How could a God of love make a statute allowing slavery? Was it a curse against a certain race?
Read Time: 2 min
It was never God’s plan for anybody to be or to own slaves. We must remember that many of the ordinances in the Bible are meant to protect civilization from customs of which God didn’t approve.
For instance, there was polygamy in Bible times. One reason was that, because of war, there were 10 women for every man. Unfortunately, it was shameful for women to never have a family. Yet because polygamy is often discussed and apparently unpunished throughout the Bible, this doesn’t mean it was God’s will. In the same way, Jesus said divorce was not God’s will, but He made that provision because of the hardness of men’s hearts. He made laws to protect people. He isn’t endorsing divorce or slavery.
Some curses in Bible prophecy deal with nations warring with Israel. They never have a relationship to a “race” of people. There are prophetic curses against Ammonites, Edomites, and Babylonians—not races, but pagan nations at war with God’s people. The Ethiopians were at war with Israel at different times in history, but Moses married an Ethiopian, and an Ethiopian eunuch converted to Christianity and brought the words of Jesus to his country (Acts 7:8). Nothing in the Bible shows that God approves of racial segregation.
Before we determine what a merciful God is all about, remember that slavery comes in different forms. The Word of God is the only thing that can set us free, so whether we are in slavery to another individual or to Satan or a sin, our freedom is based solely upon allowing His Word to work within us. We can be locked up in prison but still know true freedom.
God hates slavery. There will be no slavery in heaven. There was no slavery before sin. God had certain laws to accommodate the hardness of humanity’s heart, which could allow such a vile practice.
Key Bible Texts
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. (Leviticus 25:44 KJV)