Levítico 25
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Levítico 25
Guzik - The laws are given in faith; they are still in the wilderness, and not yet in the Promised Land. And as far as Moses and the people knew, they were only a matter of months from entering in. (Study Guide for Leviticus 25 ) Criswell - Every seventh year was to be a sabbath for the land, a stipulation designed to guard the Israelites against covetousness, as well as a sound agricultural principle. 2 Chr. 36:21 attests that the Babylonian captivity was a judgment of God against the Israelites for their disobedience in failing to observe the sabbath years (cf. Lev. 26:34, 35). The Seventh Year was also a time of special instruction in the law of God (cf. Deut. 31:10-13). Leviticus 25:1-7 - The land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. - Leviticus 25:2 TODAY IN THE WORD “Sleep scientists” are warning that people are not getting enough rest, and our health and safety are suffering as a result. William Dement, founder and director of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center, estimates that people sleep about one-and-a-half hours less per night than the average from a century ago. The consequences? One report found that driver fatigue was involved in over half of all American vehicle accidents. Larger accidents, such as the Exxon Valdez disaster, have also been linked to sleep deprivation. In laboratory experiments, prolonged stress without rest apparently caused the immune systems of the rats to fail. Also, recent theories propose that the REM stage of sleep is necessary to learning and memory, meaning that less sleep affects our cognitive functions as well as our physical well-being. The need for rest should come as no surprise to Christians, for we know that our Creator made us that way! That’s why in the Law God made every seventh day a Sabbath, and every seventh year a Sabbath year. During a Sabbath year, fields were not to be worked, though whatever grew there could be taken for food, especially by poor people (Leviticus 25:5, 6, 7; Ex. 23:10, 11, 12). Physically, leaving the fields fallow for a year was, as we now know, sound agricultural practice, as well as a unique custom compared to the surrounding nations. Spiritually, to rest from farming–on which the people depended for their daily food and livelihood–required faith in God’s promise that He would provide bumper crops the year before (Leviticus 25:20, 21). Other features of the Sabbath year included the cancellation of debts and a special reading from the Law during the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 31:10, 11, 12, 13). TODAY ALONG THE WAY Do you honor the spiritual principle of rest in your life? Though we no longer keep a Saturday Sabbath, God has built rest into the rhythms of life, even setting us an example Himself by resting on the seventh day of His work of creation. Given these facts, it is vital that work not occupy an inordinate amount of our time and energy. Blessed is he who has regard for the weak . . . the LORD will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land. - Psalm 41:1, 2 TODAY IN THE WORD Every major U.S. earthquake results in modifications to building codes for commercial buildings and private homes. Strict regulations dictate how houses must be attached to their foundations and where--even if--brick may be used. New building projects require countless permits and inspections. Even existing buildings must sometimes be retrofitted to become compliant. At times, the number of codes to be met must seem unbearable to architects and contractors. But in the end, everyone knows why such attention to structural detail is so important--newer building codes have dramatically decreased earthquake-related deaths in the United States. As you read through today’s passage, you may have felt that you too were reading a series of “codes.” Why so many laws and regulations about the land even before any of the twelve tribes had stepped foot in it? Since the land was God’s divine gift to His people, it had to be possessed and protected accordingly. The gift of the land was not to be abused through over- farming (Lev. 25:1–7). Moreover, by leaving the land fallow every seven years, the poor would receive needed care (Lev 25:5, 6, 7). Today’s passage shows that God had also ensured the protection of each Israelite family’s land allotment. The land, which ultimately belonged to God, could not be sold permanently (v. 23). Therefore, poor individuals (or their descendents) who had been forced to sell their land to survive would have the opportunity to make a fresh start in the Jubilee year (v. 10). The Jubilee was a gracious provision to preserve human life and dignity and to protect the gift of God’s inheritance. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Strict earthquake building codes exist because legislators believe human life is precious and worth protecting. Leviticus 25:3 'Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, R Laird Harris - The sabbatical year (šabbāṯ) is mentioned also in Exodus 23:10–11 and Deuteronomy 15:1–18. In the former passage, however, it is described as a year to leave the land fallow (as here in Lev 25) without the year being specifically named. In the Deuteronomy passage the year is called a šemiṭṭāh and is described as a year of canceling debts and freeing slaves, not as a year of rest from the tillage of the land. (Expositor's Bible Commentary) Moseley - God was teaching His people that the land was for their use but not their abuse. They were to respect the land, to be responsible with the land, and to care for the land under God’s direction. We live in a time when people are elevating environmentalism to the status of a religion and worshiping Mother Earth. Such thinking is paganism. If we follow what the Bible teaches about our relationship to the environment, we will not deify nature or