Topical Bible: The Feast of Jubilee: Called The: Year of the Redeemed

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Feast of Jubilee, also known as the Year of the Redeemed, 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 represents a time of liberation, restoration, and divine provision. The Jubilee year occurs every fiftieth year, following seven cycles of seven years, and is a time when the Israelites were commanded to observe specific practices that reflect God's justice and mercy.

Biblical Foundation

The primary scriptural basis for the Jubilee is found in Leviticus 25:8-13 : "You are to count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to forty-nine years. Then you shall sound the ram’s horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall sound the horn throughout your land. So you are to consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty in the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; each of you is to return to his property and to his clan. The fiftieth year will be a Jubilee for you; you are not to sow or reap what grows by itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a Jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You may eat only the produce from the field. In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his own property."

Key Elements of the Jubilee

1. Proclamation of Liberty: The Jubilee year is marked by the proclamation of liberty throughout the land. This includes the release of Hebrew slaves, allowing them to return to their families and ancestral lands. This act symbolizes spiritual and physical freedom, reflecting God's deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt.

2. Restoration of Property: During the Jubilee, any land that had been sold due to economic hardship was to be returned to its original family owners. This ensured that the land, which was considered a divine inheritance, remained within the family lineage, preventing the permanent loss of one's heritage and means of livelihood.

3. Rest for the Land: Similar to the sabbatical year, the land was to lie fallow during the Jubilee. This agricultural rest underscores the principle of trust in God's provision, as the people were to rely on the produce from previous years and what grew naturally.

4. Economic Reset: The Jubilee served as an economic reset, preventing the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few. It was a divine mechanism to address social inequality and ensure that every family had the opportunity to start anew.

Theological Significance

Theologically, the Jubilee is a profound expression of God's justice, mercy, and sovereignty. It is a reminder that the land and its people belong to God, and human stewardship must align with divine principles. The Jubilee foreshadows the ultimate redemption found in Christ, who proclaimed the fulfillment of the Jubilee in His ministry. In Luke 4:18-19 , Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah, declaring, "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."

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Israel, the Jubilee was a radical concept that challenged the socio-economic norms of the time. It required faith and obedience to God's commands, as it disrupted the usual economic activities and called for a reliance on divine provision. The Jubilee also reinforced the idea of community and mutual responsibility, as individuals were reminded of their interconnectedness and the importance of supporting one another.

Modern Reflections

While the literal observance of the Jubilee is not practiced in contemporary times, its principles continue to inspire discussions on social justice, economic equity, and environmental stewardship within Christian communities. The Jubilee serves as a model for addressing systemic inequalities and advocating for policies that reflect God's heart for justice and compassion.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 63:4
For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... At this year Moses begins his jubilee, by which, as ... from the dead, which also is
therefore called the Lord's ... greatest sins, that he ordained a feast from the ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

Beauty for Ashes
... the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of ... He, too, publishes a
jubilee for bankrupt and enslaved ... a mess to each of his brethren at the feast. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/beauty for ashes.htm

Heavenly Contemplation Exemplified, and the Whole Work Concluded.
... every month is harvest, every year is a jubilee, every day ... Here is a feast for thine
eyes and all the powers ... for harvest,' and then thou shalt be called to reap ...
/.../the saints everlasting rest/chapter xvi heavenly contemplation exemplified.htm

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... the feast of Pentecost, and the feast of Tabernacles ... understood Jewish slavery,
(as it is called,) "affirm that ... to serve him until the year of Jubilee, when all ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

Huss and Jerome.
... On the occasion of a jubilee, he went to confession ... Being called upon for his final
decision, Huss declared his ... fire as if they were going to a marriage feast. ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /6 huss and jerome.htm

Huss and Jerome
... On the occasion of a jubilee he went to confession ... Being called upon for his final
decision, Huss declared his ... fire as if they were going to a marriage feast. ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 6 huss and jerome.htm

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... who had the name of God called upon them ... returning every seventh day: the periodic
feast of unleavened ... reckoned by seven: the year of jubilee, occurring always ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

What Messiah did the Jews Expect?
... His history: Out of Egypt have I called my Son ... that the seventy bullocks offered
during the Feast of Tabernacles ... or end, of the eighty-fifth Jubilee - with this ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v what messiah did.htm

Paul's Desire to Depart
... been other men, who with a so called philosophic spirit ... guest of devils; I am going
to feast with fiends ... the sounding of the silver trumpet of jubilee rings this ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/pauls desire to depart.htm

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
... scriptural knowledge, spiritualizes the day of jubilee as a ... as Priest; as Advocate,
pleads for the called only. ... of them that Christ hath redeemed and forgiven ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the work of jesus christ.htm