Providing a Fresh Start
July 26
Lesson 8
Devotional Reading: Return to Richard's Sunday School Lessons
Matthew 18:21–35
Background Scripture:
Leviticus 25:1–31
Printed Text:
Leviticus 25:8–21, 23, 24
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each student will be able to:
1. Summarize the features of the year of jubilee.
2. Tell how the principles of the jubilee year can be expressed in the church.
3. State one way he or she can grant jubilee-like freedom to a brother or sister in Christ.
How to Say It
Gentiles. JEN-tiles.
Leviticus. Leh-VIT-ih-kus.
Moses. MO-zes or MO-zez.
Naaman. NAY-uh-mun.
Naboth. NAY-bawth.
Nazareth. NAZ-uh-reth.
peonage. PEA-uh-nij.
Sidonian. Sigh-DOE-nee-un.
synagogue. SIN-uh-gog.
Syrian. SEAR-ee-un.
Yahweh (Hebrew). YAH-weh.
Zelophehad. Zeh-LOW-feh-had.
Daily Bible Readings
Monday, July 20—Jesus’ Vision of Ministry (Luke 4:14–19)
Tuesday, July 21—Forgiveness and Mercy (Matthew 18:21–35)
Wednesday, July 22—Compassion and Mercy (Luke 10:25–37)
Thursday, July 23—Compassion for the Helpless (Matthew 9:35–38)
Friday, July 24—Compassion for the Bereaved (Luke 7:11–17)
Saturday, July 25—Ministry to the Needy (Matthew 25:31–40)
Sunday, July 26—The Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8–21, 23, 24)
Key Verse
Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.
—Leviticus 25:10
Introduction
A. Announcing Jubilee
At a certain point very early in Jesus’ ministry, he returned to his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:14–30). Luke reports that he went there “in the power of the Spirit,” and he went into the synagogue “as was his custom.” Isaiah the prophet was the reading for that particular Sabbath.
Jesus, considered to be a special guest, unrolled the scroll to the place we know as Isaiah 61:1, 2. There he read “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 freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18, 19). After giving the scroll back to the attendant, Jesus sat down to teach about this text. The congregation was startled to hear him say “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus had just announced a kind of “jubilee” with the beginning of his preaching, teaching, and healing ministry. In essence, he had claimed to be the Messiah, for the rabbis anticipated such a jubilee when the Messiah would come. Those gathered couldn’t believe it! “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked rhetorically. Jesus pushed back by saying “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ ” and “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.”
Jesus went on to apply his announcement of jubilee by mentioning God’s concern for Gentiles, such as the Sidonian widow (1 Kings 17:7–24) and Naaman, the Syrian leper (2 Kings 5). In other words, the genuine Messiah’s jubilee would be for the whole world, including Gentiles. This enraged the congregation to the point that they acted as an angry mob. They attempted (but failed) to cast him down from the brow of the Nazareth hill. How could Jesus’ hometown move so quickly from treating him as a special guest to having a willingness to murder him as a false prophet? Perhaps today’s study on jubilee will shed light on this question.
B. Lesson Background
The concept of Sabbath (which means “ceasing”) is built into the fabric of the story of creation (Genesis 2:1–3; see Leviticus 23:3). In six days God created the world and everything in it. On the seventh day God halted his labors and declared it a “cease day.” When God “created” Israel by delivering the nation from bondage, he provided in the wilderness a Sabbath-manna (Exodus 16). On the sixth day of the week, the people collected twice their daily need. If they went out on the Sabbath, they would find none. The people had to exercise faith with regard to the Sabbath day.
In addition to the Sabbath day was the Sabbath year, described in Exodus 23:10, 11; Leviticus 25:1–7 (just prior to today’s text); and Deuteronomy 15:1–18. Every seventh year was a Sabbath year, during which all debts had to be canceled (Deuteronomy 15:1, 2). The Year of Jubilee, what may be called “a Sabbath of the Sabbath year,” was an extension of this concept. This is where today’s lesson picks up.
I. Concept of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8–12)
A. Calculation (v. 8)
8. “ ‘Count off seven sabbaths of years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years.
A special Sabbath year must be observed every 50 years. This is known as the Year of Jubilee, as we shall see below. Its design is such that every Israelite who lives a normal lifetime will experience this special year at least once. The calculation seven times seven is obviously simple. But alongside this simplicity is the elegance of the number seven as part and parcel of the concept of Sabbath (see the Lesson Background).
