THE NATURE OF SPIRITUAL LIFE -- Tomorrow:
"But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor 3:15-18, KJV)
THERE IS LIBERTY
" . . . there is liberty."
Other versions read, "there is freedom" (NIV), "there the heart is free" (BBE), "he gives freedom" (NLT), "there is freedom [from trying to be saved by keeping the laws of God" (LIVING), "freedom is enjoyed" (WEYMOUTH) and "there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom) [Isa 61:1,2] (AMPLIFIED).
THE CONCEPT OF LIBERTY
The concept of "liberty," as God intends for it to be understood, was introduced under the Law. Every fiftieth year "the trumpet of jubilee" was to be sounded "throughout the land." The trumpet was to be blown "on the day of atonement." That year – all of it – was to be "hallowed," or set apart to the Lord. A certain message was to be proclaimed throughout the land: "proclaim liberty throughout ALL the land unto ALL the inhabitants" (Lev 25:8-11).
THE INVOLVEMENTS OF LIBERTY
Those who were in bondage were set free. Every person was to return to "his own possession," and every man"unto his family."
SOWING AND REAPING SUSPENDED. Throughout that year, no sowing or reaping was to be done, and what sprang up of its own accord was not to be eaten: "A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed" (Lev 25:11). The "year of Jubilee" was one in which they could not harvest the fields. Instead, they could bring home only what they were going to eat, not storing it in their barns: "eat only what is taken directly from the fields" (Lev 25:12, NIV).
A REFERENCE POINT FOR COMMERCE. Any property that was bought or sold was to be done without taking any advantage of each other. Those selling the land had to take into consideration the number of years until the next Jubilee, and charge only for the years the person would reap the benefits of the property. Those buying the land were to approach the sale with the same thing in mind. They were not to "oppress one another" in these matters (Lev 25:14-17).
SOLD PROPERTY REVERTED BACK TO ITS OWNER. Whatever property was sold reverted to the original owner in the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:28).
CERTAIN UNREDEEMED HOUSES REMAINED WITH THE BUYER. If a house was sold that was within a walled city, the seller was given opportunity to redeem it within the first year. If he did not redeem the house, it would remain the possession of the buyer, and was not to be returned in the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:29-30).
CERTAIN HOUSES REVERTED BACK TO THE OWNER. Houses outside of a walled city were treated as a field. They could be redeemed, and they also reverted back to their owner in the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:31).
SPECIAL PRIVILEGES FOR THE LEVITES. The houses of the Levites could be redeemed at any time, and were returned in the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:32-33). However, the fields, or pastures, of the suburbs of the Levite cities could not be sold; they were their "perpetual possession" (Lev 25:34).
SLAVES WERE FREED. Slaves were freed in the year of Jubilee. All business transactions involved in the buying and selling of slaves were to be done the year of Jubilee in mind (Lev 25:35-55).
In a nutshell, the liberty depicted in the year of Jubilee involved returning to where something belonged – whether property or an individual. That is the kind of liberty that is realized where the Spirit is found – liberty to return to the Lord. That will be the subject of our next exposition.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for the freedom to leave the world and find refuge in You.