consider the environment of greater value than humans. However, we will take care of God’s creation. We will not allow greed to push us to exploit the land without considering things like replenishment and sustainability. In fact, replenishment and sustainability could be considered modern ways to implement God’s ancient command to give the land rest. God tells His people to care for creation, so we protect it. (See Exalting Jesus in Leviticus) Illustration of Need for Rest - In his book Out Of My Mind, Joe Bayly told of a pastor friend who had three sons. When two of them began to stutter, he took them to a speech therapist. After evaluation the counselor spoke to the pastor and bluntly told him that it was his own neglect that was responsible for the speech defect. “When did you last take your family on a vacation?” the counselor demanded. It had been a long time. The minister had been too busy to give any time to his family. The pastor admitted, “I’m ashamed of it now, but I can remember saying quite proudly to my congregation, ‘The devil never takes a vacation, so why should I?’ I never stopped to think that the devil wasn’t to be my example.” He began spending time with his family. After the sixth day of creation, God rested (Gen. 2:2). He declared the sabbath to be a day of rest for Israel (Ex. 20:8-11), and He decreed that even the land should rest every seventh year (Lev. 25:3-4). In the New Testament, Jesus took His disciples to the mountains to rest (Mk. 6:30-31). Leviticus 25:4 but during the seventh year the land shall have a Sabbath rest, a Sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. Lev 25:20-23 26:34,35,43 Ex 23:10,11 2Ch 36:21 Leviticus 16:31 “It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute. From this passage in chapter 16 God states that one of the purposes of the Sabbath is rest, but even more importantly that the people would experience humility for their souls. To not keep the Sabbath is to avoid God's rest and refuse to be humbled before Him! "During the sabbatical year there must be no systematic harvesting of self-seeding crops, or such fruits as figs and grapes. Anything of this nature that the land produces without human aid is the property of all, and people are to obtain food wherever they can find it, just as the Israelites did in their wilderness wanderings." (Harrison) BUT DURING THE 7TH YEAR THE LAND SHALL HAVE A SABBATH REST A SABBATH TO THE LORD - This pattern is taught throughout Scripture and ultimately foreshadows a Rest that is found only in Jesus, our eternal "Sabbath Rest." (cp Mt 11:28-30). Deuteronomy 15:1 (“At the end of [every] seven years you shall grant a remission [of debts.] Exodus 21:2 “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. Exodus 23:10 “You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11 but [on] the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard [and] your olive grove. Jeremiah 34:14 “At the end of seven years each of you shall set free his Hebrew brother who has been sold to you and has served you six years, you shall send him out free from you; but your forefathers did not obey Me or incline their ear to Me. Nehemiah 10:31 As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego [the crops] the seventh year and the exaction of every debt. Hebrews 4:9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. NET NOTE - Heb “and in the seventh year a Sabbath of complete rest shall be to the land.” The expression “a Sabbath of complete rest” is superlative, emphasizing the full and all inclusive rest of the seventh year of the sabbatical cycle. Cf. ASV “a sabbath of solemn rest”; NAB “a complete rest.” YOU SHALL NOT SOW YOUR FIELD NOR PRUNE YOUR VINEYARD: No planting new crops and no maintenance of existing crops was allowed. No sowing or pruning means they needed to trust the Lord for His provision. Property is a trust from God. Its ownership and use is to be handled responsibly considering that God is the primary Owner. The 7th year of rest for land protected its productivity. The 50th or Jubilee Year protected personal liberty and equality and gave lasting strength to family ties in a social structure linked to land ownership. Biblical faith values the use of property in sustaining a family. Guzik - It was also just plain good ecology! Giving the land a rest every seven years would help restore vital nutrients to the soil that normally would be depleted. Israel's failure to keep this command determined the length of their captivity; Leviticus 26:34 says that if Israel is not obedient, God will make sure the land gets its Sabbaths by exiling the nation to an enemy land; this was fulfilled in the Babylonian captivity of Israel (2 Chronicles 36:20-21). Today, many observant Jews find a way around the Sabbath year law; on the seventh year, they "sell" their land to a Gentile, work it, and then "buy" it back from the Gentile when the Sabbath year is over. The Gentile makes a little money, and the Jew can say, "It wasn't my land on the Sabbath year, so it was all right if I worked it." (Study Guide for Leviticus 25 ) Leviticus 25:5 'Your harvest's aftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. groweth (KJV): 2Ki 19:29 Isa 37:30 A SABBATH REST FOR THE LAND While the weekly Sabbath was for resting man, but Sabbath year was primarily for the resting of the land. Harvest's aftergrowth - In Hebrew this phrase is "growth from spilled kernels" or "volunteer grain" is denoted by sāphîach. This refers to any plants that grow up on their own or which sprang up by themselves in the second year and which was fair to be used as food for the Israelites, since no planting could be done in the Sabbath year (Lev 25:5, 11; 2 Ki 19:29; Isa. 37:30). Allen Ross - To be sure, this law provided care for the land so that it could be more productive and last longer. But by giving the land a Sabbath the people were also acknowledging that this provision of the