The Year of Jubilee

The Year of Jubilee

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor . . . and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19.

Jesus came with the true Year of Jubilee. In the old covenant this applied to the entire people every fiftieth year. All debts were to be forgiven. All the slaves from the people of Israel were to be set free. Everyone was to return to his own possession. No one owed anything and no one had any demands. Nevertheless, it lasted only one year, and then the old way started all over again.

However, the “year of grace” with which Jesus came lasted throughout His entire life, and He taught us to love our enemies, to do the good to those who persecute us, and to forgive seven times seventy in one day. He also prayed for those who crucified Him, that God would not reckon their sin to them. To be able to live in this Year of Jubilee, Jesus had to sacrifice Himself in the power of an eternal Spirit. Heb. 9:14.

Jesus did not come with this Year of Jubilee just so that He could live in it Himself. He sent the same Sprit, the Holy Spirit, into the world on the day of Pentecost. Then there was an opportunity for everyone who so desired to follow Jesus into the Year of Jubilee. This Year of Jubilee—the year of grace—lasts until the rapture. Isa. 61:2. Everyone who wills can come to Jesus to have his sins forgiven if he forgives those who have trespassed against him. Matt. 6:14-15. This will usher in the Year of Jubilee.

The liberation of being reconciled to God and having one’s sins forgiven is enormous. But there is no Year of Jubilee if you hold on to other people’s sins. We learn this from Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18:23-35.

In the church we are baptized with one Spirit to be one body. 1 Cor. 12:13. We are children of God and live in this year of grace if we are led by the Spirit. Rom. 8:14. In the church we walk in the light and have fellowship with each other. 1 John 1:7. There can be much to bear and much to forgive because we are so different; but as God’s elect we are a sacrifice in the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and we put on tender mercies, etc., so we forgive one another even as Christ forgave us. Then the peace of Christ also rules in our hearts, in one body, and we are thankful. Col. 3:11-15. Then we live in the Year of Jubilee we read about in verse 16.

However, we do not have a Year of Jubilee if we bear a grudge against anyone outside the church either. When we live in brotherly love, we also love all men. 2 Pet. 1:7. Then we have a Year of Jubilee in the church, in the family, at our places of employment, and wherever we are. Now the door is open for the individual who has an ear with which to hear to enter into this glorious life of Christ, and when Christ who is our life appears, we will also appear with Him in glory. Col. 3:4. All of creation is waiting for this revelation. Rom. 8:19. Then it will also be released from the bondage of corruption. Then comes the Millennium—the Year of Jubilee—for the entire earth, and the curse that came through Adam’s fall will be abolished. Everything will be under a blessing at the revelation of Jesus and His bride.