ADONAI – THE OWNER AND MASTER OF SLAVES

“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Lord God (Adonai Jehovah), what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” 5 Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Gen 15:1-6).

We have studied three of the names of God: Elohim (God), the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe; Jehovah (LORD), the masculine side of God, the God of personal covenant; El Shaddai (Almighty God), the feminine side of God, All-sufficient God of overflow. Each of these names show a side of God’s character. We shall now study God’s name Adonai. In the Bible it is written as The Lord (in small letters, with only the first in capital). The word Adonai means Owner, Sovereign Ruler and Master (of slaves). Like Elohim, the word “Adonai” is in plural (The Lords). It is a revelation of Trinity. The title Master does not mean oppression but reveals God as totally responsible for all who depend on Him (the slaves). This name requires not only worship but total obedience to His commands and dedication in serving God. The name Adonai as God appears about 300 times in the Bible. The same word Adonai applies to men who are wealthy and leaders. It is translated “Master”. For example, Eliezer prayed to God and called Abraham My master (My Adonai). “Then he said, “O Lord God of my master (My Adonai) Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master (My Adonai) Abraham” (Gen 24:12).

“After these things…” refers to the events in Genesis 14, where Abram rescues Lot and encounters Melchizedek. The context is significant as it sets the stage for God’s covenant with Abram. The Word of the LORD (Jehovah) came to Abram in a vision. This is a supernatural revelation, showing that God communicates directly with Abram, who is a type of a born-again believer in Christ. God commands Abram: “Do not be afraid!”.  Fear is a strong unpleasant emotion in the presence of danger. Fear is stronger during or after war. God encourages Abram’s potential fears about retaliation or uncertainty about his future. Abram rejected the wealth offered by the King of Sodom. That may cause regrets and fears of poverty. But God commands him to fear not. He will protect and provide for him. God is telling Abram not to look for children, lands or material possessions. He should desire a personal relationship with God, which is the greatest treasure and reward. Lesson: We reject the fear of the future! Our prosperity and protection are from God Himself.

Abram addresses God as “Lord God”. In Hebrew, it means Adonai Jehovah! God’s name Adonai means that God is the Owner of all people. He is the Master of slaves. This title does not show God as a tyrant but as the Sovereign Ruler over all. Adonai is responsible for the lives and death of all His slaves. To be a slave under Adonai is a privilege. In Israel at that time, a purchased slave was in a better position than a hired servant. The servant could come and go. He was not settled. But the purchased slave was the property of the master who decided how and where he should live, safe and secure in his master’s house. Adonai implies total ownership. He demands total surrender and submission. Adonai punishes rebellion. The two names Adonai Jehovah combines the name Master with God’s personal name. It shows that Abram addresses God with surrender, humility, and respect in a personal intimate relationship with God. Abram recognizes God’s authority and Love to him. At that time, a son was very important to continue the legacy of the father. Abram believed God’s promises, but he needs clarity how to adjust his faith to the present circumstances, as a man without a son. There is conflict between the faith in God’s promises and the present reality of childlessness. Abram suggests Eliezer of Damascus as a potential heir. In ancient times, if a man had no children, he could adopt a good faithful servant to be his heir. Later, Abram suggests Ishmael. But God rejects both and confirms the promise that Abram and Sarai will have a son at their old age. God kept his promise, and Isaac was born when Abram was 100 and Sarai was 90. Lessons: Abram’s question to God shows that even the faithful can experience doubt. Bring all our concerns to God in prayer, trusting in His promises. Abram’s situation teaches us the importance of waiting on God’s timing. His promises may not be fulfilled immediately but, they are sure. As Abram wanted a son to continue his legacy, we must desire spiritual fruit to continue our own legacies.

