"jubilee" and the New Year

 

In Israel’s ancient past “Jubilee” ideally meant being set free from debt, servitude and having one’s land returned.  The principle of “Jubilee” was first set forth in Leviticus Chapter 25; spiritualized in Isaiah 61 and was prophetically enlarged upon in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).  Frankly, and practically, the original law did not work often or well, but what an ideal!

Something of “Jubilee” notions spring to mind with the birth of each new year.  These notions are characterized by a fervent desire in the hearts of many to “start fresh”, “turn over a new leaf”, or, at least do something different.  Immediately as if to shoot down such notions the Bible rhetorically asks, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots” (Jeremiah 23:13a)?  This is with the clear implication that self-improvement is vain, if not simply impossible.

By marvelous contrast, when a person comes to Jesus Christ in a spirit of brokenness and repentance (with sorrow and a turning away from sin), he or she becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus, old things pass away and all things become new (II. Corinthians 5:17).  A person can be set free from all his/her sins (there may be consequences on the human level to be dealt with) and God promises to remove them from us and deposit them in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19b).

This is a large part of what “evangelical” Christians mean by being “born again” of the Spirit of God, or “Saved”.  This can be a year of “Jubilee” for you.