right. And that property belonged to the master. Now, it would certainly be in the master's best interest not to kill the slave, because he'd be punished as well if he did. It would certainly be in his interest not to beat the slave, because if he beat him too severely, he's not going to get any work out of him until he heals.

So very clearly then, this beating that is talked about here, watch now, had to be for some very serious criminal offense, by the way. This beating was a biblical punishment given not just to slaves, but to many people. The Bible tells us in the book of Deuteronomy that usually the slave or anybody could not be beaten over 40 stripes. And usually what they would do, they would stop at 39 just to make sure that they had not miscounted. So if Doc had done something wrong under biblical law, and it did not require restitution or the death penalty, he could be whipped publicly. Up to 40 stripes, but 40 stripes were not to exceed. Now let me show you something. I told you this whipping or this beating or this flogging had to be for severe crimes. Something had to be done. The Bible doesn't specify what, but it had to be.

How do I know that? Because the same Bible that tells us that a master has the right to whip his slave also tells us that the master does not have the right to mistreat or cruelly treat his slave. Look in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 21 and verse 26. Look what God says. "If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake." So here's the master and he just gets mad and reaches up and slaps the maid or the servant for no reason at all. And he knocks his eye out or blinds him. He knows that that servant is to go free.

Let me show you something else. Skip down to the next verse. He said that "if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake." Now let me tell you something, folks. The loss of a tooth is very incidental. Especially if you've got a mouthful of them. And if that master just cruelly knocked a tooth out to be knocking a tooth out, the slave went free. You see, the beating, the flogging had to be for some serious criminal offense. Because you could not just beat for no reason at all, and if you hurt for some selfish or cruel reason, then the slave went free and you lost. So the same Bible then that allowed whipping for serious crimes and serious infractions also allowed that if that slave was mistreated, then he was to go free.

Thirdly, and I'm going to hurry, slaves ultimately became identified with the family. By the way, this is not only true biblically, it is also true historically. In the book that I have just finished reading on the slave narratives in Georgia, every slave, I don't care, man or woman, one of them, his name was Neil Upton. And he worked on the Upton Plantation. Every one of them took their names from their master. Every single one. Now, let me just give you some scriptures. You don't have to look these up. First of all, slaves were to be circumcised.

Exodus chapter 12 verse 44, Genesis 17 verse 12. What does that mean? It meant that they were being brought into the family. They were being identified even with the religion of the family, of the covenant. Secondly, slaves could eat of the holy things. In Exodus 12 and verse 44, Leviticus 22, verses 10 through 11, the holy things around the tabernacle and the temple were even given to slaves. Slaves not only had a position in the home, but rights as well. Let me show you something. Look in your Bible to Genesis chapter 24. Genesis 24. Look in verse 1 and 2. Genesis 24, verse 1.

Slaves not only could be circumcised, they could not only eat the holy things. Watch verse 1. "And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh." Did you hear that? What did that slave do? He ruled over everything that Abraham had. Look in verse 10. "And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand." Look in verse 35. "And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly;" says the slave, "and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses." All this was under this slave's hand. You remember what?

Potiphar, it's said in the Bible about Potiphar when Joseph was his slave, he knew not what he had, for Joseph had control over all of it. So, the point I'm trying to make is, the slave ultimately became identified with the family. And by the way, one, and I'll give you the quote, I've forgotten her name, but one of the elderly slave women said this, and I'm quoting her exact words. She was longing for the plantation days and she said this, "When us was slaves, we was somebody. Now ain't nothing but niggers." Now what did she mean when she said, "when us was slaves, we were somebody," in other words, we belong to someone. We had a family. We were identified with that family. And slaves in the Bible and slaves historically have become identified with the family.

Fourthly, slaves also could inherit. Look back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 15, Genesis 15, look at verses 2 and 3. In fact, we'll begin reading verse 1. "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Watch. "And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?" "And the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus," which means he was a Syrian. "And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir." What's he saying? God, if you don't give me a child, Eliezer, my eldest servant, is going to inherit everything I've got. Look in the book of Proverbs chapter 17 and verse 2. Proverbs 17 and verse 2. Look what the Bible says, Proverbs 17 verse 2, "A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren." How about that? A wise servant is going to rule over a son that causes shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

Slaves are required to rest on the Sabbath just like everyone else. All you've got to do is read Exodus chapter 20 and verse 10. God said, "Thy menservants and thy maidservants and thy ox and thy ass, everything is to rest." Sixthly, slaves were not to be returned to pagan masters if they escaped to Israel. Look in your Bible, Deuteronomy chapter 23.

Now, we're not talking about slaves in the land who were voluntary, nor are we talking about slaves who were there for debt or for punishment. But if a pagan slave escaped to Israel, then that pagan slave was not to be returned to his pagan master. Look at Deuteronomy 23, verse 15. He says, "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: he shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him." So if a heathen slave got away from a heathen master and got to Israel, he could live wherever he wanted to. He was free when he got there. What God is forbidding by that, of course, is the selling of slaves, because even a foreign slave was not to be returned to his master. Slavery was on a different level under pagan law than it was under biblical law. In biblical law, a slave was counted as a member of the household, and he had certain positions and certain rights.

Now, let me make two applications. I want you to think about this. First of all, the first one is very simple, you already know it. Slavery is not inherently wrong. Slavery is not inherently evil. There is a biblical slavery. Here is the second application. And biblical law permits voluntary servitude or voluntary slavery because it recognizes that some people either cannot or will not maintain a position of independence.

Applications

Weaver concludes that slavery is not inherently wrong, biblical law permits voluntary servitude for those unable to maintain independence, and outlawing biblical slavery has led to state enslavement.

And what do they do? They attach themselves to capable men and serve them. And they are protected by biblical law. And this type of slavery, this type of servitude is a legitimate way of life, although it is a lesser one. Now, listen to me. Involuntary servitude or servitude for debt or even servitude for punishment, the master assumes the role as benefactor, the bestower of welfare, rather than the state. What does that mean? It means if we have a biblical form of slavery, you don't have state welfare. You don't have state workfare. You don't have federal welfare, federal workfare. What you have are individual men who are assuming that responsibility. And they are receiving for that responsibility the work and the effort and the time of those individuals who have attached themselves to that master.

Now, and I'll get into more of this later, but the problem in our country is this. We have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else. We've traded a biblical slavery for a pagan slavery. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today for your love, for your grace, for your mercy. We ask, Lord, that you would teach us, that you would enable us, Lord, to form biblical concepts and biblical attitudes based upon your words. Enable us, Father, to understand where we are and how we got here. And once again, Lord, it all stems from our refusal to submit to Your truth and Your law. And help us, Lord, to be obedient in every area of our life. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Biblical Slavery vs. Pagan Slavery

Summary: The Bible distinguishes between regulated, humane slavery and the pagan practice of man-stealing and oppression, condemning the latter but permitting the former under divine law.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'there is a biblical slavery... there is a pagan slavery that is unbiblical... pagan slavery is condemned over and over in Scripture, but not slavery in and of itself.'

Christ as the Model Slave

Summary: Jesus Christ portrayed Himself as a loving, obedient servant, using the imagery of a pierced ear and foot-washing, which would be blasphemous if slavery were inherently evil.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'To denigrate the biblical doctrine of slavery is to denigrate the person and work of Jesus Christ.'

