Monday, March 4, 2013

Jubilee

Good morning!  Today is the first day of week nine, reading the Bible through in a year together.  Our scriptures this week are:
  • Leviticus 24-25; Hebrews 9; Psalm 81
  • Lev 26-27; Heb 10; Psalm 112
  • Numbers 1-2; Heb 11; Psalm 64
  • Num 3-5; Heb 12
  • Num 6-7; Heb 13
Leviticus 25 is all about redemption.  God was aware of the human tendency to get ourselves in trouble when we fall on hard times.  Poor decisions lead to worse decisions and, in ancient times as in the modern day, people find themselves desperate for cash.  In Old Testament times, people would sell themselves into indentured servitude in order to pay their debts.  Yet, God's Word was clear that they should not be treated as slaves, but as hired workers.  Leviticus states that their time of servitude had a limit; the family would not be in bondage forever.  Every fifty years, all debts would be forgiven and all slaves would be set free.  In fact, even land "purchases" weren't really purchases but rentals--for every fifty years, on the year of Jubilee, all land would revert back to its original owner.

This was God's way of equalizing things, of leveling the playing field so that the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer couldn't continue for generations upon generations.  Today, we recognize that Jesus is our Jubilee.  He is the one who makes us all equal.  He sets us free from bondage and clears our spiritual debt to God.  The good news is that you don't have to wait fifty years in order to see His liberation.  You can  know it today, just by trusting Him as your Savior.

Below I've posted a video of Michael Card's song, Jubilee.  I hope you enjoy it.




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