Topical Bible: The Feast of Jubilee: Began Upon the Day of Atonement

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Feast of Jubilee, also known simply as the Jubilee, is a significant event in the biblical calendar, deeply rooted in the laws given to the Israelites. It is primarily detailed in the Book of Leviticus and is a time of liberation and restoration, reflecting God's desire for justice, mercy, and social equality among His people.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the Jubilee is introduced in Leviticus 25:8-12, where God commands the Israelites to count off seven sabbatical years, totaling forty-nine years. The fiftieth year is then proclaimed as the Jubilee year. The Jubilee begins on the Day of Atonement, a solemn day of repentance and reconciliation with God. Leviticus 25:9 states, "Then you are to sound the horn loudly in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month; on the Day of Atonement you shall sound the horn throughout your land."

Significance and Observance

The Jubilee year is marked by several key features:

1. Rest for the Land: Similar to the sabbatical year, the land is to lie fallow during the Jubilee. This rest for the land underscores the principle that the earth belongs to God, and His people are stewards of His creation.

2. Release of Debts and Slaves: One of the most profound aspects of the Jubilee is the release of debts and the liberation of Hebrew slaves. Leviticus 25:10 declares, "And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan."

3. Restoration of Property: The Jubilee ensures that land sold due to economic hardship is returned to its original family owners. This provision prevents the permanent loss of ancestral inheritance and promotes economic balance within the community.

Theological Implications

The Jubilee reflects God's heart for justice and compassion. It serves as a reminder that all people are equal before God and that His laws are designed to prevent the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few. The Jubilee is a time of renewal, where relationships are restored, and the community is realigned with God's intentions for His people.

Symbolism and Messianic Fulfillment

The Jubilee holds deep symbolic meaning, pointing to the ultimate redemption and freedom found in Jesus Christ. In Luke 4:18-19 , Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah, proclaiming, "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." This declaration is seen as a fulfillment of the Jubilee's promise, offering spiritual liberation and restoration through Christ.

Cultural and Historical Context

While the Jubilee was a commandment given to the Israelites, its full observance in history is debated among scholars. The principles of the Jubilee, however, have had a lasting impact on Judeo-Christian thought, influencing concepts of justice, economic fairness, and social responsibility.

In summary, the Feast of Jubilee, beginning on the Day of Atonement, is a profound biblical institution that embodies God's desire for freedom, restoration, and equality among His people. It serves as a powerful reminder of the divine principles of justice and mercy that are to govern human relationships and society.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 25:9
Then shall you cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall you make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Book of Jubilees
... Taking for granted that a new jubilee began at the ... the sabbatical year and the year
of jubilee, by the ... The Passover and the feast of Tabernacles lasted each of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of jubilees.htm

The Worship of the Synagogue
... some, three and a-half years (half a Jubilee-period ... The first reader began, and the
last closed, with a ... the synagogues, not only on Sabbaths and feast-days, but ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 17 the worship of.htm

The Pentateuch.
... us, the whole course of human life began to be ... connection with this the establishment
of the feast of the ... the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee (chaps.22 ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xix the pentateuch.htm

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... Passover, the feast of Pentecost, and the feast of Tabernacles ... the inhabitants thereof:
it shall be a jubilee unto you ... ratio as light is pouring in upon her on ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

Doctrine and Discipline of the Church
... the episcopal power to its own, the Papacy began to grant ... was the establishment of
the year of Jubilee in 1300 ... Saturdays and the vigils of all feast days came ...
/.../medley/the church and the empire/chapter xi doctrine and discipline.htm

Exposition of the Doctrines of Grace
... mortal,"the sentence of death was pronounced upon him, and ... the fair and beautiful
and glorious creature began to fade ... in him, and have from that day to this ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/exposition of the doctrines of.htm

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
... profound scriptural knowledge, spiritualizes the day of jubilee as a ... we will have
comfort in a day of trouble ... a sacrifice, our sins were laid upon him (Isaiah ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the work of jesus christ.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... manner of vice, and especially that was the day that I ... sermon was ended, with a great
burthen upon my spirit. ... before I had well dined, the trouble began to go ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm

Israel's Hope Encouraged;
... the discovery of the Popish plot, for then we began to fear ... True hope, in the right
exercise of it upon God, makes ... God has called me; surely it is to a feast. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/israels hope encouraged.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... words, it seems that darkness and light began the quarrel ... the sabbath of years, and
the great jubilee, which is ... In the day," to insist principally upon them in ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm