Topical Bible: The Feast of Jubilee: Held Every Fiftieth Year

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Feast of Jubilee, also known simply as the Jubilee, is a significant event in the biblical calendar, occurring every fiftieth year. It is a time of liberation, restoration, and rest, deeply rooted in the covenantal relationship between God and the people of Israel. The Jubilee is primarily outlined in the Book of Leviticus, where its observance is commanded and its purposes are detailed.

Biblical Foundation

The primary scriptural basis for the Jubilee is found in Leviticus 25:8-12 : "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 your Jubilee, when each of you is to return to his property and to his clan. The fiftieth year will be a Jubilee to you; you are not to sow or reap what grows by itself or harvest the untended vines."

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. It is a powerful symbol of freedom and a reminder of God's deliverance of Israel from bondage in Egypt.

2. Restoration of Property: During the Jubilee, land that had been sold or lost due to debt is to be returned to its original family owners. This restoration ensures that the economic balance is maintained and prevents the permanent loss of family inheritance, reflecting God's provision and care for His people.

3. Rest for the Land: The Jubilee year is also a sabbatical year for the land, during which no sowing or reaping is to occur. This rest for the land underscores the principle of trust in God's provision and the acknowledgment of His sovereignty over creation.

4. Social and Economic Reset: The Jubilee serves as a societal reset, addressing economic disparities and preventing the accumulation of wealth and power in the hands of a few. It promotes social justice and equity, aligning with the biblical principles of compassion and care for the marginalized.

Theological Significance

The Jubilee is a profound expression of God's justice, mercy, and faithfulness. It reflects the divine order and the ideal of a society where relationships are restored, and God's people live in harmony with one another and the land. The Jubilee points to the ultimate redemption and restoration that God promises, foreshadowing the eschatological hope found in the New Testament.

New Testament Reflection

While the specific observance of the Jubilee is not reiterated in the New Testament, its themes resonate throughout the teachings of Jesus Christ. 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." This proclamation echoes the Jubilee's themes of liberation and restoration, positioning Jesus as the fulfillment of the Jubilee's promise.

Historical Observance

The historical observance of the Jubilee in ancient Israel is a subject of scholarly debate, with limited evidence of its regular implementation. However, its principles have had a lasting impact on Judeo-Christian thought and ethics, influencing concepts of justice, mercy, and economic fairness.

In summary, the Feast of Jubilee is a divinely instituted time of renewal and restoration, deeply embedded in the biblical narrative and reflective of God's character and His intentions for His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Leviticus 25:8,10
And you shall number seven sabbaths of years to you, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty and nine years.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... the feast of Pentecost, and the feast of Tabernacles ... Hebrew law, but they are also
illegally held in bondage. ... inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... At this year Moses begins his jubilee, by which, as ... the time of the apostles, have
still held the commandment ... greatest sins, that he ordained a feast from the ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm

The Book of Jubilees
... In the case of the feast of Tabernacles, no mention is ... and in prison for three years,
and held supremacy in ... week (year-week) of the forty-sixth jubilee," AD2242 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of jubilees.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... he is pure from sin?" And we are held guilty after ... Hebrews had the same Passover,
the same Feast of Tabernacles ... of persons, and in the year of Jubilee all debts ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm