Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 15:12-18.

“If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free.  When you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed.  You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.  You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you;  therefore I command you this today.   It shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;  then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever.  Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.

“It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man;  so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever you do.”  Deuteronomy 15:12-18.

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The LORD commanded Israel that when they set free their slave, “you shall not send him away empty-handed.  You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat”.  

The LORD also commanded Israel:  “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you;  therefore I command you this today.”

Thus, we should also remember that when the LORD redeemed Israel, the LORD did not send Israel away empty-handed.  

“Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing;  and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request.  Thus they plundered the Egyptians.”  Exodus 12:35-36. 

Hmm.  I wonder.  The LORD redeemed us from the slavery of sin.  Did the LORD send us away empty-handed?

No!

“Therefore it says,

“WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH,
HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES,
AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”

…  And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”  Ephesians 4:8 and 11-13.

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”  Ephesians 4:7.

“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly:  if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;  if service, in his serving;  or he who teaches, in his teaching;  or he who exhorts, in his exhortation;  he who gives, with liberality;  he who leads, with diligence;  he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”  Romans 12:6-8.