Reciprocity of Treacherous Treatment

Jeremiah 34:8-22 

8 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them: 9 that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage. 10 Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. 11 But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.

12 Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 13 "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, 14 "At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you." But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. 15 Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. 16 Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.'

17 "Therefore thus says the LORD: 'You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,' says the LORD—to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it— 19 the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— 20 I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. 21 And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army which has gone back from you. 22 Behold, I will command,' says the LORD, 'and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.'"

Here is the reciprocity of the treacherous treatment of the indentured servants of Judah.  God’s people had promised by covenant to follow His word in releasing their Jewish slaves by publicly broadcasting their liberty, but then just as quickly went back on their word.  Their word of this covenant promise was despised and they did what they wanted instead at the expense of their brothers and sisters that they might have free help and not work themselves.  There is a rough analogy with those in our own recent past who held their brothers and sisters in forced servitude but with even harsher treatment of them and defiance of God as if justified in His name and made each other to think that this was the same situation as in Israel’s past, which it clearly was not without hope of reprieve.  They also will be held accountable.  Judah’s rulers and the people justified breaking covenant with God to suit their own desires for their ease at other’s expense and God held them reciprocally to account by sending them into bondage as slaves of unbelievers.  He reminded them of their past bondage in Egypt symbolic of sin’s grasp and their deliverance by His mercy and good will of grace for them.  They were reminded of how they could accept the temporary service of a fellow Jew for only six years and then release them on the seventh because that was as their enslavement in Egypt and His deliverance from harsh bondage.  They had disobeyed and disregarded His words until recently when they agreed to go back to doing what His word required and which they had promised to keep, yet still they went back to disobedience and dishonor of God and man as breaking the first and second greatest commandments (Mark 12:30-31, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18, Galatians 5:13-14).  Because they refused to grant liberty in return for their own, the LORD gave them the liberty of enslavement as they had done for their disobedience, yet still with a future hope of redemption (Hebrews 10:29, 8:9-10).  For the immediate future the people were handed over for corrective discipline to Babylon as slaves according to His word.  Their city of worship, Jerusalem, was burned and would need to be rebuilt later because of their unforgiving and disobedient hearts.  This is how we all are under the bondage of sin until the gospel promise gives us liberty (Romans 6:16-18, 8:21, 2 Corinthians 3:17).  Romans 6:22-23 reminds us that we have been set free from the enslavement of sin to be willing Bondservants of righteousness in Christ.  Let us not go back on this new covenant by mistreatment of our brothers and sisters therefore.  Remember the reciprocity of treachery and hold fast to doing what is right according to His word of forgiveness and grace to us.