Jeremiah 34:16 “But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.”

This whole passage is such an egregious story that it was hard to pull out just one verse to write on. We are generally so far removed from slavery that we have trouble imagining the circumstances of the story, but slavery is actually going on even today to a degree at least equal to any time in history. We just call it “human trafficking.” It all comes from people’s distorted view of themselves and others. It can only happen when some people think of themselves as superior to some others, and therefore entitled to treat them as you would an animal. There are of course people who treat animals very well, but they still don’t treat them as equals, nor should they. It is a horrible thing when we exercise that attitude toward other human beings. It is a very similar thing that is very much in evidence across the world today, with some people considering themselves to be “elites,” above the “rabble” of “common” people, and the results are just about as bad as slavery. Going into examples would take all day! In the story here, the king had realized that slavery was an affront to God and had ordered the “nobility” to free their slaves. On the surface they had followed through, even going through the formal step of a covenant before God, as specified by Moses, but their hearts hadn’t changed and they didn’t really fear God, so they turned around and enslaved the people again. Public repentance is meaningless if there isn’t an actual change of heart, and that change of heart isn’t going to happen without an actual fear of God. We need to remember that as we look at our politicians and leaders, especially in this election year in the US!

I’ve never enslaved anyone, but I have thought of myself as an elite at times, and that is the root attitude behind slavery. As I seek to confront evil around me, I need to be careful that the root attitudes that produce the evil aren’t operating in me! I am disgusted quite often as I read about what is going on in the world, but I must remember that I am as human as those people are, and walk in humble submission to the Lord. I have fought with pride in my own life enough that I should be done with it, but it is remarkably persistent! I need to be careful that my own repentance is real and not just a matter of words, so that the Holy Spirit may be free to work in me however He pleases, for the glory of God.

Father, thank You for this reminder. With Japanese respect for age I am often in a socially superior position, and that can be uncomfortable. I pray that it would stay uncomfortable! May I stay humble before You however You choose to use me, so that I may not open myself to the devil’s deceptions but walk faithfully before You, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!