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great week of time, jubilee, 7000 year plan, 6000 years, millennial sabbath, Feast of Tabernacles Why Jesus Is Coming Soon The Great Week of Time Part 5 – Jubilant at the Jubilee – Through symbols and typological communique’s, the Scriptures describe how fallen man is to be restored to a sinless being. This creative act precedes the destruction of evil from the corridors of the universe. The remnant are to experience sin’s eradication before sin is extinguished. Thus, man will endure its withdrawal from his heart and eventually observe its eternal annihilation from the universe. To make the theme of restoration relevant and to provide hopeful insight into the final judgment against sin and its agencies, God has repetitively nestled His prophetic bulletins within a timing theme. This helps to clarify the relationship of events to each other, introduce expectation to the believer and anticipation of an end as it approaches and is experienced. The Great Week of Time (GWT), as we have seen, is based on a cycle of seven – six to prepare and anticipate, the seventh to rest and rejuvenate. There is one step beyond the cycle of seven. What happens at the eighth? This was briefly addressed in a preceding chapter. Here we move deeper into what may be one of the most profound typological systems in the Scriptures – the Jubilee. Getting Started The word “jubilee” is an English rendition of the Hebrew word yovel, meaning the blast of a horn. That is exactly how the year of the Jubilee started. “Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound.” Leviticus 25:9. The trumpet signaled, all over Palestine, that the great festival or sacred year had begun. This happened once every 50 years. Thus, it was a Pentecostal year as compared to a Pentecostal day. Those 50 years encompassed eight Sabbath years – one every seventh and then the Jubilee – 7 x 7 + 1 = 50. Since the Jubilee sabbath typifies redemption, that fiftieth meant something was restored back to its original state. Jesus said after reading in the synagogue from Isaiah 61 that the acceptable year of the Lord was upon them and the captives were to be set free (Luke 4:18-27). Here Jesus announced His three-and-a-half-year ministry and said the time for release from bondage was about to occur. The Jews failed to grasp the great redemptive messages He often proclaimed. They saw their restoration as a release from Roman rule and servitude. Even the disciples saw an earthly kingdom as the culmination of their hopes. Jesus was talking about a kingdom restored called the Understanding the Jubilee Timing As noted in previous chapters, the weekly Sabbath was the first institution given to man with the seventh day being set apart as sacred. “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:2-3). Of the seven-month “sacred year” of the Jewish festivals, the seventh or Tishre was called by some Jewish writers as the sabbatical month. It was then that the three fall feasts all occurred, symbolizing repentance, purification and celebration. At the time of ancient Israel, God gave a statute that when they entered the promised land they were to let the land be fallow each seventh year to give a “sabbath of rest unto the Lord.” What was in the field was to be available to owners, servants, strangers and even beasts – for immediate use. Leviticus 25:1-7. The Sabbath rest for the land was so important that God warned that breaking it was a sin punishable seven times over (Leviticus 26:28, 18, 21, 24). That Sabbath year (Shemita) was given not only to preserve and restore the land but to put a check on man’s drive to work and gain more and more. It also helped them to recognize that the land was not theirs (Ezekiel In the GWT we’ve seen that the labors of earth will cease at the end of a six-thousand-year period. The seventh or millennium represents the time of the land resting. But instead of God’s people being in captivity, they will be enjoying a great millennial “Sabbath” in heaven with Jesus (Revelation 20:4). But – the Bible presents something after the seventh millennial rest! The land is restored or made new. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” Revelation 21:1. And that is where our study begins. That represents an eighth. But, different than what we’ve talked about previously, this eighth is expressed as a great prophetic masterpiece. It presents the great finale’ of God’s restorative plans. Seven seven-year cycles or sabbaths of years were to be counted, which would be 49 years. The following year was to be the Jubilee year (yovel), which would be a holy year (Leviticus 25:8-10). “And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.” Leviticus 25:8-10. There has been debate, even within the Jewish community, as to how this was to be structured. Briefly, there are the three schools of thought. The third is adopted by this author for reasons that will become clear as the discussion proceeds (looking at the last Sabbath of years and the first of the next cycle). 1234567 [50] 1234567 -the 7th 50th and 1st are separate years
