Ecclesiastes 10-12 / 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 / Psalm 49 / Proverbs 22:20-21
In a physical sense, slavery still exists today, though not as it did in the past in our nation. There are still those sold into slavery of many kinds, and it is an ugly truth to consider. There is also a spiritual slavery with which we must content. Neither the physical nor the spiritual slave can free himself or herself. To be freed from slavery we need a benefactor or one who will be kind enough to pay for our release from this evil.
Most people would agree that physical slavery is evil. No human should own another human or use another human for any purpose. But do we see spiritual slavery in the same light? Slavery to the devil and to sin begins with the enslaving of our souls, but since we are affected physically by what happens in our souls, both are affected. How are we to gain freedom?
A way has been provided. A gift has been given. All we must do is turn our heads or our hearts toward Truth and we will find the path has been made clear by Jesus Christ. He has certainly taken charge of death, hell and the grave and we no longer must submit to that type of slavery. But is that our choice? Good question.
Apart from the Father drawing us, we cannot awaken to the love of the Father given through the Son (John 6:44). Once we feel the drawing of the Father, or hear the calling of His voice, we have a choice to make. Will we listen? Or will we turn away? Will we receive or will we reject the offered gift? The gift is rejected only when fear is present, causing us not to understand what is being offered.
There are no strings attached. We will not lose anything in saying yes to the gift of salvation – except our sorrow, sin, and slavery. That sounds like an excellent trade to me. Then the fear and the lies begin in our mind, and we turn away unable to believe this gift doesn’t come with certain expectations.
Psalm 49:15 But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave.
When we redeem something or someone, we are buying them out of the situation they find themselves in. It’s usually a helpless and hopeless state of mind and heart that keeps us in darkness. But a great light has come. A great hope has shined into our hearts by Holy Spirit, allowing us to see that we can be free.
I love the wording above – He will snatch me from the power… that is a forceful word, so I wanted to look at the original language to see if that same force was intended.
The Hebrew word is laqah (law-kakh) and it means to lay hold of, to seize, to take away. The word can also mean to take in marriage. I find that to be interesting because once we are His, we are His bride in the spiritual sense.
Those in history who were sold into slavery were also seized. They were taken against their will and sold into a life no human should have to endure. Sin has attempted the same type of violent seizure upon our souls. God saw the attempted kidnapping and He determined to put a halt to the injustice perpetrated upon His beloved creation.
Make no mistake, this is not a tug-of-war game. The devil has seized through sin, but now because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the Father is making a countermove and seizing us again to Himself. We began as His and He has provided a way so that we may end as His.
This is a case where the end is most certainly better than the beginning. I’m thankful for His counterattack upon the kingdom of darkness. I’m thankful I am no longer a slave. I’m thankful I have seen the door to my cage opened and that I have walked through to the other side. Will you join me?
