Year of Jubilee: God's Time Table

Year of Jubilee: God's Time Table

And you shall count seven Sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all the land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family (Leviticus 25:8-10).

In ancient Israel the year of Jubilee was meant to be celebrated each fiftieth year where all debt were canceled and all possessions returned to its original owner and all Hebrew slaves in Israel were set free. The Year of Jubilee (from Hebrew yobel, "ram's horn") is an extension of the Sabbath principle that begins with the day of rest every seventh day, extended in the Sabbatical Year fallow every seventh year, to the Jubilee. The Jubilee year following each cycle of seven 7-year periods, counting from Israel's entry into the Promised Land. Seven of these seven-year periods (7 x 7 = 49) were to be counted, and the following year, the 50th, was to be a Jubilee year. The length of each cycle toward the year of Jubilee is fifty years. The trumpet of the Jubilee is to be sounded throughout all the land to consecrate the 50th year and to proclaim liberty to all inhabitants of the land.

The Jubilee Year, like the Sabbatical Year, was also to be a year of rest for the land, in which sowing, reaping, and harvesting were forbidden. The land had complete rest. This meant that the produce of the 48th year of each 50-year cycle would be the primary food source for that year and for a little over two years following, until the harvest of the 51st, or the year after the Jubilee.

The Jubilee was the entire year a festival of restoration, a year of liberty. The observance of it would demonstrate Israel's faith in God and it would be a time of thanksgiving and joy in His provision. There is no indication in the Scriptures that the Year of Jubilee was observed. If Israel would have observed this commandment of the Lord, every Israelite would have been freed from permanent poverty.

It was on the tenth day of the seventh month (in the month of Tishri), on the Day of Atonement, that the curved animal horn, was sounded, proclaiming liberty throughout the land. This meant freedom for Hebrew slaves, many of whom had sold themselves because of poverty. Such release normally came in the seventh year of servitude (Exodus 21:2), but the Jubilee provided liberty for those who had served less than six years. All hereditary land possessions (houses in villages and fields of the country) that had been sold were returned. Each man returned to his family and his ancestral possession. No family was to sink into depths of perpetual poverty. God meant for every family to prosper. Even a person who squandered his substance could not forever lose his inheritance for his posterity. Though the people would occupy the land in Canaan, the ownership of the land is the Lord's. The Israelites themselves were strangers and sojourners with the Lord (Leviticus 25:23-24). If Israel kept the law of the Lord, every one of them would have come into his possession. God would have blessed and prospered them; they would have lend to many nations, but would not have borrowed; they would have reigned over many nations, but they would not have reigned over them (Leviticus 25:8-10; Deuteronomy 15:4-5).

The Jubilee was for the people's sake. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family (Leviticus 25:10b, emphasis added). Each family shall have their heritage restored according to that which their ancestors received when they entered the Promised Land. Each family shall be free as their ancestors were on the day they entered the Promised Land.

The Jubilee was a type and shadow of a better Jubilee to come, the true Jubilee that God envisaged for His people. It entails the restoration of all possessions and liberty that Adam has lost in the Garden of Eden through sin.

When God created man He gave him dominion over the earth. Adam and Eve were overflowing with heavenly peace and liberty as they ruled the Garden of Eden, their Promised Land, in the cool of the day.

When Adam fell from perfection in God he lost his freedom in God and became a slave of sin and death. He was unable to please God and incapable of bringing fulfillment to the earth. He lost everything he had in God!

Adam, through sin, lost all of his possessions to Satan. He tore the universe, which was one realm in God, into two realms. Two symbolizes separation. Sin separated Adam from God. God who is holy will not share the same domain with sinful flesh. He will not share His glory with someone that is outside of Him. Man was casted into the natural or lower realm of creation which is covered with a cloud of doubt and fear because of the presence of the evil one. Man, as a dead soul, found himself isolated from God, dwelling in the kingdom of the ruler of this world, the natural realm, while the living God remains in His abode in the Spirit. God never changed but when sin entered into man he signed all of his possessions over to Satan and lost his freedom in the Holy Spirit as he fell from light into darkness.

God in His foreknowledge provided a Jubilee for man, to regain what he had lost in Adam. Jesus is the fulfillment of the believer's Jubilee. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He opened the book, He found the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:17-21).

