Saturday, December 7

SOMEONE BRINGS FREEDOM: THE YEAR OF JUBILEE

Leviticus 25:10

     When you think of a slave, it brings back memories of the Civil War, and how oppressed the blacks were.  The end of the Civil War, however, brought about freedom for those individuals, and just think how joyous they were when that day came!  There would have been no desire to go back to the life of bondage they had been experiencing.  In our Scripture text today, we read that there were slaves also at this time, but their freedom came about in a different way.  Every fifty years, there was proclaimed a year of jubilee when all the slaves were set free from the oppression of their owners.  They also would have no desire to go back to the life of bondage that they had been living in.

     In the 1860’s, the Civil War was the great redeemer for the black slaves.  In Bible times, the year of jubilee was considered the way to freedom.  Both the slaves in the 1860’s and in Bible times, knew they were in bondage and looked forward to that day of freedom with great anticipation.  They knew they were held captive and freedom could not be obtained in any other way.

     There is a slavery that is still going on today, and many don’t even realize that they are in bondage.  Who is in this bondage of slavery?  You and Me!  We are slaves to sin.  We are slaves to ourselves.  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)   We like the slaves in the 1860’s and Bible times, have to come and recognize the bondage we are in, and recognize the only way to freedom.  Jesus Christ is our Jubilee, and unlike in the Old Testament, there is not just one time every fifty years that this freedom can be obtained.  Jesus Christ has poured out His life so that TODAY we can have salvation and freedom.  When Christ has shown us the new life of freedom from sin, we will not want to go back to the former life of oppression.  “Stand fast therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)  

     Jesus Christ, in His love and mercy, is calling all of us to no longer serve our sin and selfish ways, but to come and live in the freedom that was purchased on the Cross of Calvary.  “For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”  (Galatians 5:13)  The definition of the word “serve,” is to be a slave.  Paul mentioned several times in his letters that he was a prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We, too, are to come into that relationship with Christ and serve Him His way, being slaves to His holiness and His righteousness, because we love Him, and not because we have to.  In Deuteronomy 15:16-17, we even find instructions on how to handle this situation.  When a slave wanted to stay and serve the owner because he loved him, the owner would put a mark upon his ear and everyone would know whose slave he was.  When we come into that kind of love relationship with Christ, He also will put a mark of ownership upon us that everyone will be able to see and recognize.  “Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.”   (Psalm 100:2)

~ Debbie Frantz