Leviticus 25:44-55: a reflection

44“‘As for your male and your female slaves, whom you may have from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. 45Moreover, of the children of the aliens who live among you, of them you may buy, and of their families who are with you, which they have conceived in your land; and they will be your property. 46You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession. Of them you may take your slaves forever, but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness. 47“‘If an alien or temporary resident with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him has grown poor, and sells himself to the stranger or foreigner living among you, or to a member of the stranger’s family, 48after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him; 49or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any who is a close relative to him of his family may redeem him; or if he has grown rich, he may redeem himself. 50He shall reckon with him who bought him from the year that he sold himself to him to the Year of Jubilee. The price of his sale shall be according to the number of years; he shall be with him according to the time of a hired servant. 51If there are yet many years, according to them he shall give back the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52If there remain but a few years to the year of jubilee, then he shall reckon with him; according to his years of service he shall give back the price of his redemption. 53As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him. He shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight. 54If he isn’t redeemed by these means, then he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee: he and his children with him. 55For to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

In laws set in a harsh ancient world, God provides that a poor Israelite who has sold himself into servitude may always be redeemed, bought back, and must be freed at the Jubilee, for God's people are finally his, not to be held in permanent bondage. After he is sold he may be redeemed, the law says; one of his brothers may redeem him, or a close relative, or he may redeem himself; and if not, he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee. To me the children of Israel are servants, God says; they are my servants whom I brought out of Egypt. A poor person who had sold himself into servitude was never beyond hope: he could be redeemed by a kinsman, or would be freed at the Jubilee. His bondage need not be permanent, for God's people belong finally to God, who brought them out of bondage in Egypt. This shows redemption and release, that God's people belong to him and their bondage need not be permanent. God's people belong to him; their bondage need not be permanent. There is redemption and release for those who have fallen into bondage. A kinsman could buy back the one who was sold, a picture of redemption. God's people are finally his, not to be held in permanent bondage.

Notice the provisions of redemption and release. A poor Israelite might fall so low as to sell himself into servitude; but the law did not leave him there without hope. He could be redeemed, bought back, by a close relative, a kinsman who would pay the price to free him; or, if he grew able, he could redeem himself; and even if he was not redeemed by these means, he would be released at the Year of Jubilee. His bondage was not to be permanent. And underlying it all was a deeper truth God states: to me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out of Egypt. God's people belong finally to God, who had redeemed them from bondage in Egypt; they were not to be held in permanent bondage by anyone else. These provisions carry a picture that points beyond themselves. The idea of a kinsman-redeemer, who pays the price to buy back the one who has fallen into bondage, and the truth that God's people belong finally to him and are not to be held in permanent bondage, point forward to a greater redemption: for we who had fallen into the bondage of sin have been redeemed, bought back, by Christ, our kinsman-redeemer, who paid the price to free us; and we belong finally to God, not to be held in permanent bondage. There is redemption and release for those in bondage. We do well to take hope in the redemption God provides, that our bondage need not be permanent, and that in Christ we are redeemed and belong to God. Take hope that God provides redemption and release; bondage need not be permanent. Christ is the kinsman-redeemer who paid the price to buy you back. God's people belong finally to God, redeemed from bondage. There is release for those who have fallen into bondage.

That is worth taking to heart, for God provides redemption and release, so that bondage need not be permanent, and his people belong finally to him, as the law provided for the redeeming and freeing of the one sold into servitude. We can feel trapped in a bondage that seems permanent; but God provided redemption and release, and, in Christ, has redeemed us and made us his own. There is redemption. When you feel trapped in bondage, take hope in the redemption God provides, that in Christ you are bought back and belong to God, not to be held in permanent bondage. Take hope in the redemption and release God provides, that bondage need not be permanent and that in Christ you are redeemed and belong to God, as in laws set in a harsh ancient world God provided that a poor Israelite who had sold himself into servitude might always be redeemed and freed at the Jubilee, since his brother or a close relative could redeem him, or he could redeem himself, or he would be released at the Jubilee, God declaring that the children of Israel are his servants whom he brought out of Egypt; for a poor person who had sold himself into servitude was never beyond hope but could be redeemed by a kinsman or freed at the Jubilee, his bondage need not be permanent since God's people belong finally to God who brought them out of bondage in Egypt, these provisions carrying a picture that points beyond themselves, since the kinsman-redeemer who pays the price to buy back the one fallen into bondage and the truth that God's people belong finally to him point forward to a greater redemption, for we who had fallen into the bondage of sin have been redeemed by Christ our kinsman-redeemer who paid the price to free us and belong finally to God not to be held in permanent bondage, so that there is redemption and release for those in bondage, and we do well to take hope in it.

Lord, in laws set in a harsh ancient world, you provide that a poor Israelite who has sold himself into servitude may always be redeemed, bought back, and must be freed at the Jubilee, for your people are finally yours, not to be held in permanent bondage. After he is sold he may be redeemed, the law says; one of his brothers may redeem him, or a close relative, or he may redeem himself; and if not, he shall be released in the Year of Jubilee. To me the children of Israel are servants, you say; they are my servants whom I brought out of Egypt. A poor person who had sold himself into servitude was never beyond hope: he could be redeemed by a kinsman, or would be freed at the Jubilee. His bondage need not be permanent, for your people belong finally to you. Show me the provisions of redemption and release. A poor Israelite might fall so low as to sell himself into servitude; but the law did not leave him there without hope. He could be redeemed, bought back, by a close relative who would pay the price to free him; or he could redeem himself; and even if not, he would be released at the Jubilee. His bondage was not to be permanent. And underlying it all was a deeper truth you state: the children of Israel are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. Your people belong finally to you, who had redeemed them from bondage; they were not to be held in permanent bondage by anyone else. These provisions carry a picture that points beyond themselves. The kinsman-redeemer, who pays the price to buy back the one fallen into bondage, and the truth that your people belong finally to you, point forward to a greater redemption: for I, who had fallen into the bondage of sin, have been redeemed, bought back, by Christ, my kinsman-redeemer, who paid the price to free me; and I belong finally to you. Take that to my heart. When I feel trapped in a bondage that seems permanent, help me take hope, Lord, in the redemption you provide, that in Christ I am bought back and belong to you, redeemed from bondage and not to be held in it, for there is redemption and release for those who have fallen into bondage.