I'm going to bring some information to you today that, as Christians, you may be unfamiliar with. But hang in here with me, and I will try to show you the spiritual relevancy for our economy, our stability, and our future as a nation.
September 28th officially began the Year of Jubilee 2022. It followed the conclusion of seven Sabbath Years [known as Shemitahs], and the explanation of these God-ordained time periods will help us to understand [and endure] what I believe is going to be an unstable time in our nation. You have probably guessed by now that these are Jewish terms and might be wondering what they have to do with us Christians.
The explanation begins with an understanding that God established seven Feast Days for the Israelites as they came out of bondage in Egypt; they were permanent statutes and appointed times to gather together for a holy convocation. That term meant that God summoned the people of Israel to these specific times as reminders of all He had done to gather them to Himself. But they did not realize at the time that their ultimate purpose was as a rehearsal and foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus, their Messiah. It is important to note that these are The Lord's Feasts NOT The Jewish Feasts. AND they have significance for us Christians, too, since we are grafted into the faith of Abraham. A quick summary of the seven Feasts follows:
The Spring Feasts include Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Firstfruits. They were [and are still to this day] reminders and memorials of all God has done for them. For the Israelites, Passover represented the blood of a sacrificed lamb over their doorposts that inaugurated their escape from bondage in Egypt, and then practiced every subsequent year for the forgiveness of personal and national sin. The Unleavened Bread was a reminder that leaven represented sin and God told the Hebrews to leave the leaven behind during their escape to leave Egypt. They celebrated the First Fruits of each Spring Harvest as God provided their sustenance for life.
For us Christians, the Spring Feasts point to the First Coming of our Savior. Jesus was crucified and died on Passover, as the sacrificial lamb. He was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, becoming our Bread of Life, and our sins were buried with Him. He was resurrected on the Feast of Fruitfruits as the First Fruit of the Harvest of Souls that will happen when He returns for the saints. In other words, He hit the target on each of those Feast Days at His First Coming! Which brings us to ....
The Fall Feasts are a foreshadowing and indication of His Second Coming. The Jews celebrate the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles in the Fall on specific days as specified by God. They are reminders and memorials that they are summoned to celebrate God's creation of the world and begin ten days of repentance before God for their sins, as well as remembering the temporary shelters they lived in after escaping Egypt.
As far as Christians are concerned, since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus happened on the specific Spring Feasts during His First Coming, we can expect Him to hit the Fall Feasts just as precisely on His Second Coming. We will celebrate the "Day of the Lord" and return of our King; participate in the Bema Seat Judgment before King Jesus; and celebrate that He will tabernacle with us on the Earth, as He ushers in the Millennial Kingdom, setting up His Throne and gathering the faithful to rule and reign with Him!
But that is in the future, and we don't know what year it will take place. Until then, God has given us other important milestones to be considered. And that is where the Shemitah and Year of Jubilee intersect with our economy and national affairs.
What is the Shemitah? Every seventh day was the Sabbath Day; a day of rest. But every seventh year was a Sabbath Year – called the Shemitah. During the Shemitah, all sowing and reaping came to a standstill. It was an economic Sabbath [rest] for an entire year. And it was a financial Sabbath, as well – at the end of the Shemitah, the nation’s financial accounts were wiped clean, all debt and credit were wiped away. The Shemitah reminded the nation that all their blessings came from God. And when Israel turned away from God, the Shemitah came back at them, not as a blessing, but as a sign of judgment.
Here's where it gets real interesting ... The latest Shemitah years have been September 2000 to September 2001; September 2007 to September 2008; September 2014 to September 2015; and the latest September 2021 to September 2022. I'm sure you recognize the significant historical events that took place at the end of each of those Shemitah years: the Towers came down; the economic collapse due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis; the emergence of Donald Trump on the political scene; and our current economic crisis and the world on the brink of war. In a Shemitah year, debt and credit were to be wiped away. But just the opposite has happened… we have amassed more debt as a nation, and citizens have lived on credit!!! What do you think that portends for our future???
That brings us to the Year of Jubilee and its significance for Christians living in the United States. So, God has established that every seventh year is the Shemitah. But every seventh Shemitah, or 49th year, ushers in a super Shemitah we know as the Jubilee. If September 27, 2022 is the end of the Shemitah year, then on September 28th we have entered into the year of the Jubilee (which is the 50th year). During the Jubilee, there was a Sabbath [rest] of the land, slaves were set free, and everyone who lost their land or their ancestral possession was restored. The Jubilee was established as the year of restoration.
Jubilee years have
marked the time parameters of some of the most important events of modern times
and end-time prophecy. It not only marked the greatest shaking in world
history up to that time, the First World War, but the restoration of the land
of Israel to the Jewish people. Then, it marked the Six Day War in which
the Jewish people were restored to their ancient city of Jerusalem.
Jubilee years have
marked the time parameters of some of the most important events of modern times
and end-time prophecy. It not only marked the greatest shaking in world
history up to that time, the First World War, but the restoration of the land
of Israel to the Jewish people. Then, it marked the Six Day War in which
the Jewish people were restored to their ancient city of Jerusalem.
The Jubilee year is, in a sense, a second Shemitah (rest), extending its effects for another year. So September 2022 – September 2023 is going to be very consequential! BUT, the Jubilee year can cut both ways … The Shemitah was a blessing for Israel when they followed God, but a judgment when they did not. Would it surprise you to know that the last Shemitah which ended in September 1972, and saw the Jubilee year begin from September 1972 to September 1973 in which the following occurred in our nation ... 48% of the U.S. Stock market value was wiped out; Global recession crippled the world's economies; U.S. voted to kill its unborn children (Abortion legalized); and the U.S. lost its first war [in Vietnam].
By now I hope you can discern that both the Shemitah and Jubilee give evidence of the Sovereignty of God over His creation and every part of life on earth. Can you see that He is the true source of all blessings AND consequences? And for nations in the world, depending on whether they are acting righteously or not, it can mean a shaking. For those who are in the will of God, all of this can be a blessing – a time of freedom, release, and restoration. It's a time to be restored to what one has lost, to enter into one’s possession, one’s inheritance of God – a time of God’s favor.
So, based on past history, I hope you can see that just as every seventh day has been declared a day of rest by our God, so has every seventh year... the land lies fallow, and debts are forgiven. This year finds us at the end of 7 Shemitahs ( 7 x 7 years) and beginning the Jubilee which is another year of rest for the land and the freeing of slaves and restoration of what was taken from you. And whether we experience this Jubilee year as blessings or judgment from God depends on what our accounting sheet shows. So how do you think our nation will fare? Do we deserve His blessings or will we receive His shaking?
Whatever happens, if we have remained faithful to God's will as individuals I believe we can weather whatever befalls our nation. We are told to persevere and become overcomers, occupying the land until Jesus returns. He may not come during the Fall Feasts this year, but I honestly believe He is close to mounting for His ride. Stay focused on Him. Be prepared for tough times. And always ... always ... remain faithful, for this I know for sure ... If you will be faithful to Him, He will remain faithful to you! Trust in the Lord, rest in His provision, and reap the consequences of your righteousness!
#shemitah #yearofjubilee #sowingandreaping #blessingsandjudgment
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
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