Are the Shemitah and Jubilee Commands Still in Effect?

The Shemitah and Jubilee regulations contained in this week’s Torah Portion embody the principle elements of rest, freedom and redemption. These three principle elements are intricately linked to the mission of our Master Y’shua Messiah.

Although we were commanded in Father’s Torah to observe Shemitah (ie., the Sabbatical Year) and Jubilee (Year of Release and Freedom), these two calendar events are Torah instructions that do not directly apply to us who are living outside the Land of Israel (Lev. 25:2). The commands related to the Shemitah and Jubilee were only applicable to the Hebrews residing in the Land of Israel.

Teachers and Preachers Capitalizing on the Shemitah and Jubilee

Certain self-proclaimed Hebrew Roots and Messianic teachers and preachers have, over the last several years, successfully made “a dollar and a cent” peddling their books and DVD’s on this subject. These preachers and teachers turned successful authors and religious celebrities have hijacked Torah. They have, in effect, repackaged and snazzy’d up the instructions on Shemitah and Jubilee to appeal to a primarily traditional Christian audience. Their erroneous contentions are that the western world is subject to the judgments inherent in not keeping Shemitah and Jubilee. [I would recommend in addition to this discussion on Shemitah, my previous post entitled, “Feast Pilgrimages to Israel–Messianic Lessons Learned From Shemitah.”]

Members Misapplying the Instructions on the Shemitah and Jubilee

Other members of our Faith Community have misapplied the regulations tied to Shemitah and Jubilee to their personal vocations and businesses. The members who have misrepresented and misapplied Shemitah and Jubilee have generally been Hebrew Roots and Messianic congregation and fellowship leaders. They teach false doctrine surrounding Shemitah and Jubilee that prompt their members to give resources and moneys to their organizations.

The Dates for Shemitah and Jubilee Have Been Lost

The exact date when the last Shemitah and Jubilee occurred in Israel has been long lost and forgotten.

However, the Rabbis did take it upon themselves to establish the first Shemitah in the modern State of Israel in 1951-52. The last rabbinic-directed Shemitah on record was 2014-15. Consequently, many farmers in the land of Israel observe the Shemitah, although the commandments surrounding Shemitah and Jubilee are not universally accepted by the Jews of the modern state of Israel.

So What Should We Make of the Shemitah and Jubilee as Torah Observant Disciples of Messiah?

Now, none of what of this is to say that Shemitah and Jubilee hold no significance to the Yeshua-focused Torah Observant disciple of Messiah today. There is indeed tremendous spiritual and prophetic symbolism embodied in both calendar events that we must be aware of.

There are key principle elements of Shemitah and Jubilee that are intricately linked to our identity and redemptive status in Y’shua Messiah.

The elements of Shemitah and Jubilee I’m referencing are (1) rest, (2) redemption, and (3) freedom.

I believe the reason we have so many physically and spiritually oppressed people in our Faith Community today is because they have not truly embraced their royal and priestly identities nor have they recognized their redemptive status in Messiah. These do not walk in the power and might of the Creator’s precious Holy Spirit. Thus, they’re chronically ill; have never-ending financial problems; undergo continuous turmoil in their lives; are miserable individuals; and I could go on forever.

The Sh’mittah/Shemitah/Sabbatical Year—Allowing the Land to Rest

Our Torah Portion for this week is contained in Leviticus 25:1-26:2 with its Haftarah reading in Jeremiah 32:6-27 .

The reading begins with Father commanding us to give the land a “Shabbat Rest” every 7th year. During that year, there was to be no planting/sowing of crops and no pruning of fruit trees and grape vines. Whatever the land produced on its own during this Sabbath Rest period would be our food.

This year is also referred to as “The Sabbath” (or Sabbatical) Year. It has become more popularly referred to as the Shemitah or Shemitah Year.

Shemittah offered us the opportunity to exercise our faith for that year. If we were faithful in keeping the Sabbatical Year regulation, Father promised an abundant harvest that would cover us from the 6th year’s harvest (ie., the very last possible planting season before Shemittah began) and last us up the time that the 8th year’s harvest came in (25:20-22). This was not only faith in action, but also Father’s miraculous provision manifested.

Jubilee (Yovel) Freedom

The next calendar event referenced in this Torah Reading is Jubilee (aka Yovel/Yobel).

