The Oldest Kind of Slavery

Slavery. It’s as old as time. The Jews were inslaved in Egypt. There was slavery of the American natives when Columbus landed in the Bahama’s. There was African slavery. There is still slavery. (more slaves today than at any other time in history) But all these and more stem from the oldest kind of slavery.

The oldest kind of slavery started thousands of years ago. In fact, it began shortly after the begining of time.

It is a slavery of deception and sin.  Eve was deceived, Adam sinned. As a result, slavery began.

This slavery is both a physical and a mental slavery.

How the Oldest Kind of Slavery Affects the Current Kind:

Physical because we are subject to less than perfect bodies. We are subject to pain, illnesses, disabilities and so much more. Adam and Eve were created in the likeness of God.  That means their bodies were perfect, they had no pain, neither knew what it was.  When sin by deception entered, man became imprisoned in bodies of clay, slaves to pain and suffering.

Mental because with the knowledge of right and wrong came shame. These chains tell us we are not good enough; we have to work harder, we have to look prettier, we are worthless. We are held back by what we think we are worth; we are driven by what we think we need, in order to be worth something.

All men after Adam, all the children of Eve are born into slavery. We are born slaves to self. From the very beginning we make our needs known and demand that they be met. As we get older we are able to meet those needs for ourselves. We eat and we sleep and we do what pleases us.

From the slavery that Satan holds us in, other forms of slavery has come about. Men and women using their fellow man to increase their earthly goods, using boys and girls and to satisfy their flesh, living in ease and caring not that it comes at the expense of others.

All forms of slavery comes from the oldest kind of slavery, and that is sin. Christ paid the price though, he bought us with his blood and set us free. We can continue as slaves to a harsh master, or we can stand up and walk away from the bonds that have already been broken. It’s our choice.

If the son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

Back to the issue of slavery in today’s world. If you think human trafficking mostly happens over in 3rd world contries, with the exception now and then in our country (USA), think again.  Human trafficking happens right here in our own country! It could even be in your own neighborhood, so be aware, know the signs and know what to do; you could be saving a life.

The only way today’s slavery will every stop, is if the oldest kind of slavery is stopped first. So we need to pray, not only for those enslaved to their fellow man, but also those who are still enslaved to themselves. Because self is a cruel, unforgiving master.