God instructs Israel concerning slavery and the appropriate times to free slaves. I always found it difficult to recognize that God gave instruction concerning slaves. Like we just saw in Chapter 20, the Law is not the standard for ethics. The Law is meant to bring longevity and prosperity for Israel. Thus, some laws were given because of the hardness of people’s hearts (cf. Matthew 19:7-8). God neither condemns nor condones slavery in verses 1-11. He does, however, provide a law so that it is illegal to mistreat slaves or keep them too long regardless of whatever circumstance caused them to become slaves in the first place. These laws are protections for slaves, even women, so that it is illegal for them to be sold to a foreign power or abused. According to God’s Law, slaves had the rights of a citizen and were to be set free after a time unless they chose to stay. Even female slaves were to be treated like wives or daughters instead of property. Masters were not allowed, by law, to mistreat or be unfair to their slaves.
Slavery was a reality in the world, and still is in many countries in different forms. Like many rules listed in the Mosaic Law, God sets up a lawful order so that people who are unfair and hard-hearted will be held accountable for the way in which they treat others. National law codes today serve a similar purpose. This is not the measure of righteousness or a condoning of any form of slavery, it is a rule for people with a sinful nature so they may learn to fear God in their circumstances; It is that fear of God, not the Law itself, that will eventually cause those who love God to reject the notion of slavery altogether like we have today (cf. Exodus 20:20).
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