Slavery as a Form of Dominion and Welfare

Summary: Biblical slavery places responsibility on individual masters rather than the state, providing a system of welfare and personal accountability.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'the master assumes the role as benefactor, the bestower of welfare, rather than the state... we have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved... everyone else.'

Property Rights in Slavery

Summary: The Bible recognizes the master's property interest in the slave, which incentivizes proper treatment, similar to the property concept in marriage.

Evidence: Weaver notes: 'verse 21 recognizes the master's property in the slave... even a wife is referred to as property.'

Slavery and Personal Responsibility

Summary: Biblical slavery was designed to teach financial and personal responsibility, with slaves learning from capable masters and being given a fresh start upon release.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'Biblical slavery was designed to teach people to be personally and financially responsible.'

Key Arguments

Slavery is not inherently evil

Summary: The Bible regulates slavery without condemning it as inherently sinful; Christ's use of slave imagery confirms its moral neutrality.

Evidence: Weaver argues: 'If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself... how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil... to himself?'

Man-stealing, not slavery, is condemned

Summary: Scripture prescribes the death penalty for kidnapping and selling people, but permits other forms of slavery such as debt, crime, and voluntary servitude.

Evidence: Weaver reads Exodus 21:16 and Deuteronomy 24:7, stating: 'whoever steals a man and sells him deserves to die.'

Biblical law protects slaves from abuse

Summary: While masters could whip slaves for serious offenses, they were forbidden from killing or maiming them; loss of an eye or tooth required freeing the slave.

Evidence: Weaver cites Exodus 21:20-21, 26-27: 'if he smite out his manservant's tooth... he shall let him go free.'

Heathens could be permanent slaves due to their spiritual state

Summary: Unbelievers are already slaves to sin, and God permits their permanent enslavement as a form of dominion, unlike Hebrew believers who are the Lord's free men.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'a heathen, a pagan, is already a slave by nature... both slavery and usury are forms of dominion.'

Rejecting biblical slavery leads to state tyranny

Summary: By outlawing biblical slavery, society has replaced personal master-slave relationships with impersonal state welfare and enslavement of all citizens.

Evidence: Weaver concludes: 'we have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else.'

Scripture References

Exodus 21:1-6

Context: Regulations for Hebrew servants, including six-year service and voluntary permanent servitude with ear piercing.

Exodus 21:7-11

Context: Laws concerning a daughter sold as a maidservant, including betrothal and rights.

Exodus 21:16

Context: Death penalty for man-stealing and selling.

Exodus 21:20-21

Context: Punishment for killing a slave vs. no punishment if the slave survives a beating, recognizing the master's property.

Exodus 21:26-27

Context: Freedom for a slave if the master destroys an eye or knocks out a tooth.

Deuteronomy 24:7

Context: Death penalty for stealing and selling a brother Israelite.

Deuteronomy 24:14-15

Context: Command not to oppress a hired servant; pay wages daily.

Deuteronomy 15:12-18

Context: Release of Hebrew slaves after six years with liberal provision; voluntary permanent servitude with ear piercing.

Psalm 40:6

Context: Messianic psalm: 'mine ears hast thou opened' (pierced), applied to Christ's obedience.

Hebrews 10:5-10

Context: Quotes Psalm 40, applying the servant imagery to Christ's incarnation and sacrifice.

John 5:30

Context: Christ as the sent one, seeking the Father's will.

Hebrews 3:1

Context: Christ as the Apostle (sent one) and High Priest.

John 13:3-17

Context: Jesus washes disciples' feet as an example of servanthood.

Luke 22:27

Context: Christ says, 'I am among you as he that serveth.'

Exodus 22:1-3

Context: Restitution for theft; if unable to pay, the thief is sold for his theft.

Leviticus 25:39-43

Context: A poor brother sold for debt must be treated as a hired servant, not a bondservant, and released at Jubilee.

Genesis 9:25-27

Context: Noah's curse: Canaan to be a servant of servants.

Leviticus 25:44-46

Context: Permission to buy heathen bondmen and bondmaids as permanent possessions.

Deuteronomy 21:10-14

Context: Treatment of a captive woman taken as wife; if not delighted, she goes free and cannot be sold.

Philemon 1:10-16

Context: Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon, now as a brother, not just a slave.

Historical References

Abolitionist revolution

Context: Weaver previously showed abolitionists disregarded Scripture, the Constitution, and the slaves themselves.

White indentured servants in America

Context: Most white people came to America as indentured servants, a form of temporary slavery.

African kings selling slaves

Context: African kings captured other tribes and sold them to white traders; no white man went into the interior to capture slaves.

Slave narratives in Georgia

Context: Weaver read a book on Georgia slave narratives; slaves took their masters' surnames.

Book: 'They Were White and They Were Slaves'

Context: Reference to a book highlighting the history of white slavery.

Important Quotes

To denigrate the biblical doctrine of slavery is to denigrate the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Significance: Central argument that slavery imagery is integral to Christ's mission, making attacks on biblical slavery attacks on Christ.

If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil in and of itself to himself?

Significance: Rhetorical question used to argue that slavery cannot be inherently sinful if Christ used it as a metaphor for His obedience.

Biblical slavery was designed to teach people to be personally and financially responsible.

Significance: Highlights the rehabilitative and educational purpose of biblical servitude.

We have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else. We've traded a biblical slavery for a pagan slavery.

Significance: Concluding application that rejecting God's regulated slavery leads to oppressive state control.

When us was slaves, we was somebody. Now ain't nothing but niggers.

Significance: Quote from an elderly former slave expressing a sense of identity and belonging under the plantation system.

Discussion Questions

How does the Bible distinguish between man-stealing and other forms of slavery, and why is this distinction important?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that kidnapping and selling people is punishable by death, while other forms of slavery are regulated.

In what ways does Christ's use of slave imagery inform our understanding of His mission and our relationship to God?

Context: Weaver argues that Christ's pierced ear and foot-washing demonstrate voluntary, loving servitude.

What protections did biblical law provide for slaves, and how do they compare to modern labor laws?

Context: Weaver details rules against maiming, requirement of Sabbath rest, and provision upon release.

How does the concept of property in biblical slavery relate to the master's responsibility and the slave's welfare?

Context: Weaver explains that the master's property interest incentivizes proper care, similar to marriage.

What does Weaver mean by saying that outlawing biblical slavery has led to state enslavement, and do you agree?

Context: Weaver concludes that state welfare and control have replaced personal master-slave relationships.

Applications

Recognize biblical slavery as morally neutral

Summary: Understand that slavery itself is not inherently sinful; the Bible regulates it and Christ used it as a positive metaphor.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'Slavery is not inherently wrong. Slavery is not inherently evil. There is a biblical slavery.'

Embrace voluntary servitude to capable masters

Summary: Biblical law permits those unable to maintain independence to attach themselves to capable men for protection and provision.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'biblical law permits voluntary servitude... because it recognizes that some people either cannot or will not maintain a position of independence.'

Reject state welfare in favor of personal responsibility

Summary: Biblical slavery places welfare responsibility on individual masters, not the state; rejecting this leads to pagan state enslavement.

