Shemitah, Jubilee & The Economy

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 50^th 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.  

 

 

 

 

 

Sow and Reap A Bountiful Harvest For The Lord!

 

If you know me well, then you know that I often quote Matthew 9:37 ... The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. And verse 38 is what my soul and spirit cry out for ... So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Do we fully understand the implications of these important verses? I ask because I discern that it is vitally important [in these days] that we be diligent workers in the Lord's vineyard for an abundant harvest.

The Bible has a lot to say about harvests, and John 15 makes it very clear that Jesus is the true Vine and the Father is the Vinedresser. What does that mean for us as followers of Christ? First, we need to understand the principles of growing vines and the duties of the vinedresser. Here's what I've discovered about the responsibilities of this important role: the vinedresser takes hold of the vine and entwines it on a trellis to keep the air flowing underneath the vine so it can bear healthy fruit. This technique improves the flavor and color of the crop. He also removes individual leaves to increase the amount of sunlight on the grapes. The vinedresser must determine which leaves to remove and the right number of them. His goal is to produce a healthy and bountiful harvest. 

But there's even more work to be done -- sometimes it's necessary to prune the branches of the vine in order that it bear more fruit. We know that Jesus says if we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit. But He also cautions us that if we discontinue being fruitful, we will be pruned [lovingly disciplined] so that we may bear even more fruit for His Kingdom. What does that mean, exactly? There is no clear-cut Scripture that describes what bearing fruit looks like, but it is my opinion that we bear fruit for Jesus and the Kingdom of God when we look like Him; when we live a righteous life; when we put the needs of others before ourselves; when we point people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and our role as citizen ambassadors of Heaven on earth. There is evidence of fruitful lives when the love and strength of Jesus shines forth from us. 

You see, we are made to have a harvest of righteousness! That includes both sowing and reaping! And the righteous seed is sown from a heart that puts God first. When we make God [and His purpose for our lives] the top priority, we will find that we are given everything we need in all things at all times -- both for the good works we will produce [for the Kingdom], and the seed we will produce to sow into another's works. Righteous seed  that is sown, begets more seed to sow. When you are generous in sowing, you will reap a bountiful harvest!

And all this talk of sowing, reaping, and harvesting leads to the most urgent need of mankind on earth ... to be set free from the bondage of the kingdom of darkness so that they can step into their true identity in the Kingdom of God. And that Kingdom is present on the earth today. It has not been fully realized yet; that will happen when Jesus returns and rids the world of evil. But the Kingdom is here, NOW! And when Jesus began His ministry, He announced that He was bringing His Father's Kingdom with Him, and had restored and returned our God-given dominion over the earth. Furthermore, He is sharing His power and authority to defeat wickedness, sorrow, and the lies of Satan [in our lives] so that we might do the same for others. 

It is my greatest honor to partner with Jesus in continuing the work He did to diminish the kingdom of darkness on the earth, and to grow the Kingdom of God. When we are able to help one person have a spiritual encounter with Jesus, and the false and dirty veil [that Satan has kept secure] is removed from their spiritual eyes, they see the truth of who they really are to Jesus and what He has planned for them to sow and reap. And I promise you all of Heaven rejoices! The power of Jesus [in me] supplies all that is needed to set up that encounter for the person, and there is a harvest of joy, peace, and renewal that is reaped in the life of a beloved child of God. It truly is a matter of "Once I was lost, but now I am found; was blind, but now I see"!

It is so clear that Satan has been sowing his discord, torment, lies, and afflictions into the world for over 2000 years. He has reaped a harvest of misery, suffering, false identity, and trauma -- in the lives of Believers and nonbelievers alike! The evil that is growing in the world seeks to overcome all who stand in its way. But God is seeking a spiritual harvest in the hearts of men! But our hearts must be cleansed and plowed for the Lord. Our hearts must be tended, weeded and pruned of inferior growth. They must be fertilized and watered with the Word. And from our sanctified hearts, we are able to sow the knowledge of the Lord into the lives of people who desperately need Him. With hearts that mimic His, Jesus is able to work through us to sow encouragement, hope, and the promise of Eternity; reaping a harvest that will ultimately change the world into Heaven on Earth. Until that triumphant day, I want to continue to sow righteousness in my life; producing fruit for the Kingdom and yielding a harvest of immeasurable souls for the glory of the Lord! 