B. Proclamation (v. 9)
9. “ ‘Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.
Some scholars think that the meaning of the word jubilee is literally “ram’s horn.” This makes a certain sense, due to the fact that a ram’s horn is what is to be blown to announce the jubilee. (We should not think of a trumpet here in terms of the modern brass musical instrument!)
The seventh month, in which the Day of Atonement occurs, is late September and early October to us. The designation seventh month is in reference to the cycle of the Israelite religious year, although this particular month eventually becomes the first month of the Jewish civil year. A full explanation of the Day of Atonement is found in Leviticus 16:29–34; see also 23:26–32. The greatest of releases in ancient Hebrew experience is to be the annual release of sins on this day. The tabernacle (or temple) is to be sanctified once again, and the people are to have their collective sins atoned for by means of the high priest’s sprinkling of goat blood on top of the ark covering. What better time, then, to begin the Year of Jubilee in signaling, in part, the release from debts?
Trumpeted Celebration
Trumpets are ancient instruments, having been used for a variety of purposes. Apparently, early human tribes formed shells, bamboo, or animal horns into trumpets in order to communicate with each other. Before the invention of the radio, army generals had to figure out how to communicate with their troops on the battlefield. Trumpets served this purpose (compare 1 Corinthians 14:8). Evidence suggests that trumpets were used in religious services as early as 2000 bc. Moses had two trumpets of silver made for communicating with the Israelites (Numbers 10:2).
Many of these ancient instruments were straight tubes with curved bells. Modern trumpets are “folded” instruments, consisting of several feet of tubing. Valves, developed in the early nineteenth century, divert air into side chambers, allowing precise changes in pitch. Valves greatly improve trumpets’ usefulness as musical instruments.
But even in ancient times, before trumpets had valves, trumpets were used on happy occasions of celebration. One such occasion was the Day of Atonement in the Year of Jubilee. The most joyous celebration that a trumpet will ever introduce, however, will be the return of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Expect it! —J. B. N.
C. Consecration (v. 10)
10. “ ‘Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.
The Israelite nation is built on three tiers: the household, the clan, and the tribe (see Numbers 26; Judges 6:15). Jubilee is designed to protect the household’s right to a particular piece of land (see the distribution of land in Numbers 26 and Joshua 13–21; compare Judges 21:24 and 1 Kings 21:1–3). Jubilee, the fiftieth year, is the year in which all debts are to be rescinded. Further, all Israelites who have indentured themselves into debt-slavery are to be released so they can return to their own possessions and household (extended family). What a joy! The concepts of freedom and restoration come over into the New Testament era in profound, eternal ways through Jesus (see the lesson’s Introduction).
What Do You Think?
What was a time when you longed for a fresh start? How did things turn out?
D. Restriction (vv. 11, 12)
11, 12. “ ‘The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.
What Do You Think?
How are the Passover and Year of Jubilee observances different from one another in concept? How are they similar? How do those differences and similarities speak to us today?
In addition to release from debt and the return of land, the land must lie fallow for the jubilee. It is to be a holy year, devoted to genuine rest for humans, animals, and land. No sowing is allowed, but one and all can certainly eat from the fields, meaning the open country.
II. Return During Jubilee (Leviticus 25:13–17)
A. Reclaim Family Property (v. 13)
13. “ ‘In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.
What Do You Think?
What does today’s text teach us about the use of debt, if anything?
[Proverbs 22:7 and Romans 13:8 will enrich your answer.]
This is a repeat of part of verse 10. The purpose of repeating this is to emphasize the nature of land in Israel. No one owns the land (see v. 23, below); only the use of the land, in terms of harvests, is sold (v. 16, below). So any “sale” of land is really a form of leasing. Fuller explanation follows.
B. Restrict Undue Advantage (vv. 14–17)
14. “ ‘If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him, do not take advantage of each other.
The command not to take advantage of each other is repeated in verse 17. Thus this repeated command serves as bookends for what is said next.
15, 16. “ ‘You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what he is really selling you is the number of crops.
Sale of land is to be regulated according to the number of years until a jubilee is proclaimed. The cost is calculated according to how many harvests remain before the jubilee, when the land is to be restored to ancestral ownership. The one who “buys” the land thus is leasing rather than purchasing.
