This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 Jn. 3:16 NIV).
Jacob lifted Anna, spun her around, and lightly set her down. “Oh Jacob,” his wife smiled and gently stroked his ear. “How I love you.”
The touch on his ear took Jacob back to the day the awl pierced it. Six years of serving his master and five years of loving his wife had made the decision between freedom and Anna easy. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his days serving his master and loving his bride.
Your Husband Loves You: Look at His Ear
Under Old Testament law, a Hebrew could sell himself into slavery to pay his debts. The Mosaic Law limited his service to six years. If his master provided a wife while he was a slave, then his wife and any children born during his servitude belonged to the master. The day he gained his freedom would be the day he said good-bye to his family.
“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life” (Exodus 2:5-6 NIV).
A slave’s pierced ear showed he’d chosen slavery with his wife over freedom without her.
The Psalmist used this custom to describe devotion to the Lord. “Opened” can be translated pierced as it is in Psalm 22:16: “they pierced my hands and my feet.”
‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened [pierced with an awl]’” (Ps. 40:6, 8 NIV).
Jesus Loves Me: Look at His Scars
Christ changed one line when He quoted this verse. The late Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee explained that Jesus was showing that His body, not His ear, was pierced for us (Is. 53:5 NIV).
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;...’“Then I said, ‘Here I am— …I have come to do your will, my God’…
“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:5-7, 10 NIV; the phrase Jesus changed is italicized).
If a slave’s pierced ear showed his devotion to his wife and master, how much more does Jesus’ pierced body show His love for His Father and for us, His bride. When the wife of a slave who’d sacrificed his freedom for her questioned her husband’s love, she had only to look at his pierced ear. If we ever feel unloved, we need only look at Christ’s pierced body.
Jesus’ scars say, “I love you!”
If a slave’s pierced ear showed his devotion to his wife, how much more does Jesus’ pierced body show His love for us. #Devotional, #JesusLoveYou Click To TweetThen he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe’” (Jn. 20:27 NIV).
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Blessings,
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What a great lesson you teach here, Debbie. A great comparison between a small wound of devotion–and great ones.
Thank you, Nancy. I love seeing how OT customs point to Jesus.
So beautiful and I love that you explained the meaning of opened and pierced. That really opens this scripture up! Thank you Debbie.
Ann, I love learning how OT customs point to Christ and help us appreciate how much He has done for us. Blessings to you!
We are loved by Him. What a glorious feeling to know He loves us forever!
Amen! Thank you, Melissa.
Isn’t it a beautiful thing that He demonstrates His love in tangible ways? His grace is so good!! He opens His hands and extends Himself towards us to woo our way wards hearts and for that I am grateful.
Yes, Mariel. Reminds me of the song, “How Beautiful.”
Loved your example. It takes a great love for someone to sacrifice freedom for us, an even greater love to give their life. Our military, law enforcement, fire fighters, and others put their lives in danger each day to protect us. They always have the hope of successfully doing their job and living a productive life as well. But, Jesus…Our Lord CHOSE to give himself for us, knew His destiny, and still went through with it. Oh, how much He loves us! Thanks for your uplifting post, Debbie.
Katherine, thank you for summing it us so well! Yes, He left heaven to come and rescue us and then give His life. What a Savior!!
Incredible comparison. Powerful teaching. Thanks, Debbie.
Thank you, Yvonne!
Debbie, I knew parts of your historical explanation, but I learned new facts, too, which will serve to give me a deeper understanding of the sacrifice of Jesus which pays for my sin. Thank you for sharing facts and then applying them to our hearts.
Thank you, Jeannie. It thrills me to see how all the details of scripture point to Jesus.
Sure makes one stop and ask themselves how deeply their love for God is. Wonderful post Ms. Debbie. Causes us to think, reflect, and brings us to prayer ma’am.
It certainly does, J.D. Thank you. What a Savior!
Wonderful post!
Thank you, Susan.
Such a great example. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Barbara!
Debbie, you shared so beautifully the correlation between an indentured servant in the OT and Jesus with the scars He bears that reveal His love for us. I had never put those two aspects together before. Thank you for helping me see yet more evidence of God’s love for me.
Thank you, Jeanne. I appreciate the great length God has gone to show us His love.
This is an illuminating perspective, Debbie. Thanks for sharing, “If a slave’s pierced ear showed his devotion to his wife and master, how much more does Jesus’ pierced body show His love for His Father and for us, His bride. If we ever feel unloved, we need only look at Christ’s pierced body.”
Lisa, thanks for reading!
You hit it out of the park again! I had never thought of these things you have written about. You blessed my life today!
Thank you, Kelly! Glory to God!
Thanks sharing this article and information such a amazing