Lesson 15 Washing at the Cross: Bond-Slaves of Jesus
Question 6
If the bond-slave loved his master and his family, he could choose to remain in the master’s home and serve him for life. If out of love, the slave chose to remain a slave, he was to be taken in front of the judges where they would pierce his ear with an awl. This procedure was a sort of “branding” to indicate that the bond-slave belonged to his master.
Consider how a slave really must have loved his master and family to choose to remain with them and undergo the piercing of his flesh!
Imagine a scene like this:
A man, let’s call him Judah, becomes a slave and begins working for his master. The master gives him a wife; he is married and has a family of his own. After the six years are up, the master and the slave have become as close as family, and Judah loves his wife and children. He expresses his desire to remain in the home. Accordingly, he is taken to the wood of the doorpost, and his ear is pierced.
Imagine one of Judah’s children watching this; we’ll call him Simeon. Simeon watches as they place his father’s ear against the wood. He sees the judge put the awl (a pointed tool, almost like a giant nail) on his ear and then drive it through with a sledgehammer. Young Simeon sees his father’s face contort with pain and sees the blood flow, but he doesn’t quite understand it all. So he asks his mother some questions:
Simeon: Why did they do that to father?
Mother: They pierced his ear because he loves us and wants to stay with us.
Simon: But why did he have to be pierced?
Mother: Well, even though father could have gone free, he loves us and wants to stay with us, so God told us in the Law that he had to be pierced.
Simeon: Wow, he really does love us!
Mother: Yes, and if you ever doubt that he loves you then look at his scar. Remember how he bled during his piercing, and you’ll remember that he loves you and that he suffered for you.
Question 6. How do you see the gospel in this story in Exodus chapter 21?
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