Jesus is the Anointed One, the Lamb of God without blemish. He alone could do it because the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him. He is the Anointed One, the Christ or Messiah, the prophet that was liken unto Moses to preach the gospel to the poor; to everyone that has lost his or her heritage in Adam. He came to heal the broken hearted for how shall the Lord's people sing the songs of Zion in a strange land. He came blowing the ram's horn, proclaiming liberty to the captives and the acceptable year of the Lord. He came to recover the sight of the blind which they lost in Adam; failing to see the kingdom of God. He came to take away the depression due to the loss of our possessions and freedom caused by the insubordination of the infidel Adam. The day Jesus read it, he declared it fulfilled. Then he made the provision valid by sealing it in His blood on the cross. Thank you Lord Jesus; for all eternity we will sing your praise!

Though the Lord forever sealed Jubilee in the New Covenant in His blood we do not yet see that we have attained bodily to the resurrection from the dead and made perfect in the soul and see all things under Him. There remains in the plan of God a time frame of fulfillment.

Much was written on the restoration of all things by excellent men of God, much more spectacular than I can ever present to you, but to me was given to see in visions, dreams and revelation the time frames of the plan of God. The significance of the Year of Jubilee is far more significant than we can ever think or imagine. To see the restoration of all things without the time schedule of God is to see half a picture or a vision with little understanding.

The models of Sabbath and Jubilee contain the mystery of the time frames of God's creation and redemption plans. The Sabbatical and Jubilee cycles of God, which He gave to the ancient Israelites as laws to keep, are types and shadows of the time frames of His creation and redemption plans. The Sabbatical and Jubilee cycles emphasize different time cycles and time frames. This marvelous mystery is hidden in the Scriptures.

How long did it take God to create the heavens and the earth? For in six days the Lord made the heavens and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day (Exodus 20:11a). Was it six 24-hour days?

Some say that each of the six days could have been a different time period which was called a creation day. Some says it was 6 year-days and others are adamant that God created the heavens and earth in six 24-hour days. What do the Scriptures say about it?

Firstly, God used His Sabbatical model in His creation plan. He created the heavens and earth in six days and on the seventh day he rested. If God created the heavens and earth in six 24-hour days God would have fulfilled His rest and His redemption plan 24 hours later. We are still on earth, waiting for Christ's return, testifying that this view is not true. The carnal mind does not have revelation concerning the things of the Spirit.

If God created the heavens and earth in six years God would have completed His rest and redemption plan one year later. Even if God's creation days were 1 000 year periods His rest and redemption plan would have been completed thousands of years ago. We are still walking the earth. If creation days were different time periods then the use of the word day in the creation account was used inappropriately – in such a case, a different word would have been used. The word day in Genesis 1 signifies a certain fixed time period. Since nature teaches us that days are more or less equal time periods it means every creation day was of equal time period. The six days in Genesis 1 refers to six equal fixed time periods. All Scriptures were inspired by the Holy Spirit and therefore the use of the word day is perfect even as His inspiration is perfect. So we can discard the idea that each creation day was of a different time period.

So, His creation and redemption plan was based on a Sabbatical model with each day all equal time periods. What was the time period of one creation day? The Bible does not tell us directly how long a creation day was but gives us clues how to determine it. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter (Proverbs 25:2). What do the Scriptures teach us how to go about it? The Bible indicates that an object may obtain a specific meaning by its inherent characteristics and/or uses. So, the length of a creation day of God, which is omitted in Scripture, can be interpreted by the inherited time characteristics of a day as we know it.

Scriptures to support above statement are as follows: But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you (Job 12:7-8). More Scriptures to support Job's statement are as follows.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard (Psalm 19:1-3, emphasis added).

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20, emphasis added).

Nature testifies, day by day that the time period of a single day is more or less equal in length in comparison with all other days, namely 24 hours. Thus, nature testifies that not only 24-hour days as we know it but also God's creation days were more or less equal in length of time. If we can determine the length of the seventh day, the day of God's rest we will know the time length of each of God's creation days. From Adam to Christ is 4 000 years; from Christ to date is 2 000 years and from the present to the end of His millennial reign is 1 000 years, totaling a period of 7 000 years.

