The Year of the Fresh Start

DAY 41
10-30-09
LEVITICUS 24-25


Good Morning!

God has always been a God of grace, mercy, and a God of second chances, He has instituted in the law ways for starting over. Whether its sacrifices of atonement, scapegoats, blood on doorposts that ward off the “angel of death,” or an ark made of gopher wood, God’s love brings a new day and new start.

In Lev. 25, God institutes the "year of jubilee" where liberty is proclaimed throughout the country. All property returns to its original owners; those who were compelled by poverty to sell themselves as slaves, regained their freedom; there is neither sowing or reaping or pruning of vines; and everybody is expected to live on what the fields and the vineyards produced "of themselves."

There are three distinct features of the Jubilee Year we should consider.
1. Personal Liberty. Jubilee is the time in which liberty is given to all the inhabitants of the country. The importance of Jubilee was that it was intended to rebuild relationships.

2. Restitution of Property. The Jubilee Year was meant to exclude the possibility of selling any piece of land permanently. God’s motive is: (Lev 25:23) "'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.”

3. Living the Simple Life. The Year of Jubilee shows the reason why God calls His children to the "simple life." They are given opportunity to develop the habit of living within limited means and living off what God gives.

This special gift of God and this way of living would change our lives if we would put it into practice. If we only would.

Barry