Evidence: Weaver argues: 'the master assumes the role as benefactor... rather than the state... we have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved... everyone else.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:30:43Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:19:31Z

Clean Transcript

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 4 of 14

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Deuteronomy 24. We'll also look in Deuteronomy 15. But Exodus chapter 21 and Deuteronomy 24.
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Now, I'm not going to be able to finish this today, but it will be a start. So I'm going to be dealing with slavery, a biblical view. Exodus chapter 21, beginning there with verse 1. Are we ready? Exodus 21, verse 1.
#2 | 0:13 to 0:28 | cleaned
"Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master hath given him a wife, and she hath borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever."
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"And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters."
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"If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money."
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Now skip down to verse 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." Now verse 20, "...and if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand, he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money." Skip down to verse 26. "If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake. And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake."
#6 | 1:49 to 2:28 | cleaned
Now look in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, if you would please, at verse 7. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. The word of God says, "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." Skip down to verse 14, "...thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: at his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: but thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing."
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Now verse 22, "...and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing."
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Now skip back to Deuteronomy chapter 15, Deuteronomy 15, and note, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Deuteronomy 15, verse 12. "If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise."
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"It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest." Now I want to take just a moment and remind you that I have dealt so far with the abolitionist revolution. I showed you where the abolitionists not only did not care for the scripture, they also did not care for the constitution, and they did not care for the slaves. I gave you quote after quote and showed how they violated not only the Constitution, but the Scripture over and over as well. Then secondly, I dealt with the fact that broken churches foreshadowed a broken nation.
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And I emphasized that when individuals refuse to deal with problems biblically and scripturally, inevitably there are always going to be all kinds of disruptions and divisions. And then last week I dealt not only with the political issue, but also the economic issue and the sexual issue.
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Now remember the truth that I told you earlier, that ideas have consequences, and that you cannot have a cultural shift without having a theological shift. And one of the things that has happened in our country down through the years is we have consistently turned from the word of God and we have consistently committed cultural suicide with our children and with ourselves and with our families and with our nation.
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Now there has been a lot said concerning slavery. Most of that which has been said has been evil and wrong. Let me begin by asking a simple question. Is slavery unbiblical? Let me ask it another way. Were the abolitionists correct in their strenuous denunciations of the South? Let me just try to change a little bit. If the South was predominantly biblical, and it was, and if the South was predominantly Christian, how then could a Christian and biblical South allow a society... Was the North more righteous than the South? Was Southern slavery biblical? I'm going to answer that question later. Let me ask just several other questions to stimulate your thinking. I'm not going to answer these questions today. But what about the propaganda that has been issued concerning the stud farms in the South, where blacks were just regularly employed to breed just to produce more slaves? What about the propaganda of the merciless beatings of the South? What about the mistreatment of all the slaves?
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How much of this is true? What is the actual truth concerning what happened?
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Now, before I try to answer any of those questions, and I'm not going to answer any of them today, hardly, I want to just draw your attention to the Word of God and show you what the Bible says about slavery. Is it wrong to own slaves? Is it unbiblical? And is the wrath of God against anyone who owns slaves? Now, there are several things I want you to understand today. First of all, there is a biblical slavery. We just read it from the Bible. There is a biblical slavery. Secondly, there is a pagan slavery that is unbiblical. Thirdly, I want you to understand that you could have a combination of those two. You could have some slavery that is biblical and pagan combined. In other words, you could have biblical aspects and also pagan aspects as well. Now, the truth of the matter is this, pagan slavery is condemned over and over in Scripture, but not slavery in and of itself. In fact, I'm going to correct what I just said. It is not pagan slavery that is condemned, it is more the stealing and the selling that is condemned.
#15 | 8:00 to 9:19 | cleaned
Now, the abolitionists were saying that slavery was inherently evil and wicked in and of itself. Now was it, or is it? May I remind you that right and wrong, good and evil, sinfulness and non-sinfulness are not determined by the whims or the desires or the rationalizations of man, but they are determined by the word of God.
#16 | 9:20 to 9:47 | cleaned
Now, let me just get this started off on the right foot. If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, as so many people have said and are teaching, then I've got a question to ask you. I want you to look back in your Bibles, first of all, to Exodus chapter 21 and verses 5 and 6. Now if slavery is inherently evil in and of itself, I want you to answer a question for me. Watch this, Exodus 21 verse 5.
#17 | 9:48 to 10:26 | cleaned
"And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever." So what happened was this. If the servant said, I love my master, I'm not going to go out free, then he was taken to the doorpost and his ear was pierced.
#18 | 10:26 to 10:54 | cleaned
I'll explain why a little bit later. But note what was said.
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Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 40. Psalm 40. I want you to see this in order to ask you a question. Look in Psalm 40. Psalm 40, of course, is a messianic psalm. This psalm refers to the Messiah, the Lord Jesus. And look, if you would please, at verse 6. Psalm 40, verse 6. Scripture says, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened"—or digged, or bored—"burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I," and of course this is Christ speaking, "'Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.'"
#20 | 11:00 to 11:47 | cleaned
"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." Now turn over in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 5. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 5. Now I want you to understand, Hebrews 10 verse 5 is quoting Psalm 40. Hebrews 10 verse 5, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
#21 | 11:48 to 12:52 | cleaned
If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, here's my question. Why did Christ himself take this picture, take this symbol, take this analogy of the slave who loved his master and apply it to himself to describe his ministry and his mission? When you read back in Psalm 40, "mine ear hast thou opened," it is literally, "mine ear hast thou digged" or "pierced through with an awl." In other words, if slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil in and of itself to himself? It may surprise you to learn that one of the phrases that is used of Jesus Christ over and over in the Bible is the phrase, "the sent one." In fact, he uses that phrase concerning himself.
#22 | 12:55 to 13:55 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 5, and notice verse 30. John, chapter 5, verse 30. John 5, verse 30. Look what Christ says. Here are the words of the perfect servant, or if you would prefer the word slave, the perfect slave. Christ says, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." What is Christ saying? Christ said, I came as the servant of my Father. I love my Father. I love his will.
#23 | 13:55 to 14:46 | cleaned
I want to serve him. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. And notice if you would what Scripture says here. Hebrews 3 verse 1. The Word of God says, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." Now look at that verse. You say, Brother Weaver, that has nothing in it about Christ as a servant. Oh? Let's go again. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." The Greek word for apostle is apostolos. You know what the word apostolos literally means? It means a sent one. So literally he says, consider the sent one, the high priest of our profession, Jesus Christ.
#24 | 14:47 to 15:41 | cleaned
Now if slavery was inherently evil and sinful and wicked in and of itself, would Christ have used this picture and this analogy to portray his ministry and his mission? That's not all. I could multiply this, but look very quickly in your Bibles to John chapter 13. John chapter 13. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. John 13 and verse 13. In fact, let's go back up to verse 3. John chapter 13, verse 3.
#25 | 15:41 to 16:23 | cleaned
"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;" watch. "He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." What is he doing?
#26 | 16:23 to 16:45 | cleaned
He's acting like a servant. He's acting like a slave. Skip down to verse 13. Christ said, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." Watch. "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."
#27 | 16:47 to 17:12 | cleaned
