Topic: Celebration of Cancellation, Deliverance and Restoration (Israel’s Year of
Jubilee)
Text: Leviticus 25:10
I – INTRODUCTION
“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” (v.10).
Israel’s Year of Jubilee (also vv.11, 28, 50) - God’s command for Israel to
celebrated every 50th year, said to be a time of rejoicing. Why? Because it includes: (1)
“proclaim liberty… each to return to his property and clan” - Cancellation of all debts,
(2) “each to return to his clan” - Deliverance/freedom for all slaves, (3) “each to return
to his family property” - Restoration/returning of all land to its original owners. Its
purpose: (1) to help the poor, and (2) to stabilize the society.
Definition of Terms:
1) Cancellation- to call back or call off ( as a appointment), to annul or make
void, to render invalid, to eliminate or offset.
2) Deliverance- to set free or liberate (from bondage), to rescue (from danger)
3) Restoration- to bring or put back to a former place or rank, to return
something into its original form.
II – MESSAGE
“Consecrate the fiftieth year” ( v.10) - to set aside or dedicate for God’s use. So
that God can do His wonderful plan for his people.
“Proclaim liberty” (v.10) - to announce or declare. This is the “power of
declaration”. See Psalms 145, esp.v.6.
1) Cancellation of all debts- all debts shall be cancelled/called-off, see
Deut.15:1-6… Because the Lord has proclaimed so… all debts must be
cancelled by its creditors. For us, Christ by his blood had already cancelled or
eliminated our sins (read Col.2:13-14). APPLICATION: What then are we
to cancel then in our lives? First, we are to cancel in the same way, the debt
of others. Forgive others, as the Lord has forgiven us. In giving, better give if
you just can, rather than lend to the person borrowing. (Matt.18:27 in the
Parable of the Unmerciful Servant; Lk.7:42 regarding the two men and the
moneylender). Second, we are to cancel the following: cursing, unwholesome
talks, ungodly thinking, bad jokes, etc…
2) Deliverance or freedom for all slaves (vv.39-43, 47-55… all Israelite slaves
must be set free from their owners); see Is.61:1-2, and the same in Lk.4:1621… the spirit of the Lord is on me… to proclaim freedom for the
captives/release for the prisoners… day of the Lord’s favor/day of freedom
and salvation/year of my salvation. Christ has freed/saved us from the
bondage and penalty of sin by dying on our behalf on the cross (read Gal.5:1).
APPLICATION: What then are we to proclaim/celebrate freedom for?
Proclaim the Gospel to others! And proclaim freedom for the following:
Slavery of bad habits, idolatry, painful pasts, sinfulness, brokenness, sickness,
poverty and poverty mentality, and especially freedom to fall by the sword,
plague and famine (read Jer.34:17).
3) Restoration or returning of all land (that had been sold) to its original
owners (read Lev.27:17-24) – the land was to remain idle and was to be
automatically returned to each original owners. See Lev.25:13, “return to his
own property”- the Lord prohibited the accumulation of property to the
detriment of the poor. This is God’s reminder for all Israel that their land
belonged to Him and they were only “foreigners and tenants” and not
permanent landowners (v.23; Heb.11:13). God had and will continue to
restore us to Him to His loving presence and abundant blessings (John
10:10). APPLICATION: What then are we to proclaim and celebrate
restoration in our lives? The following: loss of happy/loving family
relationships, wonderful friendships, good jobs/business and deals, properties,
etc…
III – CONCLUSION
Truly, God has already canceled all our sins on the cross, and gave us freedom
from the power and slavery of sin and life’s hardships, and as well as restored us into his
loving presence and abundant blessings. Let us then consecrate, proclaim and celebrate
the day of the Lord’s favor! Accept Christ today! This is the day of salvation! Come and
see that the Lord is good!