123456 [ 7 ] [50] 1234567 -the 7th and 50th are the same year 1234567 [50] [ 1 ] 234567 -the 50th and 1st are the same year Note in the first and third there are two sacred sabbath years in a row. Also the first would add a year every 50 years to a series of Jubilee cycles. The second and third preserves the integrity of the cycles of 49. The third allows for a fiftieth in the first year of the next cycle. Two sabbath years in a row are noted in Isaiah related to the 49th and 50th. “And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.” Isaiah 37:30. “And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee, And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.” Leviticus 25:6-7. This is the land’s seventh-year sabbath. In each jubilee cycle, the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th, 42nd and 49th years were seventh-year sabbaths. “A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.” Leviticus 25:11-12. This is the land’s Jubilee-year sabbath, which always followed the seventh ordinary year or sabbath – the 49th year. Thus, option two, though adopted by many, is not a consideration. Additionally, there is a very crucial prophecy of ten Jubilee cycles in Daniel 9:24-25. To understand that, it is imperative that the Jubilee cycle be fully understood. That prophecy is 490 years. It embodies the Shemita and the Yovel. Its great theme is restoration – redemption. If an extra year were added each 49 years, the prophecy would be either numerically incorrect or its Messianic advent meaningless. Very helpful information has come from the Dead Sea Scrolls. These have been dated in the 125-150 B.C. era. They not only give to us the wording of many ancient Scriptures but provide great insight from the Qumran community – a predominantly conservative Jewish group that broke away from the trends at Jerusalem. Some documents are named as extra-Biblical books, and all were numbered by the cave they were found in. One book found in those caves was the Book of Jubilees. There were more copies of this than the Scriptures save for Isaiah and Psalms. This document preserved the strictest 49-year Jubilee cycle with the added 50th without breaking up the 49-year cycle. Also, the 49th Sabbath year was referred to as a jubilee (presumably focusing on its final year of rest in a special way).1 In the manuscripts 11Q13 it provides wording from Isaiah 52 and 61 and Daniel 9, which shows the completion of ten jubilee cycles within those seventy weeks, the last or tenth being the eschatological restoration appearance of Melchizedek. This is when Belial comes to his end, when God establishes a righteous kingdom (11Q13, Colossians 2). Thus, there is no extra day which could be added, and the final cycle of seven emerges within that 70-week prophecy. Though not the purpose of this paper to present all the evidence and arguments for the Jubilee structure, this pattern must be adopted: 1234567 [50] Jubilee year [ 1 ] 234567 -the 50th and 1st are the same year BUT – vital to grasp! – the prophecy of ten jubilees is the last cycle of these restorative times ever to come. In prophecy ten is a number that suggests “a whole” or “a complete set,” as ten horns on the beast. These ten jubilees represent the “complete set” that leads to “everlasting righteousness” (Daniel 1234567–J[50th] everlasting righteousness That final cycle of “the whole” is a great metaphor for the GWT. 1–6 millennial earth years 7 millennium in heaven – Belial/Satan bound 8 J[50] restoration of all things made new Significance of the Jubilee For decades plus, various expositors have felt it important to count out the Jubilees. This led to date setting for various end-time events, including the return of Jesus. Consequently, this fostered an anti-Jubilee prejudice. Both camps have misunderstood the great antitypical message of this sacred time and, in turn, how it applies especially to Daniel 9 and the Messianic age. All types must have an antitypical fulfillment. That is still future for the Jubilee – but for now expectant. The Jubilee was a statute (Leviticus 25:18) and was given for the safety (betach) of God’s people. These statutes helped to clarify the great Decalogue written in stone and the Lawgiver. Contrary to many thoughts, most of the statutes remain for us today, clarifying God’s great will for mankind. And, as so many types in the Old Testament, prophetically look forward to an antitype or a greater fulfillment, so the Jubilee has its final realization in that millennial eighth when things are restored. Types cannot pass away until they are fulfilled (Matthew This year was a sacred time (Leviticus 25:12). It was actually instituted or launched at the end of the Day of Atonement in the Sabbatical year. The sins of God’s people were forgiven, the records were cleansed and the scapegoat bore the sins into the wilderness. Then and only at the Jubilee Day of Atonement were trumpets blown. The people were now ready to return land, servants and cancel debts as part of this sacred time.2 When Israel arrived in Canaan, the land was divided and apportioned to the tribes and families. Circumstances might increase or adversity decrease the individual possessions people might have. If any man became involved in debt, he might be obligated to sell a portion or even all of his land to pay for it. Under dire situations, he could even sell himself and go into servitude. What kind of plan would God create that kept justice and mercy in His theocratic system? He arranged that debt would not bind forever. Land sold could be returned and personal bondage could cease. How? Throughout the sacred Jubilee. Early in Jesus’ ministry He presented the great message of the Jubilee’s antitypical fulfillment. Release, redemption and restoration all would come through Him. He is the mediator of all fulfillment. Type would meet antitype through a divine human link. “And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:17-21. Redeemer at Work Before the Jubilee year, those in servitude and land previously sold for debt could be redeemed. Only one next of kin had the right to redeem (Leviticus 25:25-28, 47-51). This was beautifully illustrated in the story of Ruth (Ruth 5:1-10). Jesus was born of the seed of Abraham, that He might be nigh of kin (Romans Satan is the prince of this world. He claims ownership of all, including mankind. But through payment of a ransom, release of that ownership will occur. “An angel could not redeem mankind, not the world. His life would have been powerless, for he was not ‘nigh of kin’ unto humanity. See Leviticus 25:47-49. Christ left heavenly courts, partook of flesh and blood, ‘that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.’ Hebrews 2:14-16. He became the ‘firstborn among many brethren,’ (Romans “Thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money’ (Isaiah 52:3), even ‘with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.’ 1 Peter 1:18-19.”3 The ancient walled cities of refuge were the home of the Levites. They symbolized the home of the priesthood where God’s saints will become kings and priests. That will be a walled city called the New Jerusalem. As the Levites were given land outside of their cities for their use, so the redeemed will be given a new earth to possess. All redemptive imagery, all restorative language, has its origination in the eighth year of the last Jubilee sabbatical land rest cycle. The seventh is a final Sabbath rest to people and land. The sixth is time of preparation. The Great Week of Time encompasses the very center of God’s timing plan for this earth. Since the land-rest setting is a specific missive in sequence with Revelation 20:1-7, it is our exegetic clue that in the great sabbatical years this time, a year in type, represents a millennium in antitype. That communiqué is the culmination of numerous prophecies that the land would become desolate in both the Old and New Testaments. It is void of everything, filled with nothing and totally inactive – it is at rest. Where are God’s people? Reigning with Christ for that thousand years (Revelation 20:4). The GWT is again presented through the Jubilee. Some may protest that in Daniel 9 the great 70 weeks of years or 490 years was complete. This would mean the whole restoration motif of that chapter (actually part of a similar theme in chapters 8–12) would be demolished. Though not the discussion of this booklet, those 70 weekly sabbaticals with Jubilees never saw the restoration completed – it simply is not recorded. That is where you and I come in. That great message was written as Gabriel told Daniel, for “thy people” ( The land was given to man to use for only “six” (Leviticus 25:3). That is a divine law. It is not numerology, these are fixed issues of time that God draws our attention to. Is the GWT important? It’s imperative we understand it. Is the Jubilee message vital to the last generation? It is part of our hope within the GWT theme. It is a message for this hour as the last part of the “completed” ten is about to begin its countdown at the appointed time! “The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3. Annotation In the writings of E. G. White is a statement that notes the Jubilee begins at the deliverance of God’s people – at the end of the “sixth.” “Then commenced the jubilee, when the land should rest. I saw the pious slave rise in triumph and victory and shake off the chains that bound him, while his wicked master was in confusion and knew not what to do; for the wicked could not understand the words of the voice of God. Soon appeared the great white cloud. It looked more lovely than ever before. On it sat the Son of man. At first we did not see Jesus on the cloud, but as it drew near the earth we could behold His lovely person. This cloud, when it first appeared, was the sign of the Son of man in heaven. The voice of the Son of God called forth the sleeping saints, clothed with glorious immortality. The living saints were changed in a moment and were caught up with them into the cloudy chariot.”4 There are three reasons for this designation. 1. A great spiritual theme of deliverance is being portrayed. 2. Often the seventh was also called also a Jubilee year – when it immediately preceded the 50th. 3. Most important are the laws of redemption. Those in bondage could be redeemed anytime during the cycle. When deliverance comes to the slaves of sin, it is a Jubilee! In a study of E. G. White’s writings, it is clear she understood these concepts very clearly (i.e., Education, p. 43, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 533; Manuscript Releases, p. 136). [Next month we will be continuing the wonderful GWT study.] References 1http//:ccat.sas.upenn.edu/gopher/other/courses/rels/225/Minutes%20(detailed%201995)%20/Class%20%2322%20(06%20Apr%201995)%20 VanderKam%20Visit. 2Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 533. 3Haskel, Stephen H.; The Cross and Its Shadow. 4Early Writings, pp. 35, 286.
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