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Now turn over in your Bibles to Luke chapter 22 and look at verse 27. Luke 22, verse 27. Here it is out of Christ's own mouth. Luke 22, verse 27, Christ asked this question, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." Now listen to me. To denigrate the biblical doctrine of slavery is to denigrate the person and work of Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ assumed that portrayal of himself and took it to himself to represent himself as the loving, obedient son of the Father who loved to do his Father's will.
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Now let's begin today, and here's my first point. It's very simple. There is a biblical slavery.
#29 | 18:16 to 18:23 | cleaned
Now when you and I think of slavery, unhappily, we most often think of black slavery. And I don't know why that is true. I suppose it's because the blacks were the most recently enslaved, historically speaking. But do you realize there have been a multitude of white slaves, of oriental slaves, of Indian slaves. In fact, if the figures were known, there were probably far more white slaves than there have ever been black slaves. In fact, there is a book that is out, and the title of the book is this, They Were White and They Were Slaves. Most people do not realize, or stop and think, that most of the white people that came to this country came as indentured servants. That is, they came as slaves for a period of time until they worked out their passage. Probably what many people do not know is even today, slavery exists.
#30 | 18:24 to 19:32 | cleaned
It exists not only in Arab countries, but in all probability it still exists in Africa as well. But many of the children, and especially the beautiful white young girls that are missing and kidnapped from this country, end up as white slaves overseas. So slavery exists today.
#31 | 19:34 to 19:57 | cleaned
Now I'm going to deal with the history of slavery a little bit later on, and it will surprise you to find out how the first permanent black slaves came to be in this country. But have you ever stopped to think of the first recorded forced slavery in the Bible? It was when the descendants of Jacob were enslaved by the descendants of Ham and the darker race was enslaving the white race.
#32 | 19:57 to 20:34 | cleaned
You can read about it in Exodus chapter 1. Now, the reason I said that is this. This message is not designed to be a racist message. You say, what do you mean by that? Because all races have been slaves. I don't care if you're black, white, pink, purple. If you have, there have been people out of every race that have been slaves. Slavery in and of itself is not evil, it is not sinful. The Bible allows slavery, it allows it in the Old Testament, and it allows it in the New Testament. However, I'm going to tell you this, in biblical slavery, God lays down the rules and the regulations.
#33 | 20:39 to 21:20 | cleaned
Now that's going to be my second point, okay? But the first one I'm trying to show you is this, that there is a biblical slavery.
#34 | 21:20 to 21:27 | cleaned
Now, there are basically six ways in the Bible that one could become a slave. What are those six ways? First of all, we're going to say a forced or a coerced slavery.
#35 | 21:27 to 21:41 | cleaned
Now, I'm going to tell you up front that that is unbiblical. In fact, if you look in your Bible to Exodus chapter 21, first of all, and verse 16, you'll see it very clearly. Exodus chapter 21, verse 16. Exodus 21, verse 16, God says, "And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death." So what is the penalty for kidnapping? What is the penalty for selling someone? Death.
#36 | 21:41 to 22:11 | cleaned
Now there is a forced labor. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy chapter 24, and notice verse 7, he says it again. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel," now here it's not just a foreigner or a pagan, here it's specifically a brother. "If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him."
#37 | 22:13 to 22:40 | cleaned
"Then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you." Now, it is true that those who kidnap and sell people into slavery deserve the death penalty. But the fact is, that is how a lot of people got to be slaves. Black, white, oriental, and Indian.
#38 | 22:41 to 23:00 | cleaned
Now, I want to point something out to you. I want you to think about this with me. It is true that a lot of the black slaves that came into this country had been stolen, not by white people, but by their own people. No white man went into the interior of Africa and captured the blacks and brought them back. To do so would have meant certain death. Those African kings captured other black tribes and sold them to the white traders who brought them over here.
#39 | 23:03 to 23:44 | cleaned
Now, let me just show you this. You see, this is an argument that has gone around. They said, well, that means then, therefore, that our forefathers who bought some of these black slaves, that happened to have been stolen, then what they were doing was just extending that sin, and therefore they had no lawful title to them. Now that sounds good, but let me show you. If you take that to its nth degree, are we going to take all the land in America and give it back to the Indians? Because a lot of that land was stolen from the Indians, or taken from them forcefully. And by the way, I hope you do know that the Indians were not the original settlers on this continent. They were the little people, and the Indians not only killed them and took it, they ate them. They cannibalized, were cannibals. So if you're going to take that kind of argument, who are you going to give it back to? I guess Adam. You know, there would be nothing.
#40 | 23:44 to 25:02 | cleaned
So it is true that whoever steals a man and sells him deserves to die. God gives a death penalty. But I want to show you, not only biblically, but historically, how especially many of those African slaves blessed the Lord for allowing them to be enslaved and sent to America. Because what they had over here was far better than what they had over there. I got tickled, and I was talking to a black man this week, and I don't even know how the situation, I know what it was.
#41 | 25:03 to 25:45 | cleaned
He said, and he was teasing when he said it. He said, I want to go back to Africa. I want to go back to my roots. He said, I want to go back where all the gold and silver and platinum and diamonds are. I said, yeah, and you want to go back to those tribal kings who stole all of you and sold you into slavery, you know. And he kind of laughed and he said, I suppose you even think that we ought to give the land back to the Indians. He laughed. He said, yeah, we do. I said, well, can I have my slaves back? No, no, no, no. I said, well, you see what I'm saying. I mean, what's right on one hand is right on the other hand as well, because the slaves were basically stolen from the South by the North. So there is a forced slavery. Forced slavery is wrong.
#42 | 25:45 to 26:35 | cleaned
It doesn't matter if it's a foreigner. It doesn't matter if it's a brother. God says whoever does it deserves death.
#43 | 26:35 to 26:40 | cleaned
Secondly, another way that you could be enslaved was punishment for a crime. Look in your Bible to the book of Exodus chapter 22. Exodus chapter 22. And note if you would, beginning there with verse 1. Exodus 22 verse 1. God said, "If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep."
#44 | 26:41 to 27:06 | cleaned
"If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. If the sun be risen upon him," that is, if you know who he is, "there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution;" watch, "if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft."
#45 | 27:06 to 27:25 | cleaned
Now, what about the case of fraud that was mentioned? Well, God says the person who committed the fraud should make full restitution of fourfold restitution. Let's say there was a thousand bucks stolen. That means that person owes $4,000 restitution. You say, well, what if the person doesn't have the money? Well, then that person is to become a personal slave to whom they stole that money until they work out $4,000. So you could be a servant or a slave for punishment of a crime. Thirdly, if you'll turn in your Bible to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 15, you could become a slave because of debt. Deuteronomy chapter 15, look if you would please at verse 12. Deuteronomy 15 verse 12. God says, "And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee." Now why would a Hebrew be selling another Hebrew? Because of debt.
#46 | 27:28 to 28:41 | cleaned
Now let me point out that this type of debt slavery ended when the debt was paid. If you look back in your Bible to the book of Leviticus, Leviticus chapter 25, beginning there with verse 39, and I'll explain this a little bit later down the line. Leviticus chapter 25, look at verse 39. "And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant." Now, so a brother could be sold because of his debt, but he says you still can't treat him as a heathen. He said, you're not going to compel him to live like a heathen slave. Verse 40, "But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: and then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."
#47 | 28:42 to 29:49 | cleaned
"For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen." So it is possible then that a Hebrew could be sold because of his debt. He was so poor he could not pay it. So that is the third way that you could become a slave. The fourth way, which I'm going to explain next week, is by a curse.
#48 | 29:49 to 30:11 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 9, and let's read verse 25. Genesis 9 verse 25. Here's what Noah says concerning his grandson. "And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants"—or a slave of slaves—"shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant"—or his slave. "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant"—or his slave. So here was the curse of God upon a people, and they became servants and slaves.
#49 | 30:14 to 31:01 | cleaned
Now, there's a fifth way that one could become a slave, and that is simply voluntary. Now, we read this a little bit earlier, and that's when the Hebrew's six years was up and he went to his master and said, Look, I don't want to go free. I love it here. And I love my wife that you've given me, I love the children that I have, and I don't want to go free.
#50 | 31:02 to 31:24 | cleaned
I'm willing to serve you forever. And God says, if that is the case, then you take him and bore a hole in his ear, and he's going to be your servant forever. In other words, it'll be permanent slavery or permanent servitude, even for a Hebrew. Now, why was a hole bored into the ear? Because an earring was inserted, which meant permanent submission. The only people who really wore earrings in the Bible were slaves, Ishmaelites, and women, and today, Sodomites. You see what I'm saying? And so that ear was pierced and an earring was put there, which meant the man was now in permanent submission to another man, like a woman was. It was a mark of slavery. So the ear was pierced or bored, which means, men, you better make sure everybody knows you're a man. Don't get your ears pierced. Don't be wearing earrings, okay? There's a sixth way.
