Read Leviticus
24-25 & Mark
1:23-45
To discover:
As you read consider what the Sabbath year and year of
Jubilee teaches.
To ponder:
We read of the lamps and bread in Exodus. They are
practical: the lamps light the tabernacle at night and the bread provides food
for the priests. But in being “before the LORD” both stress his presence (24v4,
8).
The story of the blaspheming man
brings home God’s holiness as the theme of the book. In some way the man
verbally disrespected the name “YAHWEH.” It’s noteworthy that the people don’t
assume he must be killed (24v12). God determines his fate. And because the Son
is one with the Father, we must conclude that “stoning” would be Christ’s
decision in the same context. By having those who heard the man “lay their
hands on his head” God ensures they take responsibility, protecting against
false accusations. By involving the “entire assembly” in the stoning, all Israel
learn that blasphemy means death (24v15-16).
In response what’s called the
“lex talionis” (eye for an eye) formula is restated. Many assume this made
punishments excessive. On the contrary: Unlike the laws of other nations, it
actually limited punishments, ensuring they fit the crime.
The Sabbath year would test the
faith of the Israelites just as the Sabbath did. Every seventh year they (and
their animals) would rest from working their fields and vineyards, trusting God
to provide sufficient food on the sixth year and from what grows wild on the
seventh. But this is described as the “land” resting. The very creation has a
relationship with the LORD, in which he cares for it.
On the fiftieth (Jubilee) year
it’s as if everything in Israel
is rebooted. Whatever land has been sold is to return to the family that had to
sell it, and any Israelites who have become full time servants through poverty,
are freed. And when land or people are bought, the price should therefore
reflect the amount of years until the Jubilee – ie. that they will benefit from
the land or person before they are returned. Moreover, if the seller or a
relative gains sufficient funds to buy back the land, they must be prepared to
do so before the year of Jubilee, and at a cost reflecting the years left. The
exemptions in 25v29-34 are for non land based property or God’s permanent
provision to the Levites because they serve the tabernacle.
By these means the Israelites are
not to “take advantage” of one-another, and the family unit and its share of Israel’s
inheritance is protected. Indeed, Israelites are to help the poor to continue
to live amongst them by not charging interest on loans and selling them food at
cost price (25v35-38). And because the people are redeemed as God’s servants,
those who have to sell themselves are not to be slaves but “treated as hired
workers or temporary residents” and not ruled “ruthlessly.” Furthermore, those
sold to aliens or temporary residents can be bought back on the same terms as the
land. Elsewhere protections are given to foreign slaves. But here, there is
much to challenge our treatment of each other as God’s people.
The reason for disallowing
permanent ownership is that the land is God’s and the people only “aliens and
tenants,” receiving it as his gift (25v23, 38). Although the Jubilee principle
inspired the writing off of some third world debt, we are not given specific
land in the way Israel were, so these commands are not required today. However,
as all creation is the LORD’s, we can view our property in a similar way.
Ownership is permitted, but only as tenants responsible for what we have to
God.
Praying it home:
Praise God for his concern stretches to the natural order
itself. Pray that he would move Christians to give to their poor brothers and
sisters in Christ.
Thinking further:
None today.
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