Title: True Heroes
Exodus (55) True Heroes
(Exodus 21:1-11)
< Free Species >
If the servant was not married when he freed the slave, he was freed alone. However, if the wife had already married before becoming a slave, the wife was also a slave at that time, and was also liberated when the husband was liberated. On the other hand, if you got a wife from your master after becoming a slave, your wife and children could not be released even after you were released in the 7th year, and you had to go out alone (verse 4).
The servants who give up their freedom after having their ears pierced in such a way that their master is grateful and happy become their master's eternal servants, and the master treats them like sons from then on. These species are called ‘free species’. Live with the concept of such a free species. Couples are, in a sense, free slaves to each other. If we serve each other out of love, the yoke given to each other is not heavy.
Why are human relationships destroyed? This is because they are not slaves to each other, but masters each other and try to eat them. Now serve one another in love. Jesus Himself became a servant and made the visionary word servant into the most glorious word. Then there is no reason why a saint cannot become a servant. When evaluating your life, the important thing is not “how many slaves have you lived?” but “how many people have you been slaves to?” is to do
< Be a real hero >
In ancient patriarchal societies, fathers sold their daughters out of poverty or debt. So if a man sold his daughter as a slave girl, she could not come out as a male slave (verse 7). Why? According to Deuteronomy 15:17, that is the case when the master took the maidservant as his concubine. A female servant who became such a concubine was guaranteed a certain position by her master. However, if she did not become a concubine, the female slave could be set free in the seventh year like the male slave (Deut. 15:12).
If the master was not pleased with the maidservant, and did not make her a concubine, nor did she sleep with her, she could be freed by paying a ransom, but she was not sold to foreigners (verse 8). Hebrew slaves could only be bought and sold within them. Even among the same people, even if they were slaves, they were treated like brothers (Lev 25:39,40), and they could be set free in the seventh year, but it was impossible if they were sold abroad. Through this commandment, we can find God's meticulous consideration for his chosen people.
Also, if he had agreed to give the maidservant to his son, he treated her like a daughter (verse 9). Even if the master married another woman, he had to not stop sleeping with the maidservant's food and clothing (verse 10). In other words, even if the master chose a new female slave as his concubine, the master had to continue to guarantee the former female slave the right to food, clothing, shelter and bed. If he did not perform such a duty, he had to release the slave girl as a free man for nothing. The slave girl then regained her status as a free woman who could marry anyone.
These provisions of the law show the great love of God who pays close attention to the rights and character of the slave girl, who was considered the most humble at the time. According to the will of God, believers must not only love and serve God, but also learn to serve those whom God loves without discrimination. If we could serve each other like that, how rich would our faith and relationships be?
In Genesis 10:8-9, we see Nimrod, the first hero who acted in an attitude equal to God. However, a person who tries to rule the world over others is not a hero. A true hero is one who sacrificed himself to serve others. Jesus came to this earth to serve and eventually became a great hero and final victor. A society where those who serve are respected are those with true heroes.