King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Friday, February 21, 2025
Chapters: Leviticus 24-25
Message: Leviticus: The Year of Jubilee
Hello My Friend,
As we continue in the reading of Leviticus we learn that God’s people are free yet His servants, He redeems them so He owns them and should they follow His will, then they will be blessed. If they get out of His will and become bondage to the world then He will redeem them at an appointed time, after all He is the one who purchased them, [1 Corinthians 7:21-24 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. 22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.]
Yesterday we learned that God has specific rules for those who minister to Him to be separate and holy, what sacrifices are accepted by Him and He instituted Holy Days as yearly reminders of what He has done for them. Today we learn about the lamps and bread for the Tabernacle, the punishment for blasphemy, the Sabbath year and the Jubilee. First, God commands that there always be a light burning in the Tabernacle and why it was important that it never go out.
[Leviticus 24:1-4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. 3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. 4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.]
Do you remember oil lamps? I remember growing up and having them in the house, of course, they were only used with the power went out but it was something of a miracle to watch fire burning from a wick soaked in oil. Notice that everything was pure, meaning it was free from any impurities. When Christ anoints those who come to Him with His blood, it is pure and therefore their soul becomes pure as if though it were not touched at all. Just like the oil was used to light their way, those who are redeemed by Christ become lights to shine His light in the world, [Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.]
Now, God commands that they bake twelve loves of bread, this would be done weekly, and place it on the table that is in front of the veil, [Leviticus 24:5-9 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 9 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.]
The bread represented each of the twelve children of Israel, the frankincense was used to keep the bread burning without consuming it. Every Sabbath the bread would be replaced with fresh bread, then what had been taken off the table would be eaten by the priests in remembrance of how God set them free. This entire process represents Christ as the bread of life, we are to never forget or take for granted that Jesus set our soul free with His own life.
[1 Corinthians 11:24-27 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.]
That everlasting covenant that God makes with us ensures us that we can go to Him at any time, even with our complaints, and He will not only hear us, but have respect for our requests. Believe it or not, God, wants us to prove Him just as He proves us but what He will not tolerate is anyone who deliberately tempts Him or blasphemes the name of the LORD. One man learned the hard way that God has no mercy on those who do.
[Leviticus 24:10-12 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; 11 And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) 12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.]
Why did Moses reiterate several times that the man was the son of an Israelitish woman? He wanted to point out that mixed marriages of religious beliefs will always cause strife. This man did not dwell among the Israelites, he was one of the mixed multitude that went up with the Israelites out of Egypt, he left his tent and that part of the camp appointed for his people and caused quite a stir when he started speaking God’s name in vain. Notice that it says that they put him in jail so that the people can see what God thinks about those who blaspheme His name. While God is very merciful He will make an example out of those who deliberately blaspheme Him and that is exactly what He did.
[Leviticus 24:14-16 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. 16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.]
Jesus said it this way, [Matthew 12:31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.]
When Jesus made that reference He was responding to those who were accusing Him of performing His miracles as being the son of Beelzebub, also known as the son of the devil but the same applies here because it is the very Spirit of God who performed the miracles. The key thing to remember here is that there are no set rules for one group of people, regardless if we are a Jew or Gentile we are all under the same judgment, which God goes on to reiterate.
[Leviticus 24:17-22 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. 18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. 19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. 22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.]
Keep in mind that these rules were set for this time, God would adjust them accordingly as He saw fit. Jesus had something to say in regards to what His Father said here, [Matthew 5:38-39 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.]
Why did Jesus say this? God had put this law into affect to begin with because of what the Israelitish man had done in striving with the Israelite. The majority of people who retaliate against someone do so out of haste before knowing the matter, we need to think about the consequence that retaliation would bring, the better option may just be to walk away, [Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.]
God does not want to cause unnecessary hurt upon us, but the truth is we often cause it upon ourselves because if we are honest with ourselves we do a lot of things out of haste or impulse. Why do you think that they put all the junk food in the impulse aisles at stores? They know that we are often hungry and going to act on impulse. If we take the time to think about things then we would make more rational choices. Now, to prove this, God was about to institute something called The Sabbath year once they got into the promised land. This was a year long rest in that there would be no cultivating of the harvest, no money to be made, they would just go out and get what they needed for their own consumption.