God’s name is His weapon of War. God’s name is to be hallowed! Adonai promises Abraham that He will personally protect Him to live long enough to “enjoy his reward, his harvest”. Adonai destroys the fear of untimely death. Adonai is sovereign! “Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand” (Deut. 32:39). Here God speaks as Adonai. He is the only God. Judaism is a monotheistic religion. God has total power over life and death. He is sovereign over His creation. Death means Judgment and life means Mercy. The power of Life and death is ultimately fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins and resurrected on the third Day. He conquered death and gave us eternal Life. Adonai wounds and heals. He disciplines His people and restores them back to health. God manifests His redemption purpose even in judgement. God promises that none can deliver from His hand. It means that there is no power in the universe that can stop His will or stop His judgment. No rebellious person can avoid God’s judgment. At the same time, no one can snatch a faithful believer from His Hand. He is totally protected. Nothing separates us from His Love. Adonai is sovereign over all! God is sovereign over life and death. In times of suffering or illness, seek His healing and trust in His wisdom. Trust God’s plans and purposes in total obedience, with devotion and worship of the only living God.

God brought Abram outside from his tent. This is a change of perspective, from the limitation of man-made tent to the expanse of the open sky. There is a shift from a limited human understanding to the limitless faith to trust God’s great promises. God tells Abram: Look now toward heaven! Looking to the night sky, with the many stars, God reveals His glory to Abram. “The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Ps 19:1). God wants Abram to remove his attention from man-made things and gaze at the glory of God, to see the invisible things. Abram must increase his faith to trust the promises of God. God tells Abram to count the stars because they represent his uncountable descendants. The impossibility of counting the stars shows the miraculous nature of God’s promise. Abram becomes the father of many descendants including the Nation of Isreal and all believers in Christ, who are Abram’s children by faith. Lessons: The imagery of the stars reminds us of God’s sovereignty and power. Abram’s story teaches us to trust in God’s promises, even when circumstances seem impossible. Our faith should rest in God’s faithfulness, not in our understanding. God’s promises often require patience. Abram had to wait many years to see the fulfillment of God’s promise. We must learn to trust God’s timing, which is perfect.

Abraham believed God and it counted to him as righteousness. Abram’s faith is significant because it is not based on visible evidence and occurs before the fulfillment of these promises, demonstrating trust in God’s pure word. The term “credited” is an accounting term, indicating that something is reckoned or counted. This concept of crediting righteousness is important in understanding the doctrine of justification by faith, which is a foundation of Christian theology. It suggests that righteousness is not earned by works but is granted by God through faith in Christ. True faith involves trust and reliance on God’s promises and is the pattern of saving faith in Christ!

“A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?” (Mal1:6). The servants and slaves must honor and respect their Master. This respect is a token of our deep respect towards God, Adonai, who is our Father and Master. God charges His people and the priests telling them that they do not respect Him. This is a sin. It shows that God’s people do not fear God, do not love God. They ignore God’s Word. God speaks here as The Lord of Hosts, the God of the heavenly armies, who has the authority and right to judge all offenders. The priests were the spiritual leaders in Isreal. It was their duty to stand before God and the people, to lead them to worship God. But they despised God’s name, breaking of the third Commandment. They even challenge God saying: “In what way have we despised Your Name?” They were preaching God’s Word but were totally ignorant of their sins and of God’s expectations. Lessons: God deserves honor and reverence as our Father and Master. Spiritual leaders are held to a higher standard of honoring God. Search your heart! Do you truly reverence and fear God or your prayers and worship are mere routine religious acts?

In Ancient Isreal, the relationship between Master and his slave was a close one. The Master was totally responsible for the care of his slave. He was obligated to feed, cure sickness, and help his slave. The male slave was circumcised by his master and could eat from the Passover meal. It was not the same with the hired men who were paid for their work and were not counted as members of the family. “And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it” (Exo 12:43-45). If the master did not have a son, his slave could inherit his possessions (Gen 15:2; 24:2-10).

In both the Old and the New Testaments, each time the people addressed Adonai, they call themselves “Your Servant”. In both Hebrew and Greek, the word “servant” is also “slave”. The servant is faithful and totally dedicated to his master’s will. The relationship between God and servant is that of humility, submission and total obedience. The servant sees himself as Adonai’s property, bought with the Blood of Jesus. He knows that Adonai can do anything with and for him. He belongs to God! Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets and Apostle were God’s servants. They point to our Lord Jesus Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve. David prays: “I am Your servant; give me understanding [the ability to learn and a teachable heart] That I may know Your testimonies” (Ps 119:125). Lessons: as servants of God, we approach God with humility and a willingness to gain wisdom, learn God’s Word, and to mature spiritually. God desires to have a personal relationship with us. His Word and promises are sure. God protects us during all spiritual and physical battles. As Abram trusted and obeyed God, we too must do the same! God, the Creator, is not merely a giver of gifts, but is Himself the chief blessing to man. No earthly treasure can fully satisfy us. God tells Abram that He is his shield, his total divine protection. He is also Abram great reward The greatest treasure anyone can have is God Himself. The revelation of God as our reward deepens our prayer life and worship!

