DCLM Adults Search THE YEAR OF JUBILEE Lesson 81,
Text: Leviticus 25:1-55
Our God is loving, merciful, and caring and executes justice and fairness. reigns and rules in the affairs of His people. This is the reason He set forth certain regulations and laws to govern the life of His people after their deliverance from Egypt. These laws were to enhance their fellowship with God as well as guide their relationship with one another. Complete obedience to God’s command will attract His blessings while disobedience will lead to punishment and loss of favour from Him.
The freedom to respond to the call of God for them to turn from bad ways and accept Jesus as their Lord Saviour. For the Son shall make free, ye shall be true” (John 8:36). The word of God is the truth that sets free. As you hear the r e s p o n d positively to it, you will be free. True freedom will then help dedicate your life to God and serve Him faithfully and acceptably all the days of your life.
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PROVISION FOR THE YEAR OF JUBILEE: Leviticus 25: 1-55
The land that God promised to give Israel was a holy and sacred land. This was the reason God gave them special regulations concerning the land. There are two parts to this regulation.
(I) The sabbatical year — Leviticus 23:1-7. This comes every seventh year. This seventh year was to be set apart as a year of rest for the land. All agricultural processes were to be suspended and the land was to lie fallow. This will help the land to recover and become more fruitful. Whatever grew of itself was to be shared by all. God encouraged the people to share His bountiful provision with one another to show their dependence on Him. This instruction is still relevant to us today.
Firstly, we have to always observe a time of rest in order to restore the energy we have spent doing one activity or the other. secondly, we are to solely depend on God for provision of all our needs because the Bible assures that my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4: 19).
(ii) The year of Jubilee — Leviticus 25:8-19. The word jubilee means liberty or freedom. The year of jubilee was to be celebrated every fiftieth year. The year was to be announced by the blowing of the trumpet.
Three features characterise the year of Jubilee.
(a) All properties that had been sold were to be returned to their original owners/ families.
(b) The land was to be left uncultivated for the whole year for God has promised double provision for them.
(c) All Israelite slaves were to be set free.
This was a period to show mercy and kindness to one another, especially to the poor and the slaves including strangers. Today we are not required to celebrate the feast of jubilee as it was in the Old Testament. However, every born-again child must daily celebrate his freedom from sin and eternal death.
Are you saved? If yes, then do you have the record of the day or period when you accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Friend? If yes, you have reason to celebrate. If your answer is no, then you are still a slave to sin and Satan. Jesus has come to set you free. All you need do is to repent and confess your sins to Him. Ask for forgiveness and cleansing through His blood. Accept Him as Your Lord and Saviour. This step of faith will bring into your life, hope, peace and joy of the Lord. Always remember this period as your time of jubilee.
- PURPOSE OF THE YEAR OF JUBILEE: Leviticus 25:1-55; John 8:31-36
God’s purpose in instituting this special year was to guarantee justice and to keep the rich from gathering wealth and land at the expense of the poor. Also, these laws ensured that God’s people set aside time to acknowledge Him as the giver of all good things. Other reasons for the celebration of the Year of Jubilee include:
(i) Re-uniting family members who had been separated for a long time.
(ii) Celebration of freedom from slavery and bondage.
(iii) Establishing a closer relationship with God.
(iv) Providing an opportunity to show love and kindness to one another and partake of God’s blessings.
God told the children of Israel that they were not the real owners of the land, for it belonged to Him. They were simply its stewards or caretakers. Similarly, all that we possess as New Testament believers belong to the Lord. We are given these things as stewards who must manage all our resources — (treasure, time and talents) faithfully for God, for ourselves and for others (Matthew 25: 14-27).
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PROMISED BLESSINGS FOR THE OBEDIENT: Leviticus 25: 10,21,22; Deuteronomy 28: 1, 2; Philippians 4: 19
The laws concerning the year of Jubilee ensured that God’s people set aside time to acknowledge that the provisions from their farm is a gift from the almighty Creator. Obedience to these laws attracts divine blessings. “Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years” (Leviticus 25:21).
The children of Israel were to leave the land uncultivated for a whole year. Some of them may be thinking of how they would survive without planting. God who knows all things assured them that if they obey Him in leaving the land fallow, He will give them enough harvest in the sixth year that will last them for three years. They have nothing to fear. This promise is a call to trust God for bountiful provision. We are not to ask questions from God concerning His word. We should rather obey and expect Him to fulfil His promise.
You too will enjoy special blessings from God if you will wholly obey and surrender your life to Jesus. These blessings include — salvation, joy and peace, deliverance, victory over Satan and his agents, divine provisions and protection, answers to prayers, and eternity with Christ.
QUESTIONS:
- What is the meaning of jubilee?
- Describe the two parts of the celebration of the year of Jubilee.
- What are the features of the year of Jubilee?
- Mention three purposes of the year of Jubilee.
- How can a sinful child be set free from the slavery of sin and Satan?
- What is the great feast that will take place after the rapture?
MEMORY VERSE: “And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family” (Leviticus 25:10).
LESSON: Jesus has come to save and set us free from sin and Satan.
THOUGHT: I surrender to Jesus and I am free and free indeed.
ACTIVITY: Write out in the lines below the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection.
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CONGREGATIONAL SONG: GHS 220 – WHEN 1 SAW THE CLEANSING FOUNTAIN
CHORUSES:
(1) Jesus sets me free.
(2) He has broken every fetter.
(3) He sets me free with the Holy Ghost power.
HOMEWORK: Share the love of Jesus with at least two children during the week.
BIBLE WORD SEARCH
Find the meaning of these words. You can use your dictionary:
- Jubilee
- Fallow
- Bountiful
- institution
- Enhance.
