Day 54 – Slavery

Nehemiah 5:1 A great outcry of the people and their wives was against their Jewish brethren. 2 For they said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore, let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

 3 Some also who said, “We mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”

 4 Others also said, “We borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

 6 I became angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” Therefore, I called a great assembly against them. 8 I said to them, “According to our ability we redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now, indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our Elohiym because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?”

 10 “I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! 11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”

 12 Then they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.

 13 Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “Thus, may Elohiym shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”

  Everyone in the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised JEHOVAH. Then the people did according to this promise.

 14 Moreover, from the time I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. 15 However, the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of Elohiym. 16 Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. My servants gathered there for work. 17 At my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.

 18 Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also, fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of every kind of wine. Yet despite this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

 19 Remember me, my Elohiym, for good, according to everything I did for this people.

God’s names:

Elohiym – Supreme God

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Kurios – Supreme Authority

Theos – Supreme Divinity

Christos – Anointed One, Messiah

Hagios Pneuma – Sacred, Holy, Violent Wind, Breath, Spirit

People have bought and sold slaves for thousands of years. Many countries have outlawed the practice of slavery, but it still exists.

When Nehemiah heard his fellow Jews bought and sold their brethren as slaves, he became outraged and told them they were not to do so and told them to return their brethren and their property to them. They agreed to do so.

JEHOVAH gave Moses a law regarding treating their fellow brethren in such a manner.

Leviticus 25:35 ‘If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you will help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 36 Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your Elohiym, that your brother may live with you. 37 You will not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. 38 I am JEHOVAH your Elohiym, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan and to be your Elohiym. 39 If one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you will not compel him to serve as a slave.

When Nehemiah rebuked the nobles for what they did, they gave the people back their property and did not keep them as slaves.

Paul addressed the topic of slavery to the Corinthians, that of being a slave to Christos. As children of Yeshuwa, you are His slave.

1 Corinthians 7:21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.

 22 For he who is called in the Kurios while a slave is the Kurios’ freedman. Likewise, he who is called while free is Christos’s slave.

 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, you became His servant. Christians don’t like being called slaves, but they accept the term servant, which is the same thing. You belong to Yeshuwa Christos. You are not your own.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Hagios Pneuma who is in you, whom you have from Theos, and you are not your own?

 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify Theos in your body and in your spirit, which are Theos’.

You are not slaves to each other, but you are a slave to Yeshuwa who bought you with His blood on Calvary’s cross and rose from death for your salvation. Glorify Him in everything you do.

Let’s pray: Father, I forget I am Your servant. I belong to You. Help me live my life in service to You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 13 March 2025 by Valerie Routhieaux