The Year of Jubilee

The theme of Leviticus is holiness – how to worship a holy God and how to be His holy people. Part of that was observing a holy calendar. The great heart of God was encoded in the calendar of His people in something called “Jubilee”.

The 7th year was a special year for the Lord. The number 7 indicates completion: a complete cycle, a complete picture. The calendar God gave to Israel was based on the number 7. The Lord said that at the end of a “week of years”, the 7th year was a “sabbath year”. On the 7th year, God said the land would lie “fallow”. There would be no agricultural work done, so the land could rest and not be depleted, so the soil could be replenished and be more fertile long-term.

What was the Lord doing here, besides ensuring good agricultural practice of fallow ground? He was building into His people’s lives and His people’s land the rhythm of work and rest, the principle of God’s ownership of everything and stopping all normal activity to acknowledge Him and to trust Him to provide.

Please find Leviticus 25.