Yes, I remember this, dear OTWO (peace to you!). You can be sure, I asked about it some time ago. It was then that I was directed to what Isaiah wrote:
“Call out full-throated; do not hold back. Raise your voice just like a horn, and tell my people their revolt, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day it was I whom they kept seeking, and it was in the knowledge of my ways that they would express delight, like a nation that carried on righteousness itself and that had not left the very justice of their God, in that they kept asking me for righteous judgments, drawing near to God in whom they had delight,
“‘For what reason did we fast and you did not see, and did we afflict our soul and you would take no note?’
“Indeed YOU people were finding delight in the very day of YOUR fasting, when there were all YOUR toilers that YOU kept driving to work. Indeed for quarreling and struggle YOU would fast, and for striking with the fist of wickedness. Did YOU not keep fasting as in the day for making YOUR voice to be heard in the height? Should the fast that I choose become like this, as a day for earthling man to afflict his soul? For bowing down his head just like a rush, and that he should spread out mere sackcloth and ashes as his couch? Is it this that you call a fast and a day acceptable to JaHVeH?
“Is not this the fast that I choose? To loosen the fetters of wickedness, to release the bands of the yoke bar, and to send away the crushed ones free, and that YOU people should tear in twoeveryyoke bar?Is it not the dividing of your bread out to the hungry one, and that you should bring the afflicted, homeless people into [your] house? That, in case you should see someone naked, you must cover him, and that you should not hide yourself from your own flesh?
“In that case your light would break forth just like the dawn; and speedily would recuperation spring up for you. And before you your righteousness would certainly walk; the very glory of JaHVeH would be your rear guard.In that case you would call, and JaHVeH himself would answer; you would cry for help, and he would say, ‘Here I am!’
“If you willremove from your midstthe yoke bar, the poking out of the finger and the speaking of what is hurtful; and you will grant to the hungry one your own soul[ful desire], and you will satisfy the soul that is being afflicted, your light also will certainly flash up even in the darkness, and your gloom will be like midday. And JaHVeH will be bound to lead you constantly and to satisfy your soul even in a scorched land, and he will invigorate your very bones; and you must become like a well-watered garden, and like the source of water, the waters of which do not lie. And at your instance men will certainly build up the places devastated a long time; you will raise up even the foundations of continuous generations. And you will actually be called the repairer of [the] gap, the restorer of roadways by which to dwell.
“If in view of the sabbath you will turn back your foot as regards doing your own delights on my holy day, and will actually call the sabbath an exquisite delight, a holy [day] of Jehovah, one being glorified, and will actually glorify it rather than doing your own ways, rather than finding what delights you and speaking a word;you will in that case find your exquisite delight in JaHVeH, and I will make you ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will cause you to eat from the hereditary possession of Jacob your forefather, for the mouth of JaHVeH itself has spoken [it].” Isaiah 58:1-14
So, now, who's right, who's wrong? Since I didn't know on my own... but wanted to understand (and you can appreciate why), how a God of LOVE could allow one man to own another, I had to take the matter to my Lord to know. And I trusted him, because he came to... and did... fulfill the Law. And so I asked him regarding this matter (which is why I've taken this long to respond... I had recorded what he said somewhere and had to find it, sorry)... and here is what he said to me about it:
"Did I not say to you, child, ' Keep on releasing, and YOU will be released?' As well as 'all things you wish man to do to YOU... you must do to THEM?' This was the same law as given to Israel. But did they hear? Israel had the right to servants, but whom they were bound to care for... for life. However, they were never granted to "own" another, for what man can own another, in body AND spirit? They were possessions, yes, but in that they were now under the protection and care of the household... even forever. So that such servants never had to worry about being cast OUT of the house. Just as Israel was a people for a special possession, which possession bound them to the Most Holy One of Israel... and Him to them. Are they owned so that they cannot go this way or that? It was due to Israel's error in this thing... in that they wickedly left the law of love, on which hung the entire Law... by oppressing their fellowman... not even an enemy... and so the wrongful "yoking" of others... that brought THEM into captivity and slavery... not once, not twice, but three times. And I was sent to preach a release... to those of Israel who would hear: that if they released those captive to THEM... they would, themselves, BE released by those who held sway over them, whether forces of this world... or the other. And those that did hear... set their servants who wished it free, while others reobligated themselves... and their households... to care for them... forever."
And so I have to stick by what I share, dear OTWO, that it was never lawful to "own" another man. And my Lord lived this truth: rather than enslaving anyone in any manner... other than "employing" them to assist him, for which they were compensated... my Lord set them free... both spiritually AND physically... and told his disciples to do likewise. Because YOU cannot be free... while you are enslaving another... in the manner we're speaking of here or in any manner. You, yourself, are also enslaved, because it is a lack of love.
So, ask me what/who I believe and I will tell you that I take my Lord's word over "the Bible" any day. I have stated that here on many, MANY occasions. For as he said, "All that I tell you written (but not necessarily in the Bible)... but not all that is written (including in the Bible)... is what I will tell you. I, then, am going with the anointing that I received from him on this matter. I have to. Because HE is the Truth... and the One who "opens up" the scriptures.
Again, I bid you peace.
A slave of Christ,
SA