[Leviticus 25:2-4,6-7 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. 3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; 4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. 6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee, 7 And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.]
Notice that God included everyone, noting that He provides for everyone regardless of their stature. I do not know if I could go an entire year without any income coming in but then again my husband and I got through an entire year along with my mother in the house with only my income. It is truly amazing, I do not care how many times I have failed God, He always takes care of me and for the life of me I have no clue why. The only explanation that I can give is that I am faithful and try to be repentant. Now, every fifty years there would be a special Sabbath year called, the jubilee, in which was an entire year of rest, restoration, and redemption would be made for all.
[Leviticus 25:8-10 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. 10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.]
During the jubilee, those who were sold as slaves were set free, lands were to be restored to the original owner or an heir if they had been sold and if they trusted God, and followed the Law, then God would bless their obedience with even more than what they would have earned from the harvest.
[Leviticus 25:15-18,21 According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: 16 According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee. 17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God. 18 Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. 21 Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.]
The land, was on a Sabbath, holy unto God, and allowed to be enjoyed for all, they could just grab what they wanted to feast upon, without paying for it. Can you imagine an entire year without doing any work, having all your debts forgiven, not owing one cent, and all your monthly paid for the year? Well, how about having your entire sin debt paid for eternity? That is exactly what Jesus does, [John 17:2-3 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.]
While many of these laws were given specifically for when they get into the promised land, they must come to understand that they were not only slaves in Egypt, but strangers as well. God, tells them that this land that they are about to step foot on will be theirs forever.
[Leviticus 25:23-27 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. 24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. 25 If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold. 26 And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; 27 Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession.]
Wow! Does this sound familiar? I recall something like this, with an added twist, not by me of course, [1 Peter 2:11-12 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.]
Can you see now why some years are more abundant than others? And why these crazy snow storms come to those who rarely get snow, or when drought comes? Can you see why warmer climates get colder winters once in a while? It is not climate change, it is God. This is God’s way of preparing the land to become more fruitful, unless they got caught up in sin and He did them to send judgment. It was also a way for restoration, and if anything was sold out of desperation it would be restored. God, goes on to give them instructions on what to do if they could not restore what they sold.
[Leviticus 25:28-30,32 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. 29 And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it. 30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubile.]
So, why was their property not restored within the walls, after a year, but it was if it was outside of the walls? Well, the land was owned by God, the property was not, if they did come back for their property within a year they were allowed to get it back, if they did not come for it, then it would remain in the possession of the one who bought it. God goes on to explain this.
[Leviticus 25:38-42 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. 39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: 41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.]
Yes, the poor were bought as servants, including the heathens, but stop and think about what that did for them, they became hired servants, not slaves, and they became as though they were one of them. When we belong to Christ, even though we serve Him we are not slaves, we are His friends, [John 15:14-16 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.]
There is no Jew or Gentile with God, yes, they are distinguished as such in order to show the difference between those who were born of the children of Israel and those who are not, but one law applies to all. God goes on to remind them that they were strangers in Egypt and therefore are not to deny anyone who came to them. They were to put them to work and let them pay their own way and if they owed debts they could not pay then they would be purchased, but it would be for their redemption.
[Leviticus 25:45-46 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.]
Those who are redeemed by God serve God and are subject to Him but those whom are not serve man and are under their possession, that is if they want to keep their jobs but they were to never oppress them as the Egyptians did them. They were to take them in and care for them as if they were their very own children. Those whom have been bought and paid for by accepting Christ belong to Christ and are God’s family, [Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Leviticus 24:8-9 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 9 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute. Leviticus 25:45-46 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.]
Today’s Prayer: God, I have not chosen You, You have chosen me, and not because of my own righteousness, but by my faith in Your Son alone. I was bought with a price, and therefore, You expect me to glorify You in whatever state I am in, whether in wealth, or in poverty. You promise to always take care of and provide for Your servant, and I am trusting Your completely for that, for I know just how much You compensate for my serving You. Thank You Lord, for the times of rest, even in my labor to get me to draw closer to You and give You a little rest from having to work harder for me. Give me Your power, wisdom, and guidance to wait for You, and let me not stop praising You even when I do not see any compensation. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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