THE SLAVE IS LORD OVER ALL

“But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk 10:42-45).

James and John asked for position of honor when Jesus comes in glory. The other disciples got angry. Jesus gathers them and teaches them principles of His Kingdom. Jesus does not condemn the desire for greatness, but he redefines it. At that time, greatness was associated with power, wealth, and status. But true greatness in the Kingdom of God is measured differently. Jesus points to the Gentile rulers. These can be the Roman or local leaders. They are seen as oppressive and harsh, misusing their power and authority for selfish gain. In the world, authority is maintained through force and fear. Jesus introduces a new style of leadership. As followers of Christ, we emulate His example of love, humility and service in all areas of life. Church leaders are encouraged to lead with a servant’s heart, prioritizing the well-being of their congregation over their personal gain. Jesus states, “So, the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matt 20:16). This reflects the upside-down nature of God’s kingdom, where humility and service are exalted over worldly power. Slavery was a common institution in the Roman world, associated with a lack of freedom and dignity. However, Jesus uses this imagery to illustrate the radical call to servanthood in His kingdom. Building a servant’s heart requires willingness to put others’ needs before our own. It focuses on eternal values, storing up treasures in heaven rather than seeking earthly recognition. We must be like Jesus who was the perfect servant/leader (Philipp 2).

BONDSERVANTS AND MASTERS

“Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; 6 not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him” (Eph 6:5-9).

In the Roman Empire, slavery was a common institution, and slaves were considered part of the household. The term “slaves” here refers to bondservants, who were often employed as household servants or skilled laborers. We can apply these instructions to all relationships between employees and their bosses. The instruction to “obey” is the same as general submission to authority. Paul discusses submission to government authorities (Rom 13:1-7). This command does not endorse the institution of slavery but addresses the reality of the social structure at the time, encouraging Christian slaves to live out their faith within their circumstances. The words ‘respect and fear’ suggest an attitude of reverence, honor and submission towards those in authority. This mirrors the biblical principle of fearing God where the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (PV 1:7). The respect and fear here are not rooted in terror but in a recognition of the authority structure established by God. Servants are instructed to submit to their masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust (1Pet 2:18). “Sincerity of heart” implies a genuine and wholehearted approach to service, free from hypocrisy. The call for sincerity reflects the Christian principle of integrity, where actions are consistent with inner beliefs and values. It reflects the believer’s relationship with Christ, who sees beyond outward actions to the heart’s intentions. This is the general principle, that in every interaction, Christians are to relate to one another as though serving the Lord. Our sincere motivation for serving people comes from deep respect and reverence for the Lord. Obeying Christ elevates the act of service to a spiritual level, suggesting that serving earthly masters is ultimately an act of worship to Christ.  Believers are encouraged to work zealously as for the Lord and not for men. Christians believe that all work, when done for the Lord, has eternal significance.  Serving others is equated with serving Christ Himself (Matt 25:40). This perspective transforms all ordinary tasks into opportunities for spiritual growth and witness. The call here to the slaves is to rise above mere eye-service, which is superficial and insincere. No matter his status in life, a child of God serves Christ even when he serves man. Whether we serve in ministry, work in a church, or labor for a secular company, we must see our workplace as God’s appointed mission field. Performing eye-service to please men is doing just enough to keep the job. Even unbelievers can do that. Believers are called to go deeper. God wants our total heart commitment to present our bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Rom 12:1). A Christian with the right attitude and work ethic shines bright as a model employee for the glory of God (1Cor 6:20; 10:31; Philipp 1:20). Worship the Lord!