The Jubilee year

“Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.” Leviticus 25:10
The Jubilee year is something that we read about in Leviticus, but was never actually practised by the Israelites. It occurred every fifty years, taking place the year after the seventh ‘Sabbath year’ (which the Israelites also never practised; this neglect was the reason they went into captivity for seventy years, see 2 Chr. 36:21). The Sabbath year (Lev. 25:1-7) was to be a year of rest for the land, every seventh year, where the fields were left to lie fallow. God promised to bring an abundant harvest in the sixth year so that it would last for three years (Lev. 25:21). After seven Sabbaths was the Jubilee year, when three things were to happen: 1. All property was returned to the family of its original owner. 2. All Hebrew slaves and servants were to be set free. 3. All debts were to be forgiven.
The Jubilee is prophetic of a coming time when all things will be created new – the Millennium period, when Jesus is ruling and reigning on the earth, from Jerusalem. This is what Peter refers to as “the times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21, KJV). At that time, the world will again come under God’s control as its original owner. We will all be set free from our bondage to sin, as Christ rules over the whole world in righteousness, and our sins are forgiven – we receive our resurrection bodies that are no longer subject to the sinful impulses we currently have. Are you looking forward to that day?