land came from the Creator, their covenant God. For a whole year they and their land were in a Sabbath. (Holiness to the Lord) James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - Rest. "It is a year of rest" (Lev 25:5). It was kept as a Sabbath unto the Lord. The Gospel of Christ proclaims rest to the weary and heavy laden (Matt. 11:28). Not rest in their works, but rest from them. It was the Sabbath of the Lord, therefore God's rest. It was, and is, an entering into His rest. Rest in the Lord (Ps. 116:7). We which have believed do enter into rest (Heb. 4:1-3). Leviticus 25:6 'All of you shall have the Sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you. Ex 23:11 Ac 2:44 4:32,34,35 Exodus 23:11 but [on] the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard [and] your olive grove. NET NOTE - A “resident who stays” would be a foreign person who was probably residing as another kind of laborer in the household of a landowner (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 170–71). See v. 35 below. Leviticus 25:7 'Even your cattle and the animals that are in your land shall have all its crops to eat. NLT - And your livestock and the wild animals will also be allowed to eat of the land's bounty. BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS FEED BEASTS God's provision of food in the year in which they are "resting" the land would also be sufficient for their animals. This promise would have blunted any arguments that we need to plant a few crops to make sure we can feed our cattle and animals. God had already "dotted that i" and "crossed that t" so to speak. God is the God of details and order and His instructions if received and believed are always the perfect antidote for anxiety over His provision for our needs. Ultimately these OT principles foreshadow the abundant provision He promises those who place their faith in Christ for as Paul wrote "my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Php 4:19-note) This passage ends the section giving instructions on the Sabbatical Year. Warren
Levítico 25
Guzik - Our founding fathers were aware of the principle of the year of Jubilee and the freedom associated with it; proclaim liberty throughout all the land is inscribed on the Liberty Bell that hangs in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. (Study Guide for Leviticus 25 ) Leon Hyatt - The beginning of this celebration was to be signaled by passing along the loud noise of a shofar. A “shophar” was a musical instrument that is not in use today except in a portrayal of ancient practices. Some translate the word as “trumpet.” Others called it a “cornet.” However, it did not correspond to either of those modern instruments. It was built in a long coil, evidently to resemble a ram’s horn and to imitate the sounds of a ram’s horn. It produced a loud, piercing sound and produced only one note. This verse describes the instrument as “a noise-making shofar,” which is an apt description of it. The word translated “noise-making” is the word that is used in Leviticus 23:24 to describe the joyous shouts and noises of the Jewish New Year’s Day. The previous passage did not state what was to be used to make the noise, but this verse specifically says it was to be made by a shofar. to pass along (See YLT or Young's Literal Translation above). They were to cause the loud noises of the shofar “to pass along,” which means the sounds were to pass from place to place until they had been heard in the whole land. Perhaps the sound was to be passed along from one shofar to another, spaced close enough together for each shofar to hear the sound of another and to pass it on to the next. That arrangement would have been a quick way to send the signal across the whole Land. Another possibility is that a person blowing a shofar was to pass along throughout the whole Land. Such an arrangement is less likely because it could not have been carried out in one day. Spurgeon's Sermon - Jubilee Joy Alfred Edersheim - The Blowing of Trumpets In the law of God only these two things are enjoined in the observance of the ‘New Moon’—the ‘blowing of trumpets’ (Nu 10:10) and special festive sacrifices. (Nu 28:11–15.) Of old the ‘blowing of trumpets’ had been the signal for Israel’s host on their march through the wilderness, as it afterwards summoned them to warfare, and proclaimed or marked days of public rejoicing, and feasts, as well as the ‘beginnings of their months.’ (Nu 10:1-10) The object of it is expressly stated to have been ‘for a memorial,’ that they might ‘be remembered before Jehovah,’ it being specially added: ‘I am Jehovah your God.’ It was, so to speak, the host of God assembled, waiting for their Leader; the people of God united to proclaim their King. At the blast of the priests’ trumpets they ranged themselves, as it were, under His banner and before His throne, and this symbolical confession and proclamation of Him as ‘Jehovah their God,’ brought them before Him to be ‘remembered’ and ‘saved.’ And so every season of ‘blowing the trumpets,’ whether at New Moons, at the Feast of Trumpets or New Year’s Day, at other festivals, in the Sabbatical and Year of Jubilee, or in the time of war, was a public acknowledgment of Jehovah as King. Accordingly we find the same symbols adopted in the figurative language of the New Testament. As of old the sound of the trumpet summoned the congregation before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle, so ‘His elect’ shall be summoned by the sound of the trumpet in the day of Christ’s coming (Mt 24:31), and not only the living, but those also who had ‘slept’ (1 Cor 15:52)—‘the dead in Christ.’ (1 Thess. 4:16.) Similarly, the heavenly hosts are marshalled to the war of successive judgments, (Rev. 8:2; 10:7.) till, as ‘the seventh angel sounded,’ Christ is proclaimed King Universal: ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever.’ (Rev. 11:15.) THE YEAR OF JUBILEE. Leviticus 25 - James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose Every fiftieth year was to Israel a holy memorial festival It was a periodical season appointed by God for the readjustment of the social affairs of His people, and is a trumpet-toned type of the Gospel of Christ and its power to put men right with God and with one another The year of jubilee was the "accepted time" and the "day of salvation" to many in Israel. The market value of things was regulated by it (Lev 25:15, 16) Man's dealings with man were to be ordered according to the appointments of God Business and the Gospel seem in our days to be entirely divorced. But for all that this law abides, that the real value of the things of this life depend on their relationship to Christ and His Gospel. The sound of the jubilee trumpet was the sound of— 1. Atonement. "In the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound" (Lev 25:9). There can be no joyful sound to sinful man apart from atoning blood. The trumpet needs a living man to blow it, and he must have God's authority before it can be a Divine message to those who hear it. Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, therefore the great trumpet of atonement is being blown, and its sound reacheth unto the ends of the earth. 2. Liberty. "Ye shall proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants" (Lev 25:10). On the ground of Christ's atonement God proclaims liberty to every captive. The sounding of the trumpet at the lips of God's holy ones was the publishing of this glad news. This deliverance for the bond slave was immediate and complete on the hearing and believing of the tidings. The sound was for the ear, the message was for the heart (Luke 4:18). 3. Forgiveness. "If thy brother be poor, thou shalt relieve him" (Lev 25:35). Even the debt and poverty of a man did not hinder him from enjoying the grace of the jubilee, but made him just the more a fit subject for it. To the poor the Gospel is preached. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us, He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, 4. Rest. "It is a year of rest" (Lev 25:5). It was kept as a Sabbath unto the Lord. The Gospel of Christ proclaims rest to the weary and heavy laden (Matt. 11:28). Not rest in their works, but rest from them. It was the Sabbath of the Lord, therefore God's rest. It was, and is, an entering into His rest. Rest in the Lord (Psa. 116:7). We which have believed do enter into rest (Heb. 4:1-3). 5. Plenty. "Ye shall eat your fill, and dwell in safety" (Lev 25:19). What a Gospel! Made safe in the place of plenty. Lying down in green pastures. The unsearchable riches of Christ is our holy land of promise. Into this fulness By His grace, we who believe have been brought. All are-yours, for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Be careful for nothing. Take the water of life freely. 6. Restoration. "Ye shall return every man into his possession" (Lev 25:13). All that was lost through failure and sin was restored through the jubilee Gospel. All that was lost in Adam is restored in Christ, and the glorious Gospel of the blessed God declares it. Made nigh by the Blood of Christ. Poor Mephibosheth heard such a Gospel and enjoyed such a restoration (2 Sam. 9). He restoreth my soul. Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. 7. Brotherly love. "Ye shall not oppress one another, but fear the Lord thy God " (Lev 25:17). By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples if ye have love one to another. We must love unworthy ones as we unworthy ones have been loved, and forgive as we have been forgiven. The forgiven servant who took his fellow-worker by the throat was evidently courageous enough to deal with him face to face, but he was utterly destitute of the grace and compassion of his master (Matt. 18:28). Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Freely ye have received, freely give. Be ye imitators of God as dear children (Eph. 5:1). The Jubilee Robert Kerr The silver trumpets call, The gladsome jubilee! The fetters now must fall; The bondsmen may go free! For Jesus has the ransom paid, And the new way to glory made. The silver trumpets call, The gladsome jubilee! Let Heav’n and earth agree To sound His fame abroad, Thro’ whom the jubilee Calls back the world to God. How fervently His heart doth burn, To see His banished ones return! Let Heav’n and earth agree To sound His fame abroad. Lost Eden is restored; All hail the jubilee! Let Jesus be adored For grace so full and free. Ye ruined souls, no longer roam; No more despise your blood-bought home. Lost Eden is restored; All hail the jubilee! The Gospel bugle blow O’er every land and sea, Till Satan’s captives know That Jesus makes them free! Soon may He see them, born again, The happy subjects of His reign. The Gospel bugle blow O’er every land and sea. Leviticus 25 - Devotional from Today in the Word Jubilee: Provisions for the Poor/Stewardship of the Land Katharine Hayhoe might be considered a paradox. She is a Christian climate scientist. The daughter of missionaries, the wife of a pastor, Hayhoe explains, "My faith is the Christian faith . . . and we are told to love our neighbors as ourselves. And our neighbors, especially the poorer ones, are already harmed by climate change." It’s clear that Scripture insists on a proper care and stewardship of the earth. Today’s reading explains that not only did God insist upon a weekly Sabbath observance for His people, or a day consecrated to rest, He also commanded a Sabbath rest for the land. Every seven years, the Israelites were to refrain from planting and sowing, reaping and harvesting. The land was to lay fallow, resting and replenishing. The question Moses anticipates is this: "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" That strikes at the heart of what Sabbath is really meant to do. Sabbath, whether it’s a day we set aside for rest