#51 | 31:24 to 32:48 | cleaned
that an individual could become a slave, and that would be by what we would call a captive, or a POW, a prisoner of war. By the way, included in this, I want to put this, you could be bought.
#52 | 32:49 to 33:08 | cleaned
Now, a Hebrew could not buy another Hebrew permanently. The only way a Hebrew could be a permanent slave is if he voluntarily submitted. But he could buy a foreigner, and that foreigner would be a permanent slave. For instance, look first of all in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus, chapter 25 again. Leviticus 25. Leviticus 25, and let's begin reading there with verse 44. Look what God says, Leviticus 25, verse 44. He says, "Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids." So you could buy them lawfully, scripturally. God says they've got to be heathen. You can't buy your own brother unless it's going to be just temporarily because of debt. So he says, you can buy them of the heathen. Watch verse 45.
#53 | 33:09 to 34:12 | cleaned
"Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour."
#54 | 34:12 to 34:38 | cleaned
Now God says you can buy a foreigner, you can buy a heathen, to be your slave. But I'm including buying also at the same time with capturing because many times they did capture some of these people in war. And I want to show you the one exception. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 21 because here is another way. Well, it's the same way that you could become a slave, but here's the one exception where you could not permanently enslave a heathen. The one exception. Watch it. Deuteronomy chapter 21, beginning there with verse 10. He says, "When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies," so we're talking about captives now, POWs. "When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, and seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she
#55 | 34:39 to 36:07 | cleaned
shall be thy wife. Now watch. "And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her." So God says if you capture a woman, and you tell her you want her to be your wife, and you decide a little while later, no, I don't want this woman, because you can't make merchandise of her. You can't sell her. She's to go free. You've humbled her. She's to go free. Now, the point I'm trying to make is this. You could buy or you could capture a heathen in war and make them permanent slaves. Now the question has got to be asked, how could you make a foreigner, or a heathen, or a pagan, a permanent slave. Why is it they could be permanent slaves and a believer could not?
#56 | 36:07 to 37:09 | cleaned
Now let me give you the answer. For the same reason that you could exact usury from a stranger and you could not exact it from a brother. You say, that's no answer. Well, let me show it to you first. Look in your Bibles, Deuteronomy chapter 15. And I'll explain it. Deuteronomy 15. Look at it beginning there with verse 1. Deuteronomy 15, verse 1. Watch. He said, "At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release." Now, look in Deuteronomy 23 verses 19 and 20. God says, "Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou
#57 | 37:09 to 38:26 | cleaned
settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it." Now, here's my question. Let's suppose that Tom Grissy is a foreigner and Don Thomason is my brother. I can lend to Tom Grissy a hundred bucks and say, you must pay me back a hundred and twenty bucks. Charge him twenty percent interest. But if I lend Don, who is my brother, a hundred bucks, I only expect back a hundred bucks. No usury. I could not enslave Don, if he was indebted to me, any more than six years. Seven years he had to go free. But if Doc, who is a heathen, he could be my permanent slave. And at the seventh year release, hey, I might let him off the hook that year, but then I would exact it again and say, don't forget now after this year, you've got to pay me again, or I could keep him as a permanent slave. Why? Why did God allow permanency of slavery for a heathen and not for believers?
#58 | 38:26 to 39:24 | cleaned
And the answer is very simple. Twofold. Number one, a heathen, a pagan, is already a slave by nature. He's a slave to his own sin. He's a slave to his own lust.
#59 | 39:24 to 39:37 | cleaned
Secondly, both slavery and usury are forms of dominion. Why is it that the foreigners and the unbelievers who have control of the banks demand usury from Christians? Because they're exacting dominion and exercising dominion over them. You see, we're basically a conquered people because we've turned our backs upon God. So God allowed then the permanent slavery of unbelievers, of strangers, of foreigners, because they were, number one, already slaves by nature, and then, number two, it is a form of dominion.
#60 | 39:37 to 40:23 | cleaned
May I just quote the Bible in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 17? The Bible says, now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is what? Liberty or freedom. Now where the Spirit of the Lord is not, which is unbeliever, there's nothing but bondage. Unsaved men are already slaves by nature. Now, Christians are not to be slaves. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 23, that we are the Lord's free men. And the Bible tells us in Galatians 5, verse 1, that we are not to become entangled again with the yoke of bondage wherewith we have been set free. So I want you to understand there is a biblical view of slavery, and there is a biblical slavery, and this is basically how men became slaves. Now, secondly, I want you to understand there are some divine rules and regulations concerning slavery.
#61 | 40:23 to 41:19 | cleaned
First of all, number one, we've already talked about this one, but number one, a Hebrew slave or servant could be held only for six years. Now, I want you to note something. Look back in your Bible to Deuteronomy chapter 15. As you turn back there, let's suppose Chester has been my slave for six years. Maybe he owed me some money. Maybe he just had a stroke of providence that was against him.
#62 | 41:19 to 41:48 | cleaned
And so he said, I've got to live somehow. And so he came to me and said, I'll serve you for six years. So he served me for six years. So at the end of six years, I said, OK, Chester, you're free to go. Now, my question is, is that the end of it? No. Watch it. Deuteronomy, chapter 15, verse 12. "And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. And it shall be." And then he goes on, but look what God says, you have got to furnish him liberally.
#63 | 41:50 to 42:44 | cleaned
Why? I want you to remember that many men were sold for debts. Many men got into slavery because they could not take care of themselves and their family. Biblical slavery was designed to teach people to be personally and financially responsible. And what God is assuming is this, that after serving a capable man for six years, the man has learned something, and he's responsible, and now the one who has had him as a slave enables him to get a fresh start. And so God says, you give to him. Now let me show you something.
#64 | 42:44 to 43:34 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, right before the book of Hebrews. The book of Philemon, look beginning there with verse 10. Paul writes to Philemon, "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: but without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant"—or a slave—"but above a servant"—or a slave—"a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?" Now, Onesimus was a runaway slave. He belonged to Philemon.
#65 | 43:34 to 44:34 | cleaned
He stole some money, or stole something, just left, and ran away to Rome. When he was in Rome, he got thrown into the prison with the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul preached to him, Onesimus was converted, and guess what? Paul sent him back. He didn't say now, Onesimus can no longer be a slave, he's a Christian. He sent him back to his master. Now, I want you to note something. Look in verse 16. So Paul is sending Onesimus back to Philemon. He sends him back, he says, "not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother, beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee," watch, "both in the flesh, and in the Lord." Onesimus was Philemon's fleshly brother. You say, how could Philemon hold his own brother as a slave?
#66 | 44:37 to 45:51 | cleaned
The answer is very simple. Onesimus had gotten in some kind of problems in time past, and Philemon had bought him out of it. And Onesimus was responsible now to be the servant and slave of Philemon until he worked out what he owed his brother. And instead of doing that, he took off down to Rome. What does Paul do? Paul sends him back. He says, you go back and you pay your debt. You work it out. There were plenty of families that held their own members as slaves, not out of hatred, but out of love, out of concern, out of teaching them to be responsible and teaching them how to live. Look back in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 25. Leviticus 25. Watch what God says. Leviticus 25 beginning there with verse 47. Leviticus 25 verse 47.
#67 | 45:53 to 47:09 | cleaned
"And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee," so here's a pagan that's a wealthy man, "and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: after that he is sold he may be redeemed again;" that is, he can be bought out of his slavery. "One of his brethren may redeem him: either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself."
#68 | 47:09 to 47:44 | cleaned
"And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him. If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him:" that is the one that bought him back. "And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him," that is the family member now, "and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight. And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him."
#69 | 47:44 to 48:28 | cleaned
"For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." So God's law then allowed for a family member to buy another family member out of pagan slavery. But yet they were still slaves or servants to that believing family until they worked out the redemption price. So it was very possible then for a believer to be a slave and to own slaves, even those of his own family.
#70 | 48:29 to 48:59 | cleaned
Secondly, here's a very controversial one, but I'm going to tell it to you. The slave could be beaten. He could be whipped. He could be flogged by the master. Now, I'm going to tell you very plainly that this was for a very serious crime. Look at it in your Bible to the book of Exodus chapter 21, verse 20 and 21. Here is the plain teaching where a slave could be beaten, whipped, flogged by his own master. Exodus chapter 21, verse 20, "And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished." Now, you could not just go out and kill your slave, okay? God said if you beat your slave to death, you're going to be punished. But look what He said in verse 21, "Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money." Isn't that amazing? So the master had a right to whip the slave, even had a right to whip him severely.
