Slavery Takes Many Forms

So what is slavery? A dictionary definition states -    The state of being under the control of another person, 2. The practise of owning slaves, 3. Work done often under harsh conditions for little or no pay.

Slavery has been practised by nations for thousands of years and was only fully abolished in the late 19th and early 20th century - Or was it?

                                                                               Examples

Here are 2 very different examples of slavery taken from the Bible:

Exodus chapter 1 verses 13 and 14:-   13 Consequently, the Egyptians forced the Israelites into harsh slavery. 14 They made their life bitter with hard labour, as they worked with clay mortar and bricks and in every form of slavery in the field. Yes, they made them toil in harsh conditions in every form of slavery.

The above example is probably what most people would consider slavery to be like, brutal and very harsh on the ones who are slaves!

Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15:-   14 Therefore, since the “young children” are sharers of blood and flesh, he (Jesus) also similarly shared in the same things, so that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil, 15 and that he might set free all those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

This 2nd example may be seen by most people as unreal or even a fantasy, but this is the type of slavery we are going to look at in this article, because whether you believe it or not, the truth is that YOU are a slave in a very real sense!

                                                                        All Mans Fault

But first, let us remind ourselves that slavery is not something that Jehovah brought about! Slavery of the sort mentioned in the above scriptures is totally down to mans wickedness and Adam and Eve's rebellion against God's right to rule.

While it is true that we all die, that was never God's purpose, and the wickedness of man through the ages has made life for many to be very difficult indeed, and there are still places on Earth to our shame where slavery still takes place, and that slavery involves people of many races and colours including white people!

                                                                   We Are Still Slaves

But did you realise that the definition of slavery mentioned in the first paragraph is still relevant for most of mankind?

Definition 1:   "The state of being under the control of another person" -   Most of mankind works for a living to feed themselves and their families, to accomplish this we work for an individual or company often for just enough money to survive.

Definition 2: "The practise of owning slaves" -   Your respective government in effect owns you because you are subject to it's laws and regulations even in times of warfare being called upon to fight for them even if the reason for the war is unjust.

Definition 3: "Work done often under harsh conditions for little or no pay" -   Over a third of the worlds people are living in abject poverty, not because of laziness but because they were born into that state with no way to better themselves.

                                                         True Freedom From Slavery

Jesus sacrificial death provided a ransom for everyone who accepts it and worships the true God Jehovah, even many of those who have died will be given the chance by a resurrection to serve God, in this way slavery and even death will be a thing of the past and will never again affect the righteous.

John chapter 8 verses 34 to 36:-   34 Jesus answered them: “Most truly I say to you, every doer of sin is a slave of sin. 35 Moreover, the slave does not remain in the household forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free.

                          Do You Desire to be Among Them?