and worship, or a year we set aside for the earth to replenish, is an expression of courageous trust. It reminds us that it is not our work that secures for us our livelihood. It is God who provides us with all that we need. Beyond a Sabbath for the land every seventh year, God ordained the practice of Jubilee to be observed every fifty years. This required more dramatic dependence on the part of the Israelites. Jubilee was a provision of protection for the poor: it called for debt cancellation. Land and homes were returned to the rightful owner as prescribed by family heritage. Jubilee is not veiled socialism, or simple redistribution according to principles of fairness. It was a way to acknowledge that no one but God owned the land. Apply the Word - What would the practice of Jubilee look like today? What kinds of debts can you cancel for others? Maybe you can forgive some financial obligations. Or maybe you can forgive someone’s offense against you and work to restore the relationship. On a larger scale, how can our churches practice the kind of reconciliation in the principle of Jubilee? The trumpet of the jubilee.—Lev 25:9. - Richard Hawker MY soul! pause over the subject of the jubilee trumpet; for surely much of gospel was proclaimed by it. It should seem that there were four distinct and special sounds of the trumpet in the camp of Israel. The trumpet of memorials so called, (Levit. 23:24,) was blown on the occasion of the new moon, calling the people to the joyful assembly, Psalm. 81:3. There was also the fast trumpet, of which the prophet speaks, Joel 2:1. Besides these, the war trumpet gave a certain sound to prepare to battle, 1 Cor. 14:8. And this of the jubilee, which differed from all. And although the jubilee trumpet was never heard but once in fifty years, yet so sweet and so distinguishing was the sound, that no poor captive, among the servants in the camp of Israel, was at a moment’s loss to understand its gracious meaning. Say, my soul, is not the gospel sound, when first heard by the ear of faith, precisely the same? When pardon was first proclaimed to thee by the blood of Christ, and the day of his atonement so manifested to thy spiritual senses, that the captivity of sin and Satan lost their powers upon thee, was not this indeed the jubilee trumpet, and the acceptable year of the Lord? Hast thou heard this joyful sound? Hath the Son of God made thee free? Hath Jesus caused thee to return to thy long-lost, long-forfeited, inheritance? And wilt thou ever forget the unspeakable mercy? Hail! thou Almighty Deliverer, thou Redeemer of thy captives! I had sold my possession, sold myself, for nought; and thou hast redeemed it for me again without money. I had sold it indeed, but could not alienate it for ever, because the right of redemption was with thee. Yes, blessed Jesus! thou art He whom thy brethren shall praise. Thou art the next of kin, the nearest of all relations, and the dearest of all brothers! And thou hast redeemed both soul and body, both lands and inheritance, by thy blood; and so redeemed the whole, as never more to be lost again or forfeited for ever. And now Lord, thy jubilee trumpet sounds; and the proclamation of the everlasting gospel is heard in our land, to give liberty to the captive, sight to the blind, to bring the prisoners out of the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house! Oh! cause me to know the joyful sound, and daily to walk in the light of thy countenance. Cause me, by the sweet influences of thy spirit, to live in the constant expectation of the year of the everlasting jubilee, when the trumpet of the archangel shall finally sound, and all thy redeemed shall then return to Zion, with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads; when they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Hallelujah! DEUTERONOMY 5:12–15; LEVITICUS 25:1–12 God intends for us to be free. Freedom from slavery is part of the Sabbath and the Jubilee. All of Israel, including servants, and even animals, are to observe this rest. “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:15). The focus and purpose of all of our labor, ultimately, is to serve him. No other person or institution may own our allegiance; any other allegiance is ultimately slavery. God has freed us and will continue to free us. These Sabbaths don’t just point backward to the God of creation; they point to God as a deliverer as well. The year of Jubilee tells us that we can never lose our identity as God’s freed children. He is the One who delivers the enslaved and those he sets free are freed forever. In addition, the Sabbath and Jubilee tell us that God has a home for us and will lead us there. God takes the enslaved and restores the created order of things by settling his people in his land. Who or what controls your world? Whom or what do you serve? WINSTON T. SMITH G Campbell
Levítico 25
Guzik - When Israel came into the Promised Land, the land was allotted according to tribes and families. These initial tracts of land would be the permanent possession of those families, and therefore land in Israel could never really be "sold" - it could only be leased, and the amount of the lease would be based on how many years there were left until the Jubilee. This assured that no family would be permanently prevented from having land. Every fifty years, every family would have the opportunity to start again. (Study Guide for Leviticus 25 ) James Smith - Handfuls of Purpose - Restoration. "Ye shall return every man into his possession" (Lev 25:13). All that was lost through failure and sin was restored through the jubilee Gospel. All that was lost in Adam is restored in Christ, and the glorious Gospel of the blessed God declares it. Made nigh by the Blood of Christ. Poor Mephibosheth heard such a Gospel and enjoyed such a restoration (2 Sam. 9). He restoreth my soul. Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.