YHVH commanded us to keep Jubilee every 50th-year. It was to begin in year 49 on Yom Kippur (ie., the Day of Atonement). On that day, we were commanded to blow shofars the entire day.

Father described the time as a year of freedom (aka, liberty). In the Jubilee, all land property must revert back to its original owner. Beyond land property, slaves and servants were to be released or freed from their servitude and obligation. Any outstanding debts were to be eliminated and treated as having been paid in full by the creditor.

Keeping the provisions and regulations of Shemittah and Jubilee guaranteed our security and wellbeing in the land. Father promised that our harvests would be bountiful and our safety in the land would be guaranteed (25:18,19).

Right of Redemption

No land property would be sold to another on a permanent basis. There would always be included in the sale a “right of redemption” clause.

Now, this is a principle that puts the whole issue of land ownership into proper perspective for us. A fundamental law of property ownership is that no human ever truly owns land. All the land belongs to YHVH (25:23,24).

We read of this principle throughout Scripture:

Psalm 24:1—The earth is YHVH’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (cf. 1 Cor. 10:26-28; KJV).

The “Right of Redemption” provided for that at anytime after someone sells their property to a buyer, they or their next-of-kin could redeem the sold property at an amortized price (25:25-28). Otherwise, the property automatically reverted back to the original owner in the Jubilee Year without cost to the owner.

Themes—Shadow Pictures—Prophesies Embedded in Shemitah and Jubilee

As I previously mentioned, there are three fundamental themes or shadow pictures embodied in these two calendar events:

• Rest—specifically tied to the Sabbatical Year or the Shemittah. We will see how this theme is manifested in the renewed covenant throughout Y’shua Messiah.
• Redemption—specifically tied to the Jubilee Year. We will see how this theme is indicative of who we are and who we belong to as disciples of Y’shua Messiah under the auspices of the renewed covenant.
• Freedom/Liberty/Release—specifically tied to the Jubilee Year. We will see how these themes are manifested in the life we enjoy as disciples of Y’shua Messiah and as children of YHVH our Elohim.

 The Shemitah, Jubilee and the Nazareth Incident

Many Messianic Jewish congregations throughout the world incorporate into their Torah—Haftarah readings on Shabbat, related readings from the New Testament (aka, the Brit H’dashah). For this week’s Torah Reading, Luke’s account of the events surrounding Y’shua reading from Isaiah 61 in a Nazareth synagogue seems most fitting for our discussion.

As the story goes, it was Master’s practice during His earthly ministry to attend synagogue service every Shabbat. Thus, it was at the very start of His ministry that he attended a synagogue service in his hometown of Nazareth on one particular weekly Sabbath day.

Luke records that Master was invited to read the Haftarah Reading for that particular Sabbath. The passage for that Sabbath happened to be out of Yeshayahu (specifically Isaiah 61:1,2a). What Y’shua read was as follows:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (ESV).

Can you see the Shemitah and Jubilee themes and shadows contained in Y’shua’s declaration that He is the fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1, 2: rest; release; liberty; the acceptable year of YHVH?

Rest

The first Shemitah principle is “rest.”

Master taught us the following:

Come to me all who labor are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Mat. 11:28,29; ESV).

When we were truly obedient to Father’s Torah, we prospered and existed in restful security in the Land He promised us and our forefathers. Of Father’s instructions, the Prophet Jeremiah wrote:

Thus saith YHVH, stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein (Jer. 6:16; KJV).

So it is: when we give ourselves over to the teachings of our Master and follow Father’s Torah the way Master taught and modeled, we prosper and flourish. In that prospering and flourishing, we find rest. For we no longer are jostled about by the rigors of this uncertain life.

Freedom

The next principle that is beautifully illustrated in the Jubilee is that of “freedom” (aka referred to as liberty in most English translations of the New Testament).

Among a number of things, freedom in Messiah means freedom from the restraints and miseries of our earthly frailties to be manifested in the glorious condition of our future life:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility (frustration)—not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children” (Rom. 8:18-21; CSB).

There is a freedom that naturally comes to those who become disciples of Y’shua Messiah. Paul wrote to the Assembly of Messianic believers:

“Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17; ESV).

We have liberty from the yoke of the ceremonial law and the servitude of corruption. We have direct access to YHVH 24/7 and we no longer require a human mediator.

