What is the meaning of Leviticus 25:42? Because the Israelites are My servants • God declares outright ownership of His people. In Exodus 19:5 He says, “you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations,” underscoring that Israel belongs to Him, not to any human master. • Leviticus 25:55 affirms the same: “For the Israelites are My servants. They are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt.” • This servant-status is one of dignity and covenant privilege. It sets Israel apart for worship, obedience, and mission (Isaiah 43:10). • Because the Lord is their true Master, any claim another person might make on them is automatically secondary. Whom I brought out of the land of Egypt • Redemption is the historical foundation for Israel’s identity. Exodus 20:2 reminds them, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” • God’s mighty act of deliverance establishes a pattern: the redeemed are never to return to bondage (Deuteronomy 7:8; Psalm 136:11-12). • The exodus is a picture of God’s saving power, later echoed in the New Testament when believers are told, “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness” (Colossians 1:13-14). They are not to be sold as slaves • In practical terms, this verse governs economic relationships within Israel: – If an Israelite became poor, he could hire himself out, but only as a hired worker, not as chattel (Leviticus 25:39-41). – His service ended in the Year of Jubilee, restoring him to freedom and family property (Leviticus 25:10). • The law puts clear limits on human authority, reflecting God’s heart for justice and the inherent worth of each person made in His image (Genesis 1:27; James 5:4). • By forbidding perpetual slavery among Israelites, the Lord teaches compassion, brotherhood, and the primacy of divine ownership over economic expediency (Deuteronomy 23:15-16). summary Leviticus 25:42 roots Israel’s social ethics in two unshakable truths: God owns His people, and He has redeemed them from slavery. Because they belong to Him, no fellow Israelite may claim absolute power over another. The verse calls God’s people in every age to remember their redemption, honor their true Master, and treat one another with the dignity that flows from being the Lord’s freed servants. |
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