Celebrating the end of slavery on Juneteenth; we commemorate freedom in the United States of America and remember all those who fought and died for the cause of freedom. Liberty is one of the American creeds.
The ending of slavery was gradual and not a smooth line or an instant break. We mourn all those who fell victim to and were lost in this terrible triangular trade, and all those who suffered atrocities and died in the worst type of slavery known to mankind.
On Juneteenth, we reflect on all of the challenges that the freed people faced and their descendants to this day. We celebrate the growth and ongoing milestones and victories.
As Christians, we cringe at the weaponization of Scripture, often misquoted and misused. Intended to stifle the spirit of rebellion amongst those subjected to the inhumane institution. The so-called "slave bible" was edited to remove the story of Moses and other stories that would have inspired the people who were forced into chattel slavery to rebel against the ungodly laws.
Revelation 22:18-19
New King James Version
A Warning
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
We praise GOD who created all men, who sees all things and one day will make it right.
We reaffirm our own responsibilities, here and now to forgive, rebuild, and restore. However, forgiveness does not replace restoration.
Leviticus 6:1-7 from the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible:
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor;
3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.
6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.
When reading Leviticus,
Leviticus 6:1-7: This passage describes the responsibility of someone who has cheated another person, lied, or committed fraud. They are required to restore the full amount plus an additional 20 percent, and also to bring a guilt offering to God.
We must also consider that the bible does not specifically address American slavery, but a type of servitude in the context of the culture of that time. These conditions were different in many ways.
So, when looking at these verses in the bible.
Colossians 4:1: "Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair because you know that you also have a Master in heaven."
Perhaps most notably, in the book of Philemon, Paul appeals to a slave owner, Philemon, to welcome back his runaway slave Onesimus, not as a slave, but as a "beloved brother."
The scripture clearly shows addressing, not endorsing a social ill that was occurring at that time; the bible had an expectation of humane treatment and fairness.
Among other conditions, which were different than other slavery's of the past, slavery was not attributed to a single race of people, and people were not considered a race based on their color. People were grouped by their tribes, languages, and nations.
When speculating where colors come from, we only have to look at the substances that Adam (ground), and Eve (bone) were created from to see, that the world in all of its spectrum of shades, was an intentional creation of GOD. When we look at Noah and his family populating the current earth, we can now scientifically see that there were also different shades of people on that boat. We are one human family.
Acts 17:26
New King James Version
26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
Celebrating our American legal freedoms, we also celebrate our freedom and unity in Christ through the Spirit of the Living GOD.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 🥳
#Juneteenth #Juneteenth2023 #juneteenthcelebration #juneteenthday #juneteenthweekend
https://www.govinfo.gov/features/juneteenth