Welcome Friends ~ Have you missed us? *asking baitedly* We have been missing our fellowship with you. I got so far behind in blogging that our Morning Measure of Manna was no longer fresh.
So, we decided to move our tent from Exodus 20:17 all the way to Leviticus 25. This is where I currently, actually, am in my morning study with the LORD. We shall attempt a fresh start this morning, with a super-fresh measure of manna. Which, of course, was the whole idea at the genesis of this blog.
I just finished Leviticus 24, an awesome chapter of Responsibility. The LORD had given the children of Israel rules that would protect the HIS name.
As usual, all bold and underlined emphasis' are my own: merely the way the Lord impressed His Word to me, on the day I share it. He may emphasize different aspects to you. Your time with the LORD should be individual and personal ... and glorious! :D If anything in or about my blog stumbles you, please let me know.
OK, come on in, sit down and get comfortable: I pray that you will be blessed:
Leviticus 25, according to Jon Courson, is a chapter of Refreshment. Every 7th year was to be one of rest to the land; the Sabbatical or Sabbatic Year.
The subject of verses 1-7 is the Sabbatic Year.
:1 ~ "And the LORD spoke unto Moses, in Mount Sinai, saying,
:2 ~ Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.
:3 ~ Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather the fruit thereof;
:4 ~ But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: you shall neither sow your fields nor prune your vineyard.
These verses remind me of our study of the weekly sabbath in Exodus 20:8-11