The Year of Jubilee (2)

INTRO

DISCUSSION

Purpose

What is Jubilee/Jubile?

Lev 25:10-12

Proclamation of the Jubilee

Each 7th year was a year of Sabbath (Lev 25:1-7)

After 7 Sabbath years or 49 years, the trumpet of the jubile was to sound (Lev 25:8-9)

יוֹבֵל: ram or ram’s horn; a year of remission that was inaugurated by the blowing of the ram’s horn

Proclaim freedom (Lev 25:10)

דְּרוֹר = release

Jesus came to proclaim liberty (Is 61:1; Lk 4:18-21)

But Jesus did not stop there; he also fulfilled the Jubilee principles on an entirely new level, by releasing people from physical sickness (Luke 7:22), demonic oppression (Luke 4:31–37; 8:1–2) and, above all, the debt of their sins, giving them present peace (Luke 7:36–50; 19:1–10; 24:47) and a future hope that they were members of the family of God (Luke 15:11–32).11 Jay Sklar, Leviticus: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 3 of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2013), 312.

Provisions of Jubilee

Return of land to its original owners and reunion w/ family (Lev 25:10b)

prohibition of farming (Lev 25:11-12)

land appraised in view of the Jubilee (Lev 25:13-17)

Fair to all in the business dealings (Lev 25:14, 17)

The Lord would command His blessing (Lev 25:18-22)

A poor man could sell or rent his land but it would be restored at Jubilee (Lev 25:23-28)

A city house was not returned to the original owner in Jubilee (Lev 25:29-31)

Jubilee applied to Levites’ cities (Lev 25:32-34)

Creditors were not to oppress the poor (Lev 25:35-38); lend without interest on loans so they could buy grain and seed to provide for themselves

Israelites who were enslaved to other Israelites (Lev 25:39-46)

Israelites sold to a resident alien (Lev 25:47-55)

The Jubilee allowed all Israel to have a fresh start

Practice of Jubilee

Only record of the “release” is found in Jer 34.

Zedekiah called for a release when the Babylonian siege was temporarily lifted (Jer 34:8-10)

But they changed their minds (Jer 34:11)

Jeremiah announced they would all be released—to captivity (Jer 34:12-17)

Israel did not practice it—do we practice forgiveness? Mt 18:21-35

Jubilee foretaste of the New Covenant (Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10)

Jubilee stressed God’s ownership over the earth and not man’s

Jubilee stressed the importance of family

EXHORTATION