Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

15 June 2024

Reading From I Kings 9, II Chronicles 8

There were still some people living in the land who were not Israelites, including Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not completely destroyed. So Solomon conscripted them as slaves, and they serve as forced laborers to this day. But Solomon did not conscript any of the Israelites for forced labor. Instead, he assigned them to serve as fighting men, government officials, officers and captains in his army, commanders of his chariots, and charioteers. Solomon appointed 550 of them to supervise the people working on his various projects.

–I Kings 9:20-23

     When God’s people do not carefully follow His instructions, there are far-reaching consequences.  These ramifications are not always immediately apparent in the heat of the moment when we sin by disobeying Him.  When Yahweh delivered the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, there were people groups dwelling in Canaan, the land He had promised to the Hebrews, who were practicing horrific atrocities against their own people.  Because they refused to stop sacrificing their own babies to wicked false gods and having ritual sex with anything that moved, God told the Israelites to wipe them out completely.  Israel did not fully comply and it has caused conflict, heartache and tragedy in every generation to this day.  Obedience is vital.

     Not only was Israel delivered from slavery by the saving hand of the Almighty, but here we find that their disobedience in not carrying out justice for the victims of the people groups living in Canaan has presented Solomon with a problem.  A similar problem that the existence of the Hebrews in Goshen presented to Pharoah.  What is to be done with these “others” living in our space?  Make them slaves was the answer.  Here we find an example of a wise man doing a foolish and terrible thing.  Solomon instituted slavery in Israel.  This is one of those cultural practices that was not commanded by God.  It is important to remember that in every turn in Scripture, God either delivers slaves from bondage or teaches them how to make the most of whatever circumstances human beings find themselves in.

“Lord, I pray that Your children will work to advocate for liberty wherever they live on Planet Earth.  Deliver victims of human trafficking and show us how we can be involved in that process of deliverance and healing.  Bring freedom to the captives of the bondage of sin.  Thank You for all that You do for us and through us if we agree to follow Your ways.  Amen.”

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

–II Corinthians 3:17

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

 –Luke 4:18-19

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

–Galatians 3:28