We have freedom of speech through the agency of prayer/petitions/worship that are put forth to our Heavenly Father in spirit and in truth. Our hearts and the Holy Spirit direct our walk in Messiah, just as the Creator always intended us to live.

The “Spirit-empowered” message brought to the world by Messiah brought about a true nation of Israelites who would be freed from the entanglements of this world and the bonds of hasatan.

Freedom From The Evils of this World

For us today, this is the “Spirit-empowered” message we must grab hold to and walk in it. We have been freed from the evils of this world and we have the power to do great things in Messiah if we just take that step of Faith and live in that freedom.

Unfortunately, too many of us are reluctant to embrace the freedom and rest that comes with being a true disciple of Y’shua Messiah. We’re too busy getting into other things that we’re not supposed to be getting into. 

Freedom From Religion

Master’s “Spirit-empowered” message brought with it freedom from the enslavement of religion. Paul touched upon this when he addressed the problems that were being caused by Judaizers in the Galatian Assembly:

Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery (Gal. 2:4; ESV). 

 

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God (Rom. 8:15,16; KJV; cf. Gal. 4:6).

Religion, secularism, and sin are all forms of bondage which Master came to deliver us from. We have received liberty—freedom and rest from these life influences.

Before coming to true Faith, when we were in the world or in religion, the things of this world, our flesh and religion served as our fathers—and by default our captors.

We’ve been freed from all that because we’ve been redeemed and adopted as children of the Most High God. Thus we can honestly refer to YHVH as Father. This is reality that we must fully understand and walk in if we are to live victorious lives as Torah observant disciples of Y’shua Messiah. 

When speaking to some of the religious leaders who believed in Him, Y’shua taught:

“If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Then some of the Prushim retored, ‘We are Avraham’s seed! We were never in bondage to any man, so how can you say, ‘You shall be set free?’’ Y’shua answered them, ‘Truth, I say to you, whoever willfully commits sin is the slave of sin. The servant does not abide in the house forever, but the Son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son sets you free from sin, you shall indeed be free to abide in the house” (John 8:31-36; Rood’s Chronology).

Freedom From Sin

In being freed from the bondage of sin, it becomes our responsibility to not sin. For once we willingly submit ourselves to the tug and pull of sin, we become slaves to sin. Y’shua’s work has alerted us to this danger and has provided us the wherewithal to resist and overcome our sinful nature. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that works within us to help us overcome our sinful nature. In living a life absent of sin, we abide with the Father in wonderful harmony; freedom; and rest.

Paul wrote to the Messianic Assembly of Believers in Galatia:

Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery (Ga. 5:1; CSB).

Redemption 

And the last shadow element of Jubilee to discuss is redemption.

On the subject of redemption Paul wrote to Titus:

That He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people (Tit. 2:14; KJV).

We’ve been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23). In so being purchased by YHVH—effectively being redeemed from hasatan who is the god of this earth through Y’shua’s sacrifice—we are obligated to walk in the ways of our redeemer.

Again, Paul wrote on redemption in the following two letters:

In whom (speaking of Y’shua Messiah) we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14; KJV).

 

 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4:5; KJV). 

Take-aways and Call-to-Action:

1. Our focus must be Torah-living that is based in Spirit and in Truth.

2. As Yeshua-focused Torah-keepers, our focus should not be rote, mechanical obedience to man-made traditions that some claim are based on Torah. This does not mean we abandon the fundamentals of Torah. Torah serves as our baseline for living in accordance to the way Father would have us live as His beloved children. It is Father’s house-rules for acceptable Godly living.

3. We must walk in the freedom and redemption that Y’shua’s ministry and sacrifice purchased for us.

4. As Yeshua-focused Torah-keepers, we find rest and peace in Father’s and Master’s teachings. We don’t worry or fret about the things going on around us in this crazy world of ours. We live as people of Faith and trust Father to provide and guide and deliver us from problems when necessary. Just as was portrayed in our letting the land rest every 7th year, Father provided, prospered and protected us in the land.

5. Embrace the reality and walk in the rest, redemption and freedom that comes with being a disciple of Messiah.  We are a royal kingdom of priests and children of the Most High God (ie., Elohim).

Until next time, may you, your families and fellowships be most blessed, fellow saints of the Most High. Shalom. Take care.