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In the World–January 22, 2023

Download “In the World” for January 22, 2023 here.

EMANCIPATION FOR SLAVES

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and already many communities across America have celebrated the 160th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, a document signed by President Abraham Lincoln went into effect declaring the freedom of enslaved people living in Confederate states that were not yet in Union hands. This freedom was not realized by most slaves in the South until the conclusion of the Civil War, in 1865. Today, slavery remains a scourge in America through forced labor and sex trafficking. “I call upon businesses, civil society organizations, communities of faith, families, and all Americans,” said President Biden in a December 30, 2022, proclamation, “to recognize the vital role we play in combating human trafficking.”

EMANCIPATION FOR ALL

Through Isaiah, the Lord reminded the Jewish people that his will has always been to loose the chains of injustice, feed the hungry, and remove the yoke of oppression. In today’s passage, Isaiah declares God’s promise that those who heed his call to bring emancipation to all who are in forced labor will receive blessing and power from heaven.

  1. What was your closest encounter with slavery, forced labor, or human trafficking?
  2. How can we fight human trafficking today?
  3. Who is one person whose suffering you could alleviate this week?

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David C Cook Editorial

Author David C Cook Editorial

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