Vryheid en verbond: ’n Ou-Testamentiese perspektief

Abstract

Freedom and covenant: A perspective from the Old Testament

A century after the end of the Anglo-Boer War freedom remains an important issue and some people nowadays constantly ask whether they have lost their freedom in the New South Africa. This article offers an Old Testament perspective on freedom and first of all discusses the importance of blessings and curses within the framework of the covenant. This is followed by a discussion of two passages from the Old Testament – Deuteronomy 28 and Jeremiah 34 – viewing the loss of freedom as a result of disobedience to God’s commandments. The discussion highlights the fact that political freedom could not be regarded as a basic right of a people in the time of the Old Testament. Freedom in their own land was regarded as a gift of God to Israel. To retain this freedom the people had to obey God’s commandments; otherwise this freedom could be lost. Deuteronomy 28 indicates that obedience will result in blessings, while disobedience will result in punishment. Freedom in their own land is mentioned together with the blessings and the curses. Jeremiah 34 proceeds from the same premise, but relates the loss of freedom to the people’s failure to release their slaves.