The importance of family property is seen in the inquiry of Zelophehad’s five daughters in Numbers 27:1–11. Since their father died without leaving any sons, they feared their father’s name would disappear from the clan. An allowance of property to the daughters would ensure that the family name could continue. A follow-up inquiry in Numbers 36 clarifies further still what is (and is not) to happen. Thus the jubilee procedure we see spelled out here is tied closely to household, clan, and tribal identities.
Visual for Lesson 8
Point to this visual as you ask, “What biblical safeguards do we have to help us not take advantage of others?”
17. “ ‘Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God.
The exhortation not to take advantage of each other is repeated from verse 14. This exhortation is based on the fear of God that the people are to have. Thus we get the idea that economic oppression is carried out by those who do not fear God (see Proverbs 1:7).
The fact that Yahweh is their God should cause the Israelites to value their relationships with each other by not oppressing one another economically. The sad story of Naboth and his vineyard reveals that even an Israelite king is not to force a fellow Hebrew to sell family property (1 Kings 21, especially v. 3). What happened to Naboth is an example of the arrogance of power.
III. Obedience to God (Leviticus 25:18–21)
A. Mandate and Benefit (vv. 18, 19)
18. “ ‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land.
We sometimes sing the old hymn “Trust and Obey.” The Israelites are first to obey the Lord and then trust that he will provide the resources for them to live safely in the land. This is the essential message of the book of Deuteronomy (see 28:1–14 for the blessings of obedience). To disobey is to be thrust from the land (29:25–28).
What Do You Think?
Which is your usual pattern in your relationship with God: “trust, then obey,” or “obey, then trust”? What’s the difference?
19. “ ‘Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.
When God’s people obey the Lord in terms of jubilee, he blesses them beyond imagination. To practice jubilee takes faith and even courage. “Can we survive by letting the land lie fallow?” the people may ask themselves. The Lord knows such a question will pop up, so he answers it in the next verse.
B. Question and Answer (vv. 20, 21)
20, 21. “ ‘You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?” I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.’ ”
A good salesperson anticipates objections before they come up. God, the master salesman, does just that. He knows the people will hesitate to let the land lie fallow out of a concern for having enough to eat. This anxiety is not just about the jubilee year, but also concerns the Sabbath-years of Leviticus 25:1–7.
God gives a promise, and the people must trust! He fed them during all those years in the wilderness, didn’t he? As he promises food during the fallow Sabbath-years (again 25:1–7), so he promises food during the Year of Jubilee.
IV. Provision of Redemption (Leviticus 25:23, 24)
A. What Not to Do (v. 23)
23. “ ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.
Although the land is an inheritance to the Israelites (Leviticus 20:24), it ultimately belongs to God. Thus the Israelites should think of themselves as tenants. Since God is the owner, the land can only be leased, with the price being set by the number of harvests until the next jubilee.
The word aliens also appears in 1 Peter 2:11. This word speaks to the mind-set that God’s people are to have. (Contrast the use of the word entitlement that is thrown around so much today.) The aliens-and-tenants outlook is to keep the ancient Israelites from having a wrong perspective. God is the real owner of the land. Under his protection and care, the people can experience the good of the land. These facts set the standard by which they are to treat one another. Treatment of the poor and those who have had to sell themselves into debt-slavery is of special concern (see Leviticus 25:35–43, 47–53).
For our part, we must remind ourselves continually that an attachment to the things of this world is deadly. The world itself is good (Genesis 1:31), but we do not own it. The principles of this world are bad, and we are to reject them (Colossians 2:8). Either way, we should be strangers to that which passes away (1 Corinthians 7:31).
What Do You Think?
How does (or should) our perspective change when we remember that God owns all the land?
Land Ownership
As settlers from Europe began to arrive in the new world, one of the most distressing points of contention to emerge between them and the American Indians was the issue of land ownership. Many explorers representing European royalty claimed land in the name of their sovereign. In the process, these explorers ignored the native peoples already established in the land.
Sometimes settlers purchased land from the Indians; think of the (in)famous purchase of Manhattan Island for about $24 worth of trade goods. On occasion, Indian leaders protested the whole idea of buying and selling land. In the early nineteenth century, Chief Tecumseh reacted, “Why not sell the air, the clouds, the great sea?” Many Indians could not understand the concept of “owning” land. Certain tribes might have hunting rights, agricultural investment, or occupation of the land, but how could anyone own the land?
God had given the promised land to the Israelites. They had possessed it, dividing it among the 12 tribes. But God said that ownership of land could not be transferred “because the land is mine.” We would do well to apply that outlook to our own property today. Sure, we hold titles of ownership to our houses, cars, etc. And we’re free to buy and sell such things as we see fit. But it all really belongs to God; we are the stewards. —J. B. N.
B. What to Do (v. 24)
24. “ ‘Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.’ ”
Leviticus 25:23–38 discusses the details concerning the law of redemption of the land (compare Ruth 4; Jeremiah 32:6–8). Over several decades, an astute person can accumulate much land and become very wealthy. Rich landowners will have free reign with those caught in the spiral of poverty that can lead to permanent debt-slavery (the modern term for this is peonage). After selling land to pay off a debt, a person in economic distress loses the primary means of earning a living.
Jubilee prevents the land from being sold permanently (vv. 23–38) and keeps the debt-slaves from being in that condition indefinitely (vv. 39–55). In jubilee, land “ownership” reverts back and the slaves are set free. These are not rules to be sprung unfairly on someone who, unaware of jubilee provisions, has already paid for some land.
Prayer
Our Father, teach us to forgive as we have been forgiven, to give as we have been given to, and to love as we have been loved. In the comfort of your sovereign provisions and the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Conclusion
A. The Jubilee Ideal and Practice
Jubilee was to be the year in which (1) liberty was proclaimed for all Israelites who were enslaved for debt; (2) the remission of debt occurred; (3) land was restored to families who had been compelled to sell it in the previous 49 years; and (4) the land had to lie fallow. This is described fully in Leviticus 25:8–55 and referred to in Leviticus 27:16–25 and Numbers 36:4.
Jubilee thus was in large part God’s loudspeaker of care for the poor. God has always been concerned for the poor. This is why the farmer was commanded not to glean the corners of his field (Leviticus 19:9, 10; 23:22; Ruth 2:2). The harvest in such areas was to be left for the poor. Jubilee was God’s gift to the destitute and despairing, providing them a fresh start. Can this practice teach us something today?
We also may wonder if Israel ever practiced jubilee as a nation. We don’t really have any firm evidence that they did (Isaiah 37:30 is a possible reference to jubilee ideas). We know that the generation that followed Moses rebelled against God and his laws (Judges 2:10–13). The lack of reference to jubilee in the historical narratives of the Old Testament does not mean that jubilee was not practiced. That would be an argument from silence. We simply do not know.
After Solomon’s reign, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were ruled by many kings who would not have welcomed the practice of jubilee. Other ancient Near Eastern kingdoms did practice the remission of debts at the accession of a new king, but nothing exactly like jubilee. Despite its possible disuse, the prophets appeal to the jubilee ideal metaphorically as part of the coming kingdom of God (example: Isaiah 61:1–3).
B. New Testament Jubilee
The “servant” of Isaiah has a jubilee-like ministry to restore Israel to the “land” (see Isaiah 35, 42, 58, 61). Jesus saw himself as that servant when he announced his jubilee ministry to those of his hometown (see the lesson’s Introduction). But they rejected him. Even so, Jesus inaugurated his ministry with the concept of jubilee in mind; forgiveness of the sin debt and restoration of relationship to God were key features of the proclamation of the kingdom. The first-century church proclaimed Jesus’ idea of a kingdom characterized by a jubilee spirit (see Acts 4:32–37). The thought of “restoring” was jubilee vocabulary (Acts 1:6; 3:21).
As the church proclaims the eternal jubilee available in Christ, she needs to discern if she is practicing an earthly jubilee ideal as Jesus would have us do. Yet as we engage in prayer and soul searching in this regard, we will be careful not to “read into” the New Testament an Old Testament law that was operative only for ancient Israel. The jubilee principle as stated by Paul is this: “At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need Then there will be equality, as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little’ ” (2 Corinthians 8:14, 15). Practicing this ideal will be easier when we come to grips with the fact that we are “aliens and strangers” here (again, 1 Peter 2:11).
Thought to Remember
Practice both the eternal and earthly ideals of jubilee in Christ.