Leviticus—Jubilee!
03.16.22
For I am the LORD that brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy. (Leviticus 11:45)
Last week we pondered the Jewish festivals that are described in the book of Leviticus. Each of them points to a fulfillment of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, from His death on the cross to the Millennial Kingdom.
Another major component of the book is the various offerings commanded to be offered by the Jewish people. Each of these also points to the Person and work of Christ in His sinless life and His submission to the Father.
The first three offerings are voluntary. These include the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the peace offering. Christ’s sinless life is reflected in these offerings.
The last two offerings are compulsory. They include the sin offering and the trespass offering and point to Christ as our sin-bearer. He took our sin in order that we might have His righteousness. What an exchange!
These offerings serve two purposes. First, they burn into the conscience of man the seriousness of sin. Second, they present an age-long picture of the coming sacrifice of Christ once-for all upon Calvary’s cross.
Another important topic in Leviticus is the Sabbath, which refers to cessation of work, or rest. This is based on the fact the God rested the seventh day after the creation of the world in six days. There are various Sabbaths, but each of them point to the Lord Jesus who alone can give rest to the soul (Hebrews 4:8-16).
There is the weekly Sabbath which is the seventh day of each week, Saturday.
There is also a Sabbath Year. Every seventh year, the land was to lie fallow. No sowing was to be done. God promised to give a bounty in each sixth year that would last until the next harvest two years later.
Then there is the Year of Jubilee. Every fiftieth year was to be another fallow year. Thus years forty-nine and fifty would both be fallow. Could God provide for the people when they didn’t harvest two years running? Of course He could and He did!
During this special year, bond-slaves were set free, debts were forgiven, and people gained back their lands lost to financial hardship. In this way no one would become too rich, and no one would ever be too poor.
The founders of our nation, looking to the Bible as a guide, imprinted the words of the Jubilee on the Liberty Bell: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” (Leviticus 25:10)
The Year of Jubilee ceased to be observed in Israel after its destruction by the Romans in 70 AD. It began to be observed again in 1997-1998, fifty years after the re-recognition of Israel as a nation in 1948.
The main three purposes of the Sabbath and the Jubilee were to remind Israel that its land belonged to the LORD, to prevent covetousness, and to inhibit poverty. All of these things point to Christ the Savior to all who are willing to observe.
The history of Israel can be traced by God’s blessing when they were obedient and His chastisement when they failed to follow the LORD.