#71 | 49:00 to 50:18 | cleaned
Now God says if he whipped him too severely and he continued several days, he died, then both of them lost. The slave of course lost his life, but the master lost the slave and his services. So verse 20 then forbids the killing of the slave, but nevertheless, and this is a very touchy point, verse 21 recognizes the master's property in the slave.
#72 | 50:20 to 50:47 | cleaned
Now, before everybody gets upset about referring to slaves as property, which they did in the 1860s, and any other time as well, may I remind you that in the Bible, even a wife is referred to as property. We get our word property from the word proprius, a Latin word, and it literally teaches us that it means this, one's own or one's peculiar or one's own private or something for oneself. When I say my wife is my property, not only am I saying I have a vested interest in her, I told her, I said, you know, sugar, it surely never cost me much to marry you before.
#73 | 50:50 to 51:45 | cleaned
The upkeep has been awful. So not only do I have a vested interest in her, she is peculiarly and particularly my own. You see what I'm saying? So the word property is not a bad word. In fact, she also has a property right in me. Because I'm peculiarly and particularly her own. And so the slave did indeed have a property right. And that property belonged to the master. Now, it would certainly be in the master's best interest not to kill the slave, because he'd be punished as well if he did. It would certainly be in his interest not to beat the slave, because if he beat him too severely, he's not going to get any work out of him until he heals.
#74 | 51:45 to 52:28 | cleaned
So very clearly then, this beating that is talked about here, watch now, had to be for some very serious criminal offense, by the way. This beating was a biblical punishment given not just to slaves, but to many people. The Bible tells us in the book of Deuteronomy that usually the slave or anybody could not be beaten over 40 stripes. And usually what they would do, they would stop at 39 just to make sure that they had not miscounted. So if Doc had done something wrong under biblical law, and it did not require restitution or the death penalty, he could be whipped publicly. Up to 40 stripes, but 40 stripes were not to exceed. Now let me show you something. I told you this whipping or this beating or this flogging had to be for severe crimes. Something had to be done. The Bible doesn't specify what, but it had to be.
#75 | 52:29 to 53:26 | cleaned
How do I know that? Because the same Bible that tells us that a master has the right to whip his slave also tells us that the master does not have the right to mistreat or cruelly treat his slave. Look in your Bibles, Exodus chapter 21 and verse 26. Look what God says. "If a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake." So here's the master and he just gets mad and reaches up and slaps the maid or the servant for no reason at all. And he knocks his eye out or blinds him. He knows that that servant is to go free.
#76 | 53:26 to 54:13 | cleaned
Let me show you something else. Skip down to the next verse. He said that "if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake." Now let me tell you something, folks. The loss of a tooth is very incidental. Especially if you've got a mouthful of them. And if that master just cruelly knocked a tooth out to be knocking a tooth out, the slave went free.
#77 | 54:13 to 54:40 | cleaned
You see, the beating, the flogging had to be for some serious criminal offense. Because you could not just beat for no reason at all, and if you hurt for some selfish or cruel reason, then the slave went free and you lost. So the same Bible then that allowed whipping for serious crimes and serious infractions also allowed that if that slave was mistreated, then he was to go free.
#78 | 54:41 to 55:10 | cleaned
Thirdly, and I'm going to hurry, slaves ultimately became identified with the family. By the way, this is not only true biblically, it is also true historically. In the book that I have just finished reading on the slave narratives in Georgia, every slave, I don't care, man or woman, one of them, his name was Neil Upton. And he worked on the Upton Plantation. Every one of them took their names from their master. Every single one. Now, let me just give you some scriptures. You don't have to look these up. First of all, slaves were to be circumcised.
#79 | 55:10 to 56:04 | cleaned
Exodus chapter 12 verse 44, Genesis 17 verse 12. What does that mean? It meant that they were being brought into the family. They were being identified even with the religion of the family, of the covenant.
#80 | 56:04 to 56:17 | cleaned
Secondly, slaves could eat of the holy things. In Exodus 12 and verse 44, Leviticus 22, verses 10 through 11, the holy things around the tabernacle and the temple were even given to slaves. Slaves not only had a position in the home, but rights as well. Let me show you something. Look in your Bible to Genesis chapter 24. Genesis 24. Look in verse 1 and 2. Genesis 24, verse 1.
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Slaves not only could be circumcised, they could not only eat the holy things. Watch verse 1. "And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh." Did you hear that? What did that slave do? He ruled over everything that Abraham had. Look in verse 10. "And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand." Look in verse 35. "And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly;" says the slave, "and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses." All this was under this slave's hand. You remember what?
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Potiphar, it's said in the Bible about Potiphar when Joseph was his slave, he knew not what he had, for Joseph had control over all of it. So, the point I'm trying to make is, the slave ultimately became identified with the family. And by the way, one, and I'll give you the quote, I've forgotten her name, but one of the elderly slave women said this, and I'm quoting her exact words.
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She was longing for the plantation days and she said this, "When us was slaves, we was somebody. Now ain't nothing but niggers." Now what did she mean when she said, "when us was slaves, we were somebody," in other words, we belong to someone. We had a family. We were identified with that family. And slaves in the Bible and slaves historically have become identified with the family.
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Fourthly, slaves also could inherit. Look back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 15, Genesis 15, look at verses 2 and 3. In fact, we'll begin reading verse 1. "After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Watch. "And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?"
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"And the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus," which means he was a Syrian. "And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir." What's he saying? God, if you don't give me a child, Eliezer, my eldest servant, is going to inherit everything I've got. Look in the book of Proverbs chapter 17 and verse 2. Proverbs 17 and verse 2. Look what the Bible says, Proverbs 17 verse 2, "A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren." How about that? A wise servant is going to rule over a son that causes shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
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Slaves are required to rest on the Sabbath just like everyone else. All you've got to do is read Exodus chapter 20 and verse 10. God said, "Thy menservants and thy maidservants and thy ox and thy ass, everything is to rest." Sixthly, slaves were not to be returned to pagan masters if they escaped to Israel. Look in your Bible, Deuteronomy chapter 23.
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Now, we're not talking about slaves in the land who were voluntary, nor are we talking about slaves who were there for debt or for punishment. But if a pagan slave escaped to Israel, then that pagan slave was not to be returned to his pagan master. Look at Deuteronomy 23, verse 15. He says, "Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: he shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him." So if a heathen slave got away from a heathen master and got to Israel, he could live wherever he wanted to. He was free when he got there. What God is forbidding by that, of course, is the selling of slaves, because even a foreign slave was not to be returned to his master. Slavery was on a different level under pagan law than it was under biblical law. In biblical law, a slave was counted as a member of the household, and he had certain positions and certain rights.
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Now, let me make two applications. I want you to think about this. First of all, the first one is very simple, you already know it. Slavery is not inherently wrong. Slavery is not inherently evil. There is a biblical slavery. Here is the second application. And biblical law permits voluntary servitude or voluntary slavery because it recognizes that some people either cannot or will not maintain a position of independence.
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And what do they do? They attach themselves to capable men and serve them. And they are protected by biblical law. And this type of slavery, this type of servitude is a legitimate way of life, although it is a lesser one. Now, listen to me. Involuntary servitude or servitude for debt or even servitude for punishment, the master assumes the role as benefactor, the bestower of welfare, rather than the state. What does that mean? It means if we have a biblical form of slavery, you don't have state welfare. You don't have state workfare. You don't have federal welfare, federal workfare. What you have are individual men who are assuming that responsibility. And they are receiving for that responsibility the work and the effort and the time of those individuals who have attached themselves to that master.
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Now, and I'll get into more of this later, but the problem in our country is this. We have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else. We've traded a biblical slavery for a pagan slavery. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today for your love, for your grace, for your mercy. We ask, Lord, that you would teach us, that you would enable us, Lord, to form biblical concepts and biblical attitudes based upon your words. Enable us, Father, to understand where we are and how we got here. And once again, Lord, it all stems from our refusal to submit to Your truth and Your law. And help us, Lord, to be obedient in every area of our life. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
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Where We Are & How We Got Here # 4 of 14

