Introduction

Review the following resources for additional background.

The sermon “The Scriptural Vindication Of Slavery” from the references

The section from “A History Of The Moravian Church” relating to Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann. Note: They did not end up as slaves, but they were willing for the Gospel.

The following YouTube videos gives a little deeper dive into slavery in the Bible. You may want to use a small clip during instruction. See additional resources for Paul Copan’s book relating to the the subject.

The Scriptural Vindication Of Slavery

Note: All scriptures are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Warren used the King James Version (KJV). HCSB is used throughout the course and easier to read for many than the KJV. However, feel free, to modify handouts with your preferred version.

Curse of Cain

Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” Genesis 4:8-12 (HCSB)

Judgment Decreed

When the Lord saw that man’s wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every scheme his mind thought of was nothing but evil all the time, the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the Lord said, “I will wipe off from the face of the earth mankind, whom I created, together with the animals, creatures that crawl, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I made them.” Noah, however, found favor in the sight of the Lord. Genesis 6:5-8 (HCSB)

Life for Life

I will require the life of every animal and every man for your life and your blood. I will require the life of each man’s brother for a man’s life. Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in His image. Genesis 9:5-6 (HCSB)

Abraham’s Battle

The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on. They also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, for he was living in Sodom, and they went on.

One of the survivors came and told Abram the Hebrew, who lived near the oaks belonging to Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. They were bound by a treaty with Abram. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken prisoner, he assembled his 318 trained men, born in his household, and they went in pursuit as far as Dan. And he and his servants deployed against them by night, attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah to the north of Damascus. He brought back all the goods and also his relative Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the other people.
After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High. He blessed him and said:

Abram is blessed by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and I give praise to God Most High
who has handed over your enemies to you.

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people, but take the possessions for yourself.”

But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand in an oath to Yahweh, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or sandal strap or anything that belongs to you, so you can never say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the servants have eaten. But as for the share of the men who came with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre—they can take their share.” Genesis 14:11-24 (HCSB)

Amorite Judgment

Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be foreigners in a land that does not belong to them; they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions. But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” Genesis 15:13-16 (HCSB)

Questions

How did God show mercy to Cain?

Why was God waiting to give the land of Israel to Abraham? Why did God tell Abraham about the wickedness of the Amorites?

What was the reason God gave for the death penalty?

Compare 2 Kings 2:2-4, Psalm 72:12-14 with Genesis 4:8-12.

Ezekiel 35:6. How does God judge those that take innocent life. Who does he use to do it? Maybe not time for this question yet. Ezekiel 7:23

Find the verses about God rescues another nations from other nations?

What does th

What does it reveal about God

What does Abrahams battle reveal to us about the other causes of war? People fight to obtain the property of others or to get their property or family returned. There is judgement that God declares and there is violence that men do where they need to be judged. So, when a person kills somebody, they are either executing God’s judgement so he doesn’t destroy everybody in the land, or he is doing out of evil desires to obtain and therefore requires death.

Do you consider Abrahams battle be considered a just war? What were factors used to make your determination?

Was the battle before it just? Why is this harder to determine? Give verse reference…

What did Abraham do to help may reduce conflict with Sodom, and the three brothers in the future?

Review

We still see the ripple effects of these teaching of interracial marriage. For example, whites can marry Hispanics and Asians, but not Africans. If you have experienced racial situations in the church resulting from corrupt racial teachings from scripture.

Additional Resources

Copan, Paul. Is God a Moral Monster Making Sense Of The Old Testament God. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011.

Evans, Tony. Are Black People Cursed? The Curse of Ham. http://www.epm.org/resources/2010/Jan/18/are-black-people-cursed-curse-ham/