My, Devotion to Him #33
VERSE PASSAGE: Luke 4:19 “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – NIV
This scripture had been written prophetically by the prophet Isaiah about 650 years prior to this time. It was read in Jewish synagogues thousands of times. But the one this verse was speaking of (Jesus) had never spoken it before. With this pronouncement, Jesus began the year of Jubilee.
If we read before and after this verse we can get some more detail.
VERSE PASSAGE: Luke 4:16-17 “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written” – NIV
Okay, so Jesus heads to His town of Nazareth, and when the Sabbath Day came (the holy day) He went to the synagogue. This was something that customary as it is today. We go to church. Now, while He was at church He stood up to read and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him to read from. He opened it and found a certain verse.
VERSE PSSAGE: Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free” – NIV
Verse 19 is in connection with verse 18 as it is what Jesus had read also. Let’s look forward at what happened after.
VERSE PSSAGE: Luke 4:20-22 “Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.” – NIV
Wow! Once He read it He put the scroll up and sat down. Everyone was focused on Him. It doesn’t say some were looking around trying to pass the time and being distracted by everything else that was not important. It says everyone’s eyes were fastened on Him. Jesus goes on as if that wasn’t enough. He tells them that “today the scripture is fulfilled”. You have to realize Jesus read the part that the spirit of the Lord was on Him and what He was sent to do. Then He tells them today this verse has been completed. Then, everyone spoke well of Him and were amazed by His words which as they heard were gracious to their ears. They were sweet sounding.
The Year of Jubilee was described in Leviticus 25. It was a year when everyone left their fields unworked and kept a sabbath unto the Lord. The Lord gave the people a miraculous provision the year before this jubilee started that sustained them for three years until their crops could once again be harvested.
This jubilee was different than the other sabbatical years in that every debt was cancelled. All property was returned to its original owner and anyone who had been sold into slavery was set free. It was a year of new beginnings.
How awesome is that? Now, lets focus from Jubilees in the Bible and look at a new type of Jubilee. Jesus is jubilee. Jesus proclaimed a spiritual jubilee. We now live in a time when all our debts to God have been cancelled and all the things the devil stole from us have been returned. Even our slavery to the devil has come to an end through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a time for rejoicing.
So wonderful to know that Christ is our Jubilee. Our sins (debts) are cancelled. How? Just paid the price for them on the cross. Our stolen stuff is returned. How? God is a giver to His people. He continually blesses those who seek Him. He provides, blesses, multiples and gives to us. Our bondage to Satan gone. How? We are redeemed through Christ. We should be joyous in what He has done for us. He is our Jubilee. This year and every year after is a Spiritual Jubilee year.
NOTES:
1. Jesus fulfilled the prophetic words of Isaiah by what He said in Luke: 4:18-19 and reassured it in Luke 4:21
2. Jesus has proclaimed a new Jubilee. A Spiritual Jubilee.
Copyright © 2017 by Jacob D. Olinger
Spirit Warrior Ministry 