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines the biblical view of slavery, arguing that slavery itself is not inherently evil but is regulated by God's law. He distinguishes biblical slavery from pagan slavery, outlines six ways one could become a slave in Scripture, and explains divine rules protecting slaves. Weaver contends that rejecting biblical slavery has led to state enslavement of all people.

Opening

Now look in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 24, if you would please, at verse 7. Deuteronomy 24, verse 7. The word of God says,

Scripture Reading — 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."

Now verse 22,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 15:12-18

"...and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing."

Now skip back to Deuteronomy chapter 15, Deuteronomy 15, and note, if you would please, beginning there with verse 12. Deuteronomy 15, verse 12.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 15:12-18

"If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise."

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews previous messages on the abolitionist revolution, broken churches, and cultural shifts, emphasizing that ideas have consequences and theological shifts precede cultural shifts.

Questions About Slavery

Weaver poses questions about the biblical nature of Southern slavery, the truth of propaganda about slave mistreatment, and whether slavery is inherently evil.

Christ as the Perfect Slave

Weaver argues that if slavery were inherently evil, Christ would not have used the imagery of a pierced ear and servanthood to describe His mission, citing Psalm 40, Hebrews 10, and John 13.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 40:6

"Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened"

—or digged, or bored—

Scripture Reading — Psalm 40:6

"burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I,"

and of course this is Christ speaking, "'Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.'"

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:5-10

"I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:5-10

"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Scripture Reading — John 5:30

"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."

What is Christ saying? Christ said, I came as the servant of my Father. I love my Father. I love his will.

I want to serve him. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. And notice if you would what Scripture says here. Hebrews 3 verse 1. The Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:1

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

Now look at that verse. You say, Brother Weaver, that has nothing in it about Christ as a servant. Oh? Let's go again.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:1

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:27

"For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth."

There Is a Biblical Slavery

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:39-43

"And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant."

Now, so a brother could be sold because of his debt, but he says you still can't treat him as a heathen. He said, you're not going to compel him to live like a heathen slave. Verse 40,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:39-43

"But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: and then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:25-27

"And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants"

—or a slave of slaves—

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:25-27

"shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant"

—or his slave.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:25-27

"God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant"

—or his slave. So here was the curse of God upon a people, and they became servants and slaves.

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 25:44-46

"Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids."

Why Heathens Could Be Permanent Slaves

Weaver explains that heathens could be permanent slaves because they are already slaves to sin by nature, and slavery and usury are forms of dominion over unbelievers.

Divine Rules and Regulations

Look in your Bibles to the book of Philemon, right before the book of Hebrews. The book of Philemon, look beginning there with verse 10. Paul writes to Philemon,

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me: whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel: but without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly. For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant"

—or a slave—"but above a servant"—or a slave—

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?"

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother, beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee,"

watch,

Scripture Reading — Philemon 1:10-16

"both in the flesh, and in the Lord."

Onesimus was Philemon's fleshly brother. You say, how could Philemon hold his own brother as a slave?

