Sandbar, you asked, “How could a loving God say these things” I felt the need to put these in public view, even with the length of the answers, because taken out of context, or as they stand alone without explanation, the author and source of love might be defamed.
Ephesians 6:5
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
Paul, writing in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was not endorsing slavery, he was demanding the submission to the authority slaves were under. Jesus, submitted to the worldly authorities and allowed them to crucify Him for doing no wrong. He was manifest as God, in the flesh of man, and still had at his disposal the angels, and the Father in heaven to immediately relieve Him from his predicament. Yet, he chose to humble himself as a slave, and be hung on a tree, to carry the sins of the world. For God to require us to be well behaved in our servitude, be it as a slave with no legal rights, or a worker in an office building, He is not asking us to do anything as difficult as He has done for us. A loving father wants his children to be respectable, and that requires them to give respect to authority.
Exodus 21:20-21
Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.
Sandbar, there are important instructions connected to this topic that you didn’t include, that must be included to get better understanding.
Exodus 21: 26“If a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye. 27And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
The institution o slavery is man’s idea. The institution was formed usually through decisions of war. It still is today in Africa, the eastern world, and parts of central and south America. It is a solution derived where combatting tribes capture individuals or defeat their adversary. The defeated has an option to die, or become a slave. Thus, the institution is alive today. God did not outlaw it, though by His very commandment He makes it plain it is not His desire. When Jesus is asked what the Greatest commandment is, he answers;” Mt 22:37 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Jesus goes on to explain who a man’s neighbor is in the story of the good Samaritan. He shows us it is any person in need that crosses our path. You will find this in Luke 10. This leaves very little room for slavery.”
However, Just as God desires one man to be married to one woman, because of man’s hardened heart, He allows divorce. Slavery was and is a fact of life in a fallen world for this same reason. The world says that a slave is the complete property of the slave owner. They have no rights or protection. A few nations did offer some protections through the ages, but in the uncivilized parts of the world, even the slaves life belongs to the slave owner. God, in His great love, offered protection for the slave in Israel that was not recognized anywhere else.
Sandbar, I will answer the other scriptures in a private message because of the amount of space this requires. If anyone else would like to discus these with me, fill free to message me. God bless you!
