Journey to Wholeness
“Isaiah 61, Day 1” (2 panels)
Isaiah 61:1
©️2020 by Gloria M. Chang
… Read the restThe spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
release to the prisoners,
To announce a year of favor from the Lord
and a day of vindication by our God.
This Jubilee series began with wonder about the inscription on the Liberty Bell at the Pennsylvania State House from Leviticus 25:10: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.”
Biblical freedom has as its final aim liberation from slavery to sin and communion with God, and thus ultimately transcends this world and its political systems.… Read the rest
… Read the restYou shall count seven weeks of years—seven times seven years—such that the seven weeks of years amount to forty-nine years. Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month let the ram’s horn resound; on this, the Day of Atonement, the ram’s horn blast shall resound throughout your land.
… Read the restThen the Lord said to Moses: I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not. On
… Read the restBut during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath of complete rest, a sabbath for the Lord, when you may neither sow your field nor prune your vineyard. The aftergrowth of your harvest you shall not reap, nor shall you pick the grapes of your untrimmed vines.
Then the Lord said to Moses: Go to Pharaoh and tell him: Thus says the Lord: Let my people go to serve me.
Exodus 7:26 (NABRE; 8:1 in other translations)
… Read the restFor the Israelites belong to me as servants; they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, I, the Lord, your God.
True freedom is not autonomy, but fidelity to the Lord. The Anointed One who came to “proclaim liberty to captives” in Jubilee fashion (Luke 4:18) took the form of a slave and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). … Read the rest
The year of Jubilee looked forward to the restoration of God’s kingdom, like the Our Father prayer Jesus taught to his disciples:
… Read the restOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
The laws of the Sabbath day, Sabbatical year, and Jubilee year give shape to our total existence as humans interdependent with the land, animals, and plants. Setting aside one day out of seven, one year out of seven, and one year out of seven times seven years to rest from labor, allowing even the land to rest, declares the sovereignty of God and the primacy of worship.… Read the rest
Shalom Snail is embarking on a novena of reflections on the year of Jubilee in Leviticus 25, and the meaning of liberty derived from it. This series was inspired by the inscription on the Liberty Bell at the Pennsylvania State House.… Read the rest