So, we have established that one creation day is 7 000 years. The creation period lasted for 42 000 years (6 days x 7 000 years). Every seventh millennium during creation was a Sabbath for creation. But in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land (Leviticus 25:4).

Peter laid down the principal that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:8). If we apply this principal to the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles we come to see that each creation day of God was 7 000 years and that God's redemption and creation plan is 50 000 years (1000 x 50 years). And you shall count seven Sabbaths (7 x 7000 years) of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine (49 x 1000 years) years. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all the land. And you shall consecrate the fiftieth (50 x 1 000 years) year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family (Leviticus 25:8-10).

How can you be sure that this is the truth? By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established (2 Corinthians 13:1). To give you a witness for everything will warrant me to write a book on the subject, which I hopefully will do in 2010. However, I can give you some Scriptural and other witnesses from nature, which I hope will satisfy most of your questions.

The most important witness is the birth and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. From the beginning of creation to Christ was 46 000 years. From the beginning of creation to Adam is 42 000 (6 days x 7 000 years) years. From Adam to Christ is a further 4 000 years, totaling 46 000 years since God created heavens and the earth.  The temple of the human body has 46 genes or units of inheritance that is carried on chromosomes, controls transmission of hereditary characters, and consists of DNA. It took the Jews 46 years to build the temple. Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years (46 000 years) to build this temple (old creation), and will you raise it up in three (three thousand years = two thousand years of church age plus one thousand years of Christ's millennial reign) days? (John 2:20). From the above witnesses it is evident that 46 is the number of the old creation. It is 46 000 years since the beginning of creation to Christ, 46 years it took the fathers to build the temple and the human temple has 46 genes. Jesus came in the 46th millennium since creation to take away the old creation that He may establishes the new creation. He said it will take Him 3 days (3 000 years) to complete His temple. After 49 000 years (46 000 years plus 3000 years) since God started His creation, His temple will be completed. After two days (2 000 year church age) He will revive us; on the third day (Millennial reign of the Lord) He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight (Hosea 6:2).

And He said to them, "Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day (3 000 years; 49th millennium) I shall be perfected (in His body of believers)' (Luke 13:32).

Since the day of Christ to date is 2 000 years totaling a period of 48 000 years since God started to fashion His creation. So, according to Scripture until now creation is more or less 48 000 years old (46 000 years until Christ plus 2 000 years of the Church age).

The first 42 000 years (the period before the transgression) was a period of innocence and perfection. There was no sin and death. Death came by Adam. The foolishness of Adam's infidelity cause us a detour of 7 000 years. It is now six thousand years since his transgression. If sin and death reign only for 6 000 years, how is it that scientists say that death reigns for millions of years. They say dinosaurs ruled the earth before man's existence and were extinct before man exists. There is evidence in museums where dinosaurs and men co-exist. Scientist's carbon dating procedures are based on the assumption that pressure and moisture that formed fossils all over the crust of the earth in all time frames are more or less the same. Because of this insane assumption their carbon dating results on fossils are frightening erroneous. The flood in which the Lord destroyed the earth produced massive uneven pressures and moisture levels at different places in the crust of the earth which formed fossils. It produced different results of the same thing at the same time at different geographical locations; at some places a simulation of millions of years.

Despite the roaring of the nations, we are in an overlapping period – the closing of one day (48th millennium) and the dawning of another day (49th millennium).

We are at the dawning of the millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth. It is the time of the seventh Sabbath of years, the dawning of the forty-ninth millennium, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, the rest that the Lord has prepared for His people to enter in. An Angel will come down from heaven and will bind Satan for a thousand years and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, so that he should not deceive the nations no more till the thousand years will finished (Revelation 20:1-3). And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6).

When the thousand years expired the rest of the dead in Christ will live again. This is the 50th millennium the Jubilee that the Lord has planned for us since the foundation of the earth. Satan will be released again from his prison to deceive the nations. When Satan's army will surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them. The devil will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. The righteous will be free as when Adam walked with God in the cool of the day and they will be co-heirs with Christ; their possessions that they have lost in Adam will be restored. It will also be a time when the dead will be judged each one according to his works. Anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. The war against Satan's army, the reward of the just and the judgment of the wicked will all take place during Jubilee.