Levítico 25
Guzik - God promised that if Israel obeyed Him, He would provide so much on the sixth year, that they will not only be supplied for the seventh year when they give the land rest, but they will also be eating the produce of the sixth year some three years later. If we obey God - even when it doesn't make sense - we can trust He will provide our every need. If we seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, all those practical things will be added unto us! (Matthew 6:33) (Study Guide for Leviticus 25 ) Blessing (01293)(berakah from barak) is a feminine noun referring to something that brings prosperity and life. It designates the good favor bestowed on someone as by giving a gift (Ge 33:11, 1 Sa 25:27) or by giving words of blessing (Ge 27:36, 49:28), which were a verbal picture of tangible blessing. Berakah most often describes divine favor bestowed on the righteous (Ge 12:2, Mal 3:10). Berakah - This is the only use in Leviticus of the noun berakah (01293)("blessing"). It comes from the verb brk, which means to "kneel, bless" [BDB, 138]. The verb is used twice in Leviticus 9:22, 23. The noun can mean either "the verbal enduement with good things or a collective expression for the good things themselves (Ezek. 34:26; Mal. 3:10)" [J. Oswalt, TWOT, 1:132]. In the context of Lev. 25:21 the blessing was an abundant harvest that would suffice for the time the land was allowed its Sabbatical. While blessing could be in the form of spiritual values, for the Israelite the land and blessing of it was all an essential and indispensable part of God's promise to them as a nation. See Lev. 9:22 for the use of the verb barak. (Bramer) Gilbrant on berakah - It denotes words of blessing from a parent (Gen. 27:12, 41), from Moses (Deut. 33:1), from God (Deut. 11:26, 27, 29; Josh. 8:34; 2 Sam. 7:29), from the people (Prov. 11:26; 24:25), and from a poor person (Job 29:13). The word was also used in a formula of blessing (Gen. 49:28). It also refers to a source of blessing other than God: Abraham (Gen. 12:2), Israel (Isa. 19:24; Ezek. 34:26; Zech. 8:13), descendents of the righteous (Ps. 37:26), the king (Ps. 21:6), memory of the righteous (Prov. 10:7), and new wine (Isa. 65:8). The good things that are an expression of blessing are also referred to (Ps. 21:3). It denotes the prosperity of the upright, which exalts a city (Prov. 11:11), and it refers to the early rain (Ps. 84:6). It also refers to a gift (Gen. 33:1; Josh. 15:19; 1 Sam. 25:27), and a generous person (Prov. 11:25). Furthermore, it refers to blessing and praise of God (Neh. 9:5). Finally, this word denotes a peace treaty, or capitulation (2 Ki. 18:31; Isa. 36:16). (Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary) Gesenius Definition of berakah - בְּרָכָה once בֲּרָכָה Genesis 27:38, constr. בִּרְכַּת; plur. בְּרָכוֹת, constr. בִּרְכוֹת f. (1) a blessing, benediction, invocation of good, as of a father about to die, Genesis 27:12, seq.; 33:11. בִּרְכַּת יְשָׁרִים “the benediction of righteous men,” Proverbs 11:11 בִּרְכַּת יְהֹוָה“benediction (i.e. favour) of God,” the result of which is prosperity and good of every kind, Genesis 39:5 Ps. 3:9 Isaiah 44:3. Also בְּרָכָה simply, Isaiah 19:24; Joel 2:14, sometimes followed by a gen. of him whom God had blessed. Genesis 28:4, אַבְרָהָם בִּרְכַּת “the benediction (with which he blessed) Abraham;” Genesis 49:26, בִּרְכוֹת הוֹרַי עַד “the benedictions (of God with which he blessed) the eternal mountains.” Differently, Proverbs 24:25, בִּרְכַּת טוֹב “blessing of good.” Plur. בְּרָכוֹת benedictions, blessings, sc. of God, Proverbs 10:6, 28:20 but more often, benefits, gifts divinely bestowed; Psal. 84:7 Genesis 49:25. Compare Isaiah 65:8, “destroy it (the cluster) not, כִּי בְרָכָה בּוֹ for there is a divine gift in it.” (2) concr. used of a man by the favour of God, extremely fortunate and happy. Genesis 12:2, וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה; Psal. 21:7, תְּשִׁיתֵהוּ בְרָכוֹת לָעַד “thou hast made him most blessed for ever.” Collect. Zechariah 8:13. (3) a gift, present, by which one signifies favour and good will, such as one offers with good wishes. Genesis 33:11; 1 Samuel 25:27, 30:26 2 Kings 5:15. בִּרָכָה נֶפֶשׁ “a bountiful soul,” i.e. a bountiful person; Proverbs 11:25. (Syr. ܒܘܽܪܟܳܐ, Eth. በረስት፡ id.). (4) i.q. שָׁלוֹם peace, 2 Kings 18:31, עֲשׂוּ אִתִּי בְרָכָה “make peace with me;” Isaiah 36:16. (5) [Berachah], pr.n. (a) of a valley in the desert near Tekoa, 2 Chronicles 20:26. (b) m. 1 Chronicles 12:3. Brown-Driver-Briggs Expanded Definition of berakah - I. בְּרָכָה noun feminine blessing (Arabic ; Ethiopic Aramaic בִּרְכָּא ; Late Hebrew as Hebrew) — ׳ב Genesis 12:2 39t.; construct בִּרְכַּת Genesis 28:4 9t.; suffix בִּרְכָתוֺGenesis 49:28 7t.; plural בְּרָכוֺת Psalm 21:7 4t.; construct בִּרְכוֺת, בִּרְכֹת Genesis 49:25 5t.; suffix בִּרְכוֺתֵיכֶם Malachi 2:2; — 1 blessing: a. of parent Genesis 27:12,41; Genesis 49:28 (JE), of Moses Deuteronomy 33:1. b. of God Exodus 32:29 (E) Leviticus 25:21 (P) Deuteronomy 11:26,27,29; Deuteronomy 23:6 (= Nehemiah 13:2) Deuteronomy 28:2; Deuteronomy 28:8; Deuteronomy 30:1; Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 8:34 (D) 2 Samuel 7:29; Psalm 3:9; Psalm 21:4; Psalm 133:3; Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 34:26; Ezekiel 44:30; Joel 2:14; Malachi 3:10; ברכת יהוה Genesis 39:5 (J) Deuteronomy 12:15; Deuteronomy 16:17; Deuteronomy 33:23; Psalm 129:8; Proverbs 10:22; ׳ברכה מאת י Psalm 24:5; ברכת אברהם Genesis 28:4 (P), the blessing given to Abraham. c. of the people, in recognition of good men Psalm 109:17; Proverbs 10:6; Proverbs 11:26; Proverbs 24:25; Proverbs 28:20. d. of a poor man, in recognition of benefits Job 29:13. 2 source of blessing: Abraham Genesis 12:2 (J); Israel Isaiah 19:24; Ezekiel 34:26; Zechariah 8:13; seed of the righteous Psalm 37:26; the king Psalm 21:7; memory of the righteous Proverbs 10:7; new wine Isaiah 65:8. 3 blessing, prosperity: בברכת ישׁרים by the prosperity of the upright (the city is exalted) Proverbs 11:11; גם ברכות יעטהמורה yea, the early rain covereth with blessings Psalm 84:7 compare Genesis 49:25,26; וארותי את ברכותיכם and I will curse your prosperity Malachi 2:2. 4 blessing, praise of God Nehemiah 9:5. 5 a gift, present Genesis 33:11 (E) Joshua 15:19 (J) Judges 1:15; 1 Samuel 25:27; 1 Samuel 30:26; 2 Kings 5:15; נֶפֶשׁ בְּרָכָה a liberal person Proverbs 11:25 6 treaty of peace 2 Kings 18:31 = Isaiah 36:16. Berakah - 69x in 64 verses. Usage: benefit(1), blessed(1), blessing(48), blessings(11), generous(1), gift(3), most blessed(1), peace(2), present(1). Genesis 12:2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; Genesis 27:12 "Perhaps my father will feel me, then I will be as a deceiver in his sight, and I will bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing." Genesis 27:35 And he said, "Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing." Genesis 27:36 Then he said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob, for he has supplanted me these two times? He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing." And he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" Genesis 27:38 Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father." So Esau lifted his voice and wept. Genesis 27:41 So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob." Genesis 28:4 "May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham." Genesis 33:11 "Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty." Thus he urged him and he took it. Genesis 39:5 It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD'S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. Genesis 49:25 From the God of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. Genesis 49:26 "The blessings of your father Have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers. Genesis 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. Exodus 32:29 Then Moses said, "Dedicate yourselves today to the LORD-- for every man has been against his son and against his brother-- in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today." Leviticus 25:21 then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years. Deuteronomy 11:26 "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: Deuteronomy 11:27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; Deuteronomy 11:29 "It shall come about, when the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. Deuteronomy 12:15 "However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. Deuteronomy 16:17 "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you. Deuteronomy 23:5 "Nevertheless, the LORD your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your God loves you. Deuteronomy 28:2 "All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God: Deuteronomy 28:8 "The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you. Deuteronomy 30:1 "So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, Deuteronomy 33:1 Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. Deuteronomy 33:23 Of Naphtali he said, "O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, And full of the blessing of the LORD, Take possession of the sea and the south." Joshua 8:34 Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. Joshua 15:19 Then she said, "Give me a blessing; since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water." So he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. Judges 1:15 She said to him, "Give me a blessing, since you have given me the land of the Negev, give me also springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. 1 Samuel 25:27 "Now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord. 1 Samuel 30:26 Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Behold, a gift for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: 2 Samuel 7:29 "Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever." 2 Kings 5:15 When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, "Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now." 2 Kings 18:31 'Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, "Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, Nehemiah 9:5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, "Arise, bless the LORD your God forever and ever! O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise! Nehemiah 13:2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. Job 29:13 "The blessing of the one ready to perish came upon me, And I made the widow's heart sing for joy. Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah. Psalm 21:3 For You meet him with the blessings of good things; You set a crown of fine gold on his head. Psalm 21:6 For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence. Psalm 24:5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation. Psalm 37:26 All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing. Psalm 84:6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings. Psalm 109:17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him; And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. Psalm 129:8 Nor do those who pass by say, "The blessing of the LORD be upon you; We bless you in the name of the LORD." Psalm 133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- life forever. Proverbs 10:6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. Proverbs 10:22 It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. Proverbs 11:11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, But by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down. Proverbs 11:25 The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:26 He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. Proverbs 24:25 But to those who rebuke the wicked will be delight, And a good blessing will come upon them. Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished. Isaiah 19:24 In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, Isaiah 36:16 'Do not listen to Hezekiah,' for thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, Isaiah 44:3 'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants; Isaiah 65:8 Thus says the LORD, "As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, 'Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,' So I will act on behalf of My servants In order not to destroy all of them. Ezekiel 34:26 "I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing. Ezekiel 44:30 "The first of all the first fruits of every kind and every contribution of every kind, from all your contributions, shall be for the priests; you shall also give to the priest the first of your dough to cause a blessing to rest on your house. Joel 2:14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God? Zechariah 8:13 'It will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong.' Malachi 2:2 "If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name," says the LORD of hosts, "then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Leviticus 25:22 'When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating the old until the ninth year when its crop comes in. eighth (KJV): 2Ki 19:29 Isa 37:30 old fruit (KJV): Jos 5:11,12 NLT As you plant the seed in the eighth year, you will still be eating the produce of the previous year. In fact, you will eat from the old crop until the new harvest comes in the ninth year.' GOD IS ABLE TO BLESS ABUNDANTLY When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating the old until the ninth year when its crop comes in. This passage shows just how bountiful is the blessing that the Lord would bestow if they would choose obedience. It is reminiscent of Ephesians 3:20-note where Paul writes "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." Leviticus 25:23 'The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me. Greek (Septuagint) kai e ge ou prathesetai eis bebaiosin eme gar estin e ge dioti proselutoi kai paroikoi humeis este enantion mou LXE Leviticus 25:23 And the land shall not be sold for a permanence; for the land is mine, because ye are strangers and sojourners before me. CSB Leviticus 25:23 "The land is not to be permanently sold because it is Mine, and you are only foreigners and temporary residents on My land. ESV Leviticus 25:23 "The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. KJV Leviticus 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. NET Leviticus 25:23 The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me. NIV Leviticus 25:23 " 'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. NLT Leviticus 25:23 "The land must never be sold on a permanent basis, for the land belongs to me. You are only foreigners and tenant farmers working for me. YLT Leviticus 25:23 'And the land is not sold -- to extinction, for the land is Mine, for sojourners and settlers are ye with Me; The land (KJV): Lev 25:10 1Ki 21:3 Eze 48:14 for ever (KJV): or, to be quite cut off, Heb. for cutting off, for the land. De 32:43 2Ch 7:20 Ps 24:1 85:1 Isa 8:8 Ho 9:3 Joe 2:18 3:2 for ye are (KJV): Ge 47:9 1Ch 29:15 Ps 39:12 119:19 Heb 11:9-13 1Pe 2:11 Related Passages: Psalm 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. THE LAND BELONGS TO THE LORD David writes "The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it." (Ps 24:1) 'The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, (Only Lv 25:23, 30): One of the central teachings of the OT is that God, his people, and, the real estate which he gave to them belonged together. Since God remained the sole owner of the land, He attached certain conditions to the Israelites' occupation of it. One condition was that the land was not to be sold permanently (Lv 25:23). if someone became so poor that he had to sell his property, his nearest kinsman was to redeem it (Lev 25:25). If he had no kinsman, and never recovered sufficient means to buy it back himself, it remained in the hands of the purchaser until the year of Jubilee. In that year, the seventh seven, every family was to return to its ancestral possession. The law of Jubilee was the first land reform in history. NET NOTE - The term rendered “without reclaim” means that the land has been bought for the full price and is, therefore, not subject to reclaim under any circumstances. This was not to be done with land in ancient Israel (contrast the final full sale of houses in v. 30; see the evidence cited in B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 174). for the land is Mine: This explains why the land was not to be sold permanently. Rooker - As owner he alone has title to the property; the Israelites are but aliens and tenants with a stewardship (1 Chr 29:15; Heb 11:13). Since the land was God’s, it was to be used in accordance with his plan and policy. The Israelites do not possess the land because of their military prowess, neither may they dispose of the land at their own discretion. Land sales in Israel were thus not final but were more like leases. (See context in Leviticus: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition )