Old Testament: Deu 15.16–18

To read the Bible in a year, read Deuteronomy 14–16 on March 11, In the year of our Lord Christ 2023

By Don Ruhl 

If a Hebrew had a bondservant, who, after he has paid his debt, wanted to remain with his master, he could go through a ceremony of sorts and stay: 

“And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise. It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you; for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do.”

– Deuteronomy 15.16–18 

Clearly such a bondservant would love his master because the master treated him well. Therefore, this was not cruel slavery, but the paying off of a debt. 

However, if the bondservant did wish to go his own way, the master was to release him after paying off the debt. 

The Lord promised to bless them if they treated one another well. 

Jesus has paid our debt for us. Therefore, we do not want to go away from him because we can see that he loves us and now we love him. May he then pierce our ears in the spirit that we might remain forever with him. 

Questions: 

• What action would the master do for the servant who wanted to say? 
• How do you treat other people? 

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Don preaches with the Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Listen to his sermons here: GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com