Every fiftieth year in Israel’s chronology (her long-term calendar) … God’s people were to observe a special time of “Jubilee.” (Yes, really twelve full months!)
The land must rest!
And any “leased” land must revert to its original owner!
When this idea (Law of God) is instituted, the rich can’t get richer and the poor become poorer! Not for long, anyway. The financial playing field is leveled every fifty years! (God is quite the Economist!)
I am sure by now someone is wondering … “What’s all this got to do with JESUS?” As the Lesson Title suggests.
It centers on His first Sermon, recorded in Luke chapter 4. We know His Text for that Occasion, too! He may have personally selected it, or it may have been the ” Scripture Reading” for that particular Sabbath Day.
Here’s Luke’s Account … “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Luke 4:16, notice that Jesus “customarily” went to the synagogue! Like we should “customarily” go to God’s House as well.
He was asked by the ruler of the synagogue (a blended Greek term literally meaning “to come together”) … to read God’s Word and then (usually) time was given to offer comments on that Portion of God’s Word.
That Old Testament Selection … Isaiah 61:1-2, a part of verse 2 at least. Our Saviour stopped mid-verse there, for a reason. The Passage implies (no it declares) that when Messiah comes … the “Year of Jubilee” will be fulfilled! And Jesus is that Messiah!
Out of our Lord’s Mouth followed these Words, given to Isaiah given hundred years earlier … “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Beautiful, sublime!
The Year of Jubilee was designed by God especially to minister to the “meek,” to the “brokenhearted,” to the “captives,” and to the “bound!” Liberation!
Luke has it: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19, essentially the same as Isaiah, but watch the slight vocabulary variations! Still “Year of Jubilee” language, though.
Jesus, while on earth, lived His Life (and died His vicarious Death) … as a Living Manifestation of the “Year of Jubilee!”
That’s why we sing about His “setting the captives free!”
But how do we KNOW Jesus was thinking this way, His being very “Jubilee?” He said so, during that Sermon!
“And he (Jesus) closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister (ruler of the synagogue), and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, THIS DAY IS THIS SCRIPTURE FULFILLED IN YOUR EARS.”Wow, Luke 4:20-21.
Jesus … Jubilee!
Another song now, “He set me free!”
Then a Hebrew word, “HALLELUJAH!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
When Jesus comes again to this earth, to reign a thousand years, He will institute the Year of Jubilee officially, personally. But this one will last a millennium, not just a few months! (No fighting over Land, then!)
“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20
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