A modern slave who

was able to be freed

Ramphal and his entire family were slaves in the rock quarries of India for as long as anyone can remember … "If I would move in my house or out of my house, if I want to sit somewhere, get up, if I want to eat, if I want to drink - anything that I wanted to do - I required permission."

‘Freed slaves in the area took in the desperate families … Legal activists worked to get the slaves out of jail …The men were freed. Finally the villagers were able to build a new village - Azad Nagar or 'Land of the Free‘ … [he says] "I’m just so happy with this new life that I’ve got and it gives me so much joy, the fact that I can control my own mind, my own thoughts, my own movements.  I can’t even look back at my earlier existence."  Ramphal's children [upper left] are going to school for the first time. He has dreams of opening his own business …’

Source: www.freetheslaves.net

Former female slaves now freed Source: “Slavery Still Exists,” The Atlantic, September 26, 2012

Asian children enslaved by carpet industrysource: National Geographic, “How We Can End Slavery,” by Kevin Bales

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0309/feature1/online_extra.html

                                  

                           

Slaves laying bricks in Nepal 15+ hours a day in 130 degree heat with no breaks

Captured by Lisa Kristine working with Free the Slaves organization (source of screen shot: The Gospel Coalition blog dated August 23, 2012)

Asian Slaves in Kathmandu (journalist said witnessing it felt as if they were in ancient Egypt)

Slave children carrying stone in Himalayas across rugged terrain

Slaves with their children in GhanaAccra, Ghana: Many of those enslaved had children with them while panning for gold, wading in waters poisoned by mercury that is used in the extraction process.

Slaves in America (Virginia, 1862)

Slave women working cotton (Smith Plantation, date unknown)

Atlanta, Georgia, 148 years ago“Negro Sales” shop next to tobacco store

Louisiana slave branded in chains with

his torture instruments

shown below him (1863)

Slavery in history apart from the gospel1. Slavery in history apart from the gospel

2. Slavery contrary to God’s law and gospel- 1 Tim 1:10 says “kidnappers” or “enslavers”

(ESV) or “slave traders” (NIV) act contrary to God’s law (v. 8-9) and gospel teaching (v. 9-10)

- Note sins of v. 9-10 in Ten Commandments:- v. 9a (arguably sum up man’s sin in 1st 4 commands)- v. 9b “kill father and mother” (violate 5th command)- v. 9c “and murderers” (violate 6th command)- v. 10a “immoral…homosexuals” (7th commandment)- v. 10b “and men-stealers” (KJV, 8th commandment)- v. 10c “and liars and perjurers” (9th commandment)- v. 10d “and whatever else is contrary” (10th, etc.)

Slavery in history apart from the gospel1. Slavery in history apart from the gospel2. Slavery contrary to God’s law and gospel

- Exodus reveals God’s heart for suffering slaves (20:2)- Slaves/servants to rest and worship with master (20:10)- Man-stealing slave-trading was forbidden (20:15, 21:16)

- 1st century Jew Philo: ‘every one who feels any admiration of virtue is full of exceeding anger, and is utterly implacable against kidnappers, who for the sake of most iniquitous gain dare to inflict slavery on those who are free by birth, and who partake of the same nature as themselves ... a violation of all rights… to bring slavery not only upon strangers and foreigners … [to] sell slaves to slave-dealers … transporting them to a foreign land … those who kidnap and enslave those of another nation … shall be [given] the unalterable sentence of death.’

- Runaway slaves could live freely and safely in Israel (Dt 23:15)- Beaten injured slaves were to go free (Ex 21:26-27)- Israelite masters sometimes treated slaves so well that

they loved them and served them after freedom (21:5-6)- Israelite slaves were to be set free after 6 years (21:2)- Genesis reveals God’s mercy to mistreated slaves, ex:

Hagar (Gen 16, 21:13-19) and Joseph (Gen 39, 50:20)

Slavery in history apart from the gospel1. Slavery in history apart from the gospel

2. Slavery contrary to God’s law and gospel

3. Slavery changed by the gospel- Gen 12:3 is ‘the gospel preached beforehand to Abram’

according to Gal 3:8, resulting in spiritual equality, 3:28 - Slaves and servants given to Abraham became part of

the fulfillment of the spiritual blessing in Gen 12:3, as souls were added (12:5), hundreds of servants (14:14)

- All were part of the covenant with Abram (17:12-13, 27)- All were part of his household taught the Word (18:19)- All were part of his household in worship (12:16, 13:1-4)- Some trusted God, entrusted to family task (Gen 24)- Job, a godly contemporary of Abraham also affirmed

the dignity and equality of slaves/servants in Job 31:13

Slavery in history apart from the gospel3. Slavery changed by the gospel (continued)

- The gospel story of redemption is pictured in Exodus- The gospel pictured in the Passover was for Gentile

slaves and foreigners also among Israel (Exodus 12:44) - Israelite slaves were not the only ones that escaped out

of Egypt, also a ‘mixed multitude’ with Israel (Ex 12:38)- The redeemed people of God were to worship with all,

including servants/foreigners (Dt 16:11-12, 12:6-7,11-12)- Men, women, children and servants/slaves/foreigners

all heard the Word of the covenant given (Dt 29:10-12)- Men, women, children, foreigners with them were to all

assemble to hear and learn the Word taught (31:12-13)- Joshua faithfully followed that pattern (Joshua 8:33,35)- NT letters read and taught to churches (1 Tim 4:13, Col

4:16) also address slaves (1 Tim 6:1, Col 3:22, Eph 6:5) with women and children in the church (Eph 5:22, 6:1)

Slavery in history apart from the gospel3. Slavery changed by the gospel (continued)

- Acts 2, the birth of the Christian church:“this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel … I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy … the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off” [i.e., any Gentiles who repent, v. 38] (Acts 2:16-18, 39)

- Acts 13:1 mentions church leadership with African, Greek, and Jewish descent, even a former murderer

- Saved slaves were ministers alongside Paul (Col. 4:9)- The gospel transformed slave-master relationships

from bondage to brotherhood (Philemon 16-17, 21, 25)- As the gospel’s influence spread, changed hearts soon

brought changed laws, till one day slavery was ended