A Year of Jubilee!

Wow, what a year! Who would have thought? Who would have guessed? A global pandemic that has disrupted and impacted the world like never before in history. As a matter of fact, we are still being impacted by COVID-19.

I sometimes wonder, ‘Will life ever be the same? Will the church ever be the same? Will there ever be a sense of normalcy? What exactly will normal look like?’ Although it has been with us for several months now, it would seem as if the world has changed overnight.

While there are troubling questions that are constantly looming on the horizon, with seemingly no concrete answers in sight, a series of questions is on the forefront of my mind: Is COVID-19 a year of rest? A year of renewal? A year of rejuvenation? A year of rehabilitation? A year of restoration? A year of reconsecration? A year of revival? Perhaps a year of reset? Maybe, from a biblical perspective, a type of jubilee?

Have you ever heard of the word “jubilee”? I remember coming across the word in my undergraduate years at CUC. At first, I didn’t know the exact meaning, but I figured it had something to do with feelings of joy and celebration.

What Is the Year of Jubilee?

In the Leviticus 25:1–13, there was something called “the year of jubilee”; it happened every 50th year. The word “jubilee” comes from the Hebrew word yobel, which means “trumpet.” The trumpet would be blown to signal what is called “the year of the Lord.” This was a specific time in biblical history that impacted the Israelite nation.

Ultimately, this was a time of forgiveness. People would be released from debts, slaves were freed from their owners, property was returned, there was no planting or harvesting, people were to return to their families and loved ones, and the year was dedicated to the Lord.

Jesus and Jubilee

When Jesus began his ministry, the Bible says in Luke 4:16–19 that He entered the temple, stood up, and read Scripture. Jesus shared his mission statement, saying at the end, “to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” He was quoting from Isaiah 61:1–2. Interestingly, Jesus starts His ministry by proclaiming “jubilee” for the people to whom He was about to minister. His ministry was all about freedom and liberty. In fact, Jesus was preaching liberation theology, liberating those in bondage physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Is Jubilee Possible in Modern Society?

Of course, this would not be like the exact, literal jubilee, the year of celebration. However, there is still a meaningful and practical application that could be utilized in the specific areas of our personal lives.

Family

Because of the global pandemic, we have been encouraged to practice social distancing and, in some cases, isolation and mandatory lockdowns. We have had to change how we do life. The government and health officials ask Canadians to stay home as far as possible and only go out for the necessities.

This has given us a unique opportunity to be at home and spend more quality time with family. Never has there been a time like this where globally, families have had to shelter in place. I see this is a type of jubilee blessing because we have almost been mandated to stay at home. Over several decades, work and productivity have taken first place in many people’s lives. This has helped lead to the breakdown of families. Some households work two or three jobs to make ends meet. Although the full economic impact is still yet to be seen, I believe the time with families could be seen as a positive thing.

Restored Community

In Acts 2:36–43 and 4:32–37, there are beautiful pictures of the disciples practicing intentional community. They are selling property and land, sharing wealth, and eating food together in this shared community. It is a brilliant picture of what biblical community looks like. The community has been challenging to create and maintain. With this isolated time that COVID-19 has given us, we must find new ways to build, develop, and support the community. Yes, this is hard to do physically due to restrictions and health concerns, but perhaps technology can still provide a sense of restored community.

Equality

The year of jubilee was especially important for those who were in poverty. This was a time where redistribution and upliftment were possible. The disparity between those who had and those who didn't was leveled. Those plagued by extreme poverty levels were allowed to gain back all that was lost and restart at an equitable place. Could it be that God is inviting us to help play a pivotal role in providing equality for those who have been disenfranchised?

Forgiveness

Jubilee was all about forgiveness. Those who had unpaid debts would be offered loan forgiveness. The responsibility was placed on the debtor and the person who offered the loan: the creditor. It was not only applied to economic debt cancellation, but also spiritual debts. It is said that many people suffer adverse health effects due to unforgiveness. Forgiveness has the power to give freedom and healing by releasing past hurt and pain and allow for spiritual healing to take place.

God

When it comes to dedicating the year to God as the ancient Israelites did, perhaps we should dedicate this coming year to God by focusing on health, healing, rest, and rehabilitation.

Jubilee was a constant reminder of His faithfulness and mercy to His people, even when it was not deserved. This ultimately signified coming back into a right relationship with God.

What Can Jubilee Mean for Me Today?

Jubilee can be seen as a metaphor for rest. In our everyday life, think about the areas where the jubilee principle can be applied. Are there people you need to forgive? Is there someone from whom you need to ask forgiveness? Is there a community that needs to be repaired? Are their relationships that need to be restored? How can you implement intentional rest into your life? How can you spend quality time with your family? How can you dedicate this year to God?

A Year of Jubilee for Everyone

"Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants” (Leviticus 25:10, KJV). There is this idea that many people were to benefit from this jubilee. From a biblical perspective, jubilee was not only for the benefit of the Israelites; it was a model for all nations throughout the world.

Could it be that God wants all people globally to experience the powerful impact of spiritual and physical jubilee? A sense of rest and peace from labor? Forgiveness unto one another? A sense of freedom from worry? A sense of restored community?

Conclusion

I have heard it said that with the uncanny chain of events that has taken place throughout 2020, we should cancel this year and move on to 2021. However, could it be that this disruption has been for our divine deliverance? What is God trying to tell us? What is the message in this perceived mess?

I would like to think God is allowing the world to reset. One example is that we have been spending time indoors. The environment is experiencing a type of rest never seen in decades due to humanity's overuse and overconsumption.

As people, land, and property were released, we are also released from our debts that could not be adequately paid. We were once captive to sin, but through the grace of God and the blessings of His divine jubilee, we can experience equality, forgiveness, freedom, liberty, and rest from God, our loving, heavenly Father. I praise God for this type of modern-day year of jubilee.

Dr. Lyle Notice | Youth Director Alberta Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist