Liberty Throughout the Land

Leviticus 25 extends the Sabbath principle from days to years. Every seventh year the land enjoyed a Sabbath of solemn rest. No sowing, no pruning, no organized harvest. Whatever grew on its own was food for everyone, including servants, foreigners, and animals. Anticipating Israel's worry, God promised to command His blessing on the sixth year so that it would bring forth fruit for three years.

After seven sabbaths of years came the fiftieth year, the Year of Jubilee. On the Day of Atonement the trumpet sounded and liberty was proclaimed throughout the land. Each person returned to his property and family. Land sales were really leases priced by the number of harvests until Jubilee, because the land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine.

The chapter also protects the poor. A poor relative could be redeemed by a kinsman. Israelites were not to charge interest to a struggling brother. One who sold himself because of poverty was to be treated as a hired worker, not a slave, and released at Jubilee, for they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt. The chapter also permitted buying servants from the nations; this reflects the ancient setting and is not God's endorsement of slavery as practiced later. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus read Isaiah's words, to proclaim release to the captives, and announced that the Scripture was fulfilled in Him.