Applications

Weaver concludes that slavery is not inherently wrong, biblical law permits voluntary servitude for those unable to maintain independence, and outlawing biblical slavery has led to state enslavement.

Where We Are & How We Got Here # 4 of 14

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1200417055
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	1998-07-19
Dictation Name
Book	Book 119: Where We Are & How We Got Here — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	91

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews previous messages on the abolitionist revolution, broken churches, and cultural shifts, emphasizing that ideas have consequences and theological shifts precede cultural shifts.
Questions About Slavery: Weaver poses questions about the biblical nature of Southern slavery, the truth of propaganda about slave mistreatment, and whether slavery is inherently evil.
Christ as the Perfect Slave: Weaver argues that if slavery were inherently evil, Christ would not have used the imagery of a pierced ear and servanthood to describe His mission, citing Psalm 40, Hebrews 10, and John 13.
There Is a Biblical Slavery: Weaver asserts that the Bible permits slavery and outlines six ways one could become a slave: forced slavery (unbiblical), punishment for crime, debt, curse, voluntary servitude, and captivity/purchase.
Why Heathens Could Be Permanent Slaves: Weaver explains that heathens could be permanent slaves because they are already slaves to sin by nature, and slavery and usury are forms of dominion over unbelievers.
Divine Rules and Regulations: Weaver details biblical regulations: Hebrew slaves freed after six years with liberal provision, slaves could be beaten for serious crimes but not mistreated, slaves became identified with the family, could inherit, rest on Sabbath, and escaped pagan slaves were not returned.
Applications: Weaver concludes that slavery is not inherently wrong, biblical law permits voluntary servitude for those unable to maintain independence, and outlawing biblical slavery has led to state enslavement.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Slavery is not inherently evil

The Bible regulates slavery without condemning it as inherently sinful; Christ's use of slave imagery confirms its moral neutrality.

Weaver argues: 'If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself... how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil... to himself?'

Man-stealing, not slavery, is condemned

Scripture prescribes the death penalty for kidnapping and selling people, but permits other forms of slavery such as debt, crime, and voluntary servitude.

Weaver reads Exodus 21:16 and Deuteronomy 24:7, stating: 'whoever steals a man and sells him deserves to die.'

Biblical law protects slaves from abuse

While masters could whip slaves for serious offenses, they were forbidden from killing or maiming them; loss of an eye or tooth required freeing the slave.

Weaver cites Exodus 21:20-21, 26-27: 'if he smite out his manservant's tooth... he shall let him go free.'

Heathens could be permanent slaves due to their spiritual state

Unbelievers are already slaves to sin, and God permits their permanent enslavement as a form of dominion, unlike Hebrew believers who are the Lord's free men.

Weaver explains: 'a heathen, a pagan, is already a slave by nature... both slavery and usury are forms of dominion.'

Rejecting biblical slavery leads to state tyranny

By outlawing biblical slavery, society has replaced personal master-slave relationships with impersonal state welfare and enslavement of all citizens.

Weaver concludes: 'we have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else.'

Scripture References

Exodus 21:1-6: Regulations for Hebrew servants, including six-year service and voluntary permanent servitude with ear piercing.
Exodus 21:7-11: Laws concerning a daughter sold as a maidservant, including betrothal and rights.
Exodus 21:16: Death penalty for man-stealing and selling.
Exodus 21:20-21: Punishment for killing a slave vs. no punishment if the slave survives a beating, recognizing the master's property.
Exodus 21:26-27: Freedom for a slave if the master destroys an eye or knocks out a tooth.
Deuteronomy 24:7: Death penalty for stealing and selling a brother Israelite.
Deuteronomy 24:14-15: Command not to oppress a hired servant; pay wages daily.
Deuteronomy 15:12-18: Release of Hebrew slaves after six years with liberal provision; voluntary permanent servitude with ear piercing.
Psalm 40:6: Messianic psalm: 'mine ears hast thou opened' (pierced), applied to Christ's obedience.
Hebrews 10:5-10: Quotes Psalm 40, applying the servant imagery to Christ's incarnation and sacrifice.
John 5:30: Christ as the sent one, seeking the Father's will.
Hebrews 3:1: Christ as the Apostle (sent one) and High Priest.
John 13:3-17: Jesus washes disciples' feet as an example of servanthood.
Luke 22:27: Christ says, 'I am among you as he that serveth.'
Exodus 22:1-3: Restitution for theft; if unable to pay, the thief is sold for his theft.
Leviticus 25:39-43: A poor brother sold for debt must be treated as a hired servant, not a bondservant, and released at Jubilee.
Genesis 9:25-27: Noah's curse: Canaan to be a servant of servants.
Leviticus 25:44-46: Permission to buy heathen bondmen and bondmaids as permanent possessions.
Deuteronomy 21:10-14: Treatment of a captive woman taken as wife; if not delighted, she goes free and cannot be sold.
Philemon 1:10-16: Paul sends Onesimus back to Philemon, now as a brother, not just a slave.

Historical References

Abolitionist revolution: Weaver previously showed abolitionists disregarded Scripture, the Constitution, and the slaves themselves.
White indentured servants in America: Most white people came to America as indentured servants, a form of temporary slavery.
African kings selling slaves: African kings captured other tribes and sold them to white traders; no white man went into the interior to capture slaves.
Slave narratives in Georgia: Weaver read a book on Georgia slave narratives; slaves took their masters' surnames.
Book: 'They Were White and They Were Slaves': Reference to a book highlighting the history of white slavery.

Important Quotes

To denigrate the biblical doctrine of slavery is to denigrate the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Central argument that slavery imagery is integral to Christ's mission, making attacks on biblical slavery attacks on Christ.

If slavery is inherently evil and wicked in and of itself, how could Christ apply that which is wicked and evil in and of itself to himself?

Rhetorical question used to argue that slavery cannot be inherently sinful if Christ used it as a metaphor for His obedience.

Biblical slavery was designed to teach people to be personally and financially responsible.

Highlights the rehabilitative and educational purpose of biblical servitude.

We have outlawed biblical slavery. And now the state has enslaved not just the black, but the white and everyone else. We've traded a biblical slavery for a pagan slavery.

Concluding application that rejecting God's regulated slavery leads to oppressive state control.

When us was slaves, we was somebody. Now ain't nothing but niggers.

Quote from an elderly former slave expressing a sense of identity and belonging under the plantation system.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the Bible distinguish between man-stealing and other forms of slavery, and why is this distinction important?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that kidnapping and selling people is punishable by death, while other forms of slavery are regulated.

[Question]

In what ways does Christ's use of slave imagery inform our understanding of His mission and our relationship to God?

[Context]

Weaver argues that Christ's pierced ear and foot-washing demonstrate voluntary, loving servitude.

[Question]

What protections did biblical law provide for slaves, and how do they compare to modern labor laws?

[Context]

Weaver details rules against maiming, requirement of Sabbath rest, and provision upon release.

[Question]

How does the concept of property in biblical slavery relate to the master's responsibility and the slave's welfare?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the master's property interest incentivizes proper care, similar to marriage.

[Question]

What does Weaver mean by saying that outlawing biblical slavery has led to state enslavement, and do you agree?

[Context]

Weaver concludes that state welfare and control have replaced personal master-slave relationships.

Applications

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