Jehovah Provides for Your Liberty

"You must . . . proclaim liberty in the land to all its inhabitants." - LEVITICUS 25:10.

IN SOME countries, special celebrations are arranged to mark the 50th year of the reign of a king or queen.  That 50th year is often known as the sovereign's jubilee year.  The festivities that accompany the jubilee might  go on for a day, a week, or even longer, but they eventually come to an end, and the joy they brought is soon forgotten. 

We will examine a better jubilee, even better than the year-long festival that was proclaimed every 50 years in ancient Israel. That ancient Jubilee brought liberty to the people who observed it. Why is that of interest to us today? Because Israel's Jubilee year reminds us of a wonderful provision for lasting liberty that Jehovah is making even now, liberty that Jesus spoke about. - Read LUKE 4:16-18.


We can better understand what Jesus meant when he spoke of liberty by first considering the Jubilee that God arranged for his ancient people. Jehovah told the Israelites: "You must sanctify  the 50th year and proclaim liberty in the land to all  its inhabitants. It will become a Jubilee for you, and each of you will return to his property and each of you should return to his family." (Read Leviticus 25:8-12) In the preceding, we considered how the Israelites benefited from the weekly   Sabbath.  How, though, did the Israelites benefit from the Jubilee?  Well, suppose an Israelite had fallen into debt and, as a result, had been forced to sell his land to pa off the debt. During the Jubilee year, that land was to be returned to him. Therefore, the man could "return to his property," the future  inheritance of his children would not be lost.  In another case, a man who fell on hard times might have to sell one of his children-or even himself-into slavery in order to pay a debt. During the Jubilee  year, the slave was to "return to his family."  So no one  would become a slave permanently with no hope!  How thoughtful of Jehovah.

What was another benefit of the Jubilee!  Jehovah explained: "No one among you  should become poor, for Jehovah will surely bless you in the land that Jehovah God is giving you to possess as an inheritance."  (Deuteronomy 15:4) What a contrast to what is happening in the world today, where the rich often get richer and the poor, poorer!

As Christians, we are not under the Mosaic Law. This means that we are not holding tot he ancient Jubilee arrangement about freeing slaves, forgiving debts, and returning inherited land.  (Romans 7:4; 10:4; Ephesians 2:15)  Nonetheless, we have reason to be interested din the Jubilee. Why?  Because we can enjoy liberty, or freedom, that reminds us of what Jehovah set in place for the Israelites.

Next time: Jehovah Provides for Your Liberty - JESUS PROCLAIMED LIBERTY

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