Why Did God Allow Slavery in the Old Testament and Barely Says Anything About It in the New Testament?
1) Direct answer
God never endorsed cruel, man-stealing slavery. In the Old Testament He stepped into a fallen world and put strict limits, mercy, and release into a system already present, pointing Israel toward redemption and brotherly love. In the New Testament He went to the root—changing the heart by the new birth—so the gospel dissolves slavery from the inside by making master and slave brothers in Christ. The Scriptures address it, but the aim is salvation and holy conduct, not political revolt.
2) Scriptural explanation
- God forbids man‑stealing and trafficking:
- “He that stealeth a man…shall surely be put to death” (Exodus 21:16; cf. 1 Timothy 1:10).
- Israel’s servitude was tightly regulated and tempered with mercy:
- Release for Hebrew servants in the seventh year with generosity (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12-15).
- “You shall not rule over him with rigor; but shall fear your God” (Leviticus 25:43).
- Protection for the vulnerable and the stranger; do not oppress, love him as yourself (Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 10:19).
- An escaped slave was not to be returned or oppressed (Deuteronomy 23:15-16).
- When Israel refused to release servants, God rebuked and judged them (Jeremiah 34:13-17).
- God’s purpose was redemption, not bondage:
- Israel was redeemed from Egypt’s slavery (Exodus 20:2), and God says, “They are my servants…you shall not rule over him with rigor” (Leviticus 25:42-43).
- The New Testament plants the freedom principle in Christ:
- “There is neither bond nor free…all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
- If you can be made free, rather use it (1 Corinthians 7:21-22).
- Masters must give what is just and equal, knowing they have a Master in heaven (Colossians 4:1; Ephesians 6:9).
- A slave is received “no longer as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved” (Philemon 15-16).
- The Lord’s program is liberty: “He hath sent me to preach deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18). “If the Son…make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
3) Simple clarifying logic
- Now notice: God met people where they were, in a hard world, and fenced in the existing system with justice, time limits, generosity, and protection. That is not approval of oppression; it is restraint and guidance toward mercy.
- You see, the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). As with divorce, certain concessions existed “because of the hardness of your hearts,” but from the beginning it was not so. God’s heart is redemption and brotherhood.
- In the New Testament, the Church does not wield the sword of the state; it wields the Word and the Spirit. So the Lord dealt with the root—sin in the heart. When a master and a servant are both born again, fear and force give way to love and equality in Christ. You cannot rightly enslave the one you now recognize as your brother for whom Christ died.
- If God approved of cruel slavery, why is man‑stealing a capital crime (Exodus 21:16)? Why command love to the stranger (Leviticus 19:34)? Why require release and generosity (Deuteronomy 15:13-15)? The answer is clear: God was moving His people from bondage to freedom, both naturally and spiritually.
4) Reinforcing statement
The Old Testament restrained a fallen practice; the New Testament removes its roots. The gospel sets men free—first in the soul, then in their relations—until love fulfills the law.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Painted-face Jezebel
56-1005 §12
Now, over in II Kings, in the 9th chapter and the 30th verse, I want to take just a little scripture here, a few words to go back in the Old Testament again to read. And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, tired her head, and looked out at the window. And may the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Word. Now, we go back again in the Old Testament because the Old Testament is always a foreshadow of the New Testament. And the Bible says that they were examples (in Heb...
Hear ye Him
57-0310E §22
Now, what I think God was doing here to the world also... If we will go back to the Old Testament just a little bit to pick up a little scripture to bring up here before we close it, or, Holy Spirit nail it down for us, in the Old Testament, there's patterns and types and shadows; all the Old Testament was kind of a shadow of the New Testament. And all that was in both Testaments is a shadow of this day. Now, we find out that in the Old Testament, when a child was born in a family, we find out that when he was born...
The Seal of God
54-0514 §67
Now, we'll go over in the Old Testament. And let's go over here, if you will, to the book of Ezekiel, if you will, and let's read a while in Ezekiel 9. Now, by God's help now, may He help us to settle down now for teaching, just for the next thirty minutes, if God willing. Now, this is pertaining (you marking it: Ezekiel 9), this is the pertaining... The first thing we ought to get settled now: What is the Seal of God? Don't you think that would be essential? Is the Bible a good enough word for you? Now, I know you...
The Token
64-0308 §50
The New Testament means new covenant. The blood means life. The New Testament is the Holy Ghost testament, the Holy Ghost giving testimony of what ... Jesus Christ has raised from the dead. Shows Jesus has met every requirement for us and is alive today. The token proves he is alive to identify Hisself with us according to his promise. Now, how can a man read the Bible and see that He promised, and to see Christ return in these last days, in the form of the Holy Ghost, and identify Himself alive? ... That's the tok...
Why cry? Speak!
59-1004E §33
Like the Jews today, Lewis Pethrus sent over a million Bibles to those Jews, New Testaments. They comes from down in the other parts of the world, they'd never heard of Jesus. Been down there for twenty-five hundred years. They begin to read that New Testament, and they said, "If this be the Messiah, we know the Messiah will be a God-prophet. If this is the Messiah, and He's not dead, but He's alive again, let us see Him do the sign of the prophet; we will believe Him. For our Messiah is a God-prophet."