Leviticus 25
Even the land shall have a sabbath. Even the land shall rest! Now this makes sense to anyone who has farmed or gardens. The ground needs to be replenished so that it can produce fruitfully. Every living thing needs to rest from time to time.
I think I missed my personal year of Jubilee. I'm a bit past 50 years. Every week, every year, I think next week, next year, I will have the time to rest; I will have real time to just spend time resting in God's presence, without any distractions. But, these Sabbath rests elude me. If I want to be alone and aware of God's presence, I really have to get up really early in the mornings to just pray. No phone calls that way. With everyone else sleeping there is no one to interrupt this time to have me "do" something. I can just be.
Well, usually that happens. My husband just woke up to tell me to go back to bed. Here's the deal though... Rest does not always mean sleep. Just like the land, we need replenishing. Yes, we need to sleep, but to be fully replenished we also need to connect with God, spend time with Him, spend time reading scripture, spend time in prayer with Him, speak to Him and listen to Him!
In this chapter, God promises that when Israel observes this sabbath time, a year away from working the land, God will provide not only a rest for the land so that the land can be replenished, but he will provide for the needs of the people of Israel. He will make sure that they are fed and nourished.
There are quite a few ordinances in this chapter regarding sabbath and the year of Jubilee. As you read them, may God help you to understand that these ordinances were meant to benefit His people.
Even the land shall have a sabbath. Even the land shall rest! Now this makes sense to anyone who has farmed or gardens. The ground needs to be replenished so that it can produce fruitfully. Every living thing needs to rest from time to time.
I think I missed my personal year of Jubilee. I'm a bit past 50 years. Every week, every year, I think next week, next year, I will have the time to rest; I will have real time to just spend time resting in God's presence, without any distractions. But, these Sabbath rests elude me. If I want to be alone and aware of God's presence, I really have to get up really early in the mornings to just pray. No phone calls that way. With everyone else sleeping there is no one to interrupt this time to have me "do" something. I can just be.
Well, usually that happens. My husband just woke up to tell me to go back to bed. Here's the deal though... Rest does not always mean sleep. Just like the land, we need replenishing. Yes, we need to sleep, but to be fully replenished we also need to connect with God, spend time with Him, spend time reading scripture, spend time in prayer with Him, speak to Him and listen to Him!
In this chapter, God promises that when Israel observes this sabbath time, a year away from working the land, God will provide not only a rest for the land so that the land can be replenished, but he will provide for the needs of the people of Israel. He will make sure that they are fed and nourished.
There are quite a few ordinances in this chapter regarding sabbath and the year of Jubilee. As you read them, may God help you to understand that these ordinances were meant to benefit His people.
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