Hosea 10:12    Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Sowing Into The Kingdom of God

     This is a little bit of a difficult post for me to write. Not because I do not understand the Biblical principle of Sowing and Reaping, but because it involves a struggle I have had in our ministry from its inception.
     The Lord has been good in maturing Mark and I in our ministry; enlarging the number of people who come to receive Jesus's healing at our kitchen table, as He is simultaneously expanding our territory and influence. I say this out of all humbleness, because it is all Jesus's doing. As we've been faithful to bring freedom to the captives and healing to the brokenhearted, He has given us opportunities to share the Gospel of the Kingdom -- beginning with the individuals we disciple after an Inner Healing session, to groups of people who are responding in their spirits and realizing that we are called to more than the traditional evangelizing message of Salvation.
     If you had told us six years ago that we would feel comfortable [or even have a message] to speak to groups of 50-100 people, we would have laughed. But there is a hunger in our spirits to share the direction the Lord is leading us, and it is being met by a corresponding awareness in the hearts of Believers that they want to go farther in their journey. 

     And that leads me to the subject of this post... from the beginning, we have struggled with accepting money for the ministry we provide to others. We have felt that "freely we received; freely we should give", without any thought of compensation. That just didn't feel right to our souls or spirits. After all, it always brought such a spiritual "high" to witness someone have an encounter with Jesus as He showed them He was present in a painful memory, and then walked them out of that place, pouring His blood on the pain and the situation; rendering it incapable of tormenting them again.
     How could any amount of money compare with sharing the Beloved's experience of hearing Jesus give them a new name such as "Beautiful" or "Forgiven" or "My Child"? We never wanted to give the Enemy cause to corrupt our ministry by introducing recompense into our work for the Lord. Then a very dear friend explained that she wanted to "sow into the Kingdom by sowing into our ministry". She justified her desire by saying that she believed we were expanding Kingdom territory in lives on the earth and she wanted to help contribute to that goal -- that in this season of her life, being a single mother with a new baby and a full-time job, she was not yet at liberty to "do the work that Jesus did", but she could align herself with our ministry and help us to accomplish more in reaching people with the books we buy to give during discipleship; to help buy food and supplies for the no-charge teaching/training sessions we do on Inner Healing; and help give us the opportunity to reach more people as we travel farther and farther to deliver the Gospel of the Kingdom.
     Then I stumbled across a passage in Philippians 4:14-20 that changed my selfish viewpoint to align with the perspective and will of God. Paul is writing to the community of Believers in Philippi, and says this: Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. ¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. ¹⁶ Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. ¹⁸ I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. ¹⁹ And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
     I began to discern that when a godly person recognizes the fruit that our ministry is producing in the lives of people, and wants to partner with us to see that fruit grow, then it not only benefits those who are receiving the ministry, but also those who sow into it! It is counted as righteousness and recorded as fruit in their account in the Book of Life. Their needs will be met because they are seeking the Kingdom of God through their contribution towards spiritual healing in the lives of others.
     The sacrifice they make through their donations is acceptable and pleasing to God, and it glorifies His Kingdom on earth when territory is conquered in Satan's kingdom of darkness. We are not independently wealthy and cannot afford to fund all that is needed to grow harvesters for God's fields. Just as Paul expressed to the Corinthians, "He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers." 
     I recognize that Mark and I may plant, but sometimes we need others to walk beside us and help us to water, so that we both might see God grow His harvest. Neither of us can take credit for the growth, because it is only God who does the growing. But it can be credited to us both that we are workers for the Kingdom. The bottom line is this: we are all to be sowing into the Kingdom, whether it is with our time, talent, or treasure. That's good ol' Church terminology; used as a vague form of inspiration to urge Christians to serve each other in the Church. 
     But if we ever understand that it could be a viable slogan for going outside the building to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom through the works that Jesus did, and to advance God's agenda among the nations, then we might comprehend just how we can partner to sow what we've been give to steward. Who am I to deny someone who sees God at work through our ministry and just wants to sow into Him? It's not that I will ever solicit their tithe or donation, but rather [like Paul] I delight in seeing them receive their reward for honoring what the Lord has put on their heart. 
     Mark and I have learned to swallow our false pride and accept the occasional donation when it is offered out of a sincere desire to prosper the Kingdom. It is always a pleasure to be able to do more than we hoped, and see a greater outcome than we expected. The truth is, we can reach more people and expand the territory for God, when we partner with others. So, although we are always content in whatever situation we find ourselves, when He blesses our ministry through the generosity of another Believer, we know they are being blessed too. And the Enemy has just lost more ground!

2 Corinthians 9:6     Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.