Step Into the Year of Jubilee!
“Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each of you shall return to his possession and to his family.”
— Leviticus 25:10
All across America, the 4th of July is a celebration of freedom. But long before our nation declared independence, God declared liberty through the Year of Jubilee—a sacred time when servants were released, land was returned and what was lost in hard times was restored by God’s design.
Yet, there’s no biblical record of Israel ever celebrating it.
Why?
Because freedom costs. And ultimately, only One could fully pay the price: Jesus Christ, our true Jubilee.
It’s no coincidence the Liberty Bell, first rung at the reading of the Declaration of Independence, is engraved with that same Scripture: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land.” (Lev. 25:10)
Let’s take a closer look at the Year of Jubilee, what it reveals about Jesus, and what it means for us today.
1. What Was the Year of Jubilee?
Every 50 years, God commanded a national reset. Leviticus 25 reveals three main elements:
Servants set free
If someone became poor, they could sell themselves into servitude. A relative could redeem them—or, in Jubilee, they were automatically released. They were no longer bound to serve and free to return home. (Lev. 25:39–55)Land restored
Likewise, if they sold their land to survive, it would return to its original owner in the Jubilee (Lev. 25:23–28). No one could permanently lose their inheritance.A time of Sabbath rest
The Jubilee year followed a Sabbath year—meaning two full years without working the land. God promised to provide extra in advance, but they had to trust Him, not their labor. (Lev. 25:20–22)
So Jubilee wasn’t just about economics—it was about trust. They still ate, but not from their own efforts. Jubilee revealed God’s heart: You don’t live by what you earn—you live by what I give.
2. Why Didn’t Israel Celebrate It?
As powerful as Jubilee was, it was also disruptive.
It required radical trust in God’s provision.
It prevented generational wealth monopolies.
It humbled the proud and lifted the lowly.
Jubilee leveled the playing field.
And that made it hard to embrace.
It exposes how much we prefer control over surrender. We often romanticize revival but resist the disruption it brings. Freedom sounds glorious—until it costs us something.
But the truth remains: you can’t walk in the new life without letting go of the old one.
3. Jesus: The Fulfillment of Jubilee
When Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in Luke 4, He wasn’t just sharing a nice verse—He was declaring the arrival of Jubilee:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me… to proclaim liberty to the captives… to set at liberty those who are oppressed… to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
— Luke 4:18–19
The Greek word for “liberty” here is aphesis—the same word used for Jubilee in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament). It means release, forgiveness, freedom.
Jesus didn’t just come to forgive sin—He came to restore identity and inheritance. Jubilee isn’t just an ancient idea. It’s a Person.
Lost years? He restores.
Lost identity? He gives you a new name.
Slavery to sin? He sets you free.
A broken past? He makes all things new.
And all of it was purchased at the cross. The Jubilee was proclaimed on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 25:9), tying liberty to the shedding of blood. As Hebrews 9:22 says, “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.”
Jesus is our Jubilee—our aphesis. He paid the price so we could be released, restored, and reborn.
Conclusion: Enter Into Jubilee
Let’s not be like Israel—honoring the idea of freedom but never entering it.
Jubilee required rest. Trust. Surrender.
So does life in Christ.
Let go of striving. Let go of control.
Receive His freedom. Receive His forgiveness. Receive His new life.
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Question for Reflection:
Is there anything holding you back from experiencing Jubilee?
Old patterns, mindsets, or fears that you need to let go of in order to fully embrace your new life in Christ?