Jubilee for the people of the Way!
Luk 4:16-19 16So 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 to read. 17And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."
Proclamation of liberty is the first recorded teaching from Jesus for the Kingdom. We see also this in Matthew, when Jesus proclaimed the beatitudes, He talks about the principles of the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:1-10 || Lk 6:20-23)
The main points we should remember is that the KoG is for
- the poor in spirit! → this is further explained by the following
- the meek, the pure in heart, the merciful, the peacemakers, who're persecuted for righteousness' sake
- who mourn, who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
Pope Francis (Sept 10, 2013): Unused church buildings should be used to house the poor and refugees, who must be embraced rather than feared, a work to be done not just by 'specialists' but by all members of the Church.
Problem of the Israel/ old Jewish rulers → not holding Jubilee and are the top of all financial institutions luting the common man!
Nehemiah requested from the 'nobles and rulers' of Israel:
1And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. … 5"Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards." 6And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, "Each of you is exacting usury from his brother." So I called a great assembly against them. … 10"I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! 11"Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them." (Neh 5:1,5-7,10-11)
Paul confirmed Jesus' proclaimation in his famous statement:
Rom 7:24-25 24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Paul talks about liberty in Galatians as something to be hold on to.
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. → not to be enslaved by “religion”!
We'll focus on 2 aspects of Jubilee through Jesus:
Jesus → the Redeemer (kinsman-redeemer) like Boaz to Ruth (for santification)
Mk 10:42-45 42But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
When we look at Jesus' example prayer: Forgive our debts! Mt 6: 12 (addressing the Jews) & our sins in Lk 11:4
Mt 6:11-12 11Give us this day our daily bread. 12And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Lk 11:3-4 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."
Daily bread – referring to the 1st Sabbath in the wilderness.
Jesus: → the Bread from heaven (for eternal life – real Jubilee!)
Sabbath was instituted with the bread from heaven – and it finishes with Jesus who is the true bread from heaven!
It is accepted that Jesus died on a Jubilee year
→ that Sabbath was a high day → multiple Sabbaths! (Jn 19:31)
Jn 6:31-35, 49-51 31"Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' " 32Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the TRUE bread from heaven. 33"For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always." 35And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. … 49"Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50"This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
Characteristics of the Rest Jesus gives:
- Lightened burdens:
- Peace:
- Joy & Contentment:
- Quietness:
- Healing/ Restoration:
- Renewal of strength:
- Fruitful by the power of the Holy Spirit:
- And eventually, God's Rest – the Eternal life:
Mt 11:28-30 28"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Jn 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Jn16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Jn 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
1 Tim 6: 6-8 6Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
Ps 23:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
Ps 131:2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Zeph 3:16-20 16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. 17The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. 18I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden. 19Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, And gather those who were driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame In every land where they were put to shame. 20At that time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; For I will give you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth, When I return your captives before your eyes," Says the LORD.
Isa 40:28-31 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Act 1:6-8 6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Gal 5:22-23 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Jn 6: 51"I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."
Jn 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only TRUE God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Rom 6:22-23 22But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Meditation:
- Which of the aspect of the Jubilee is most applicable to me right now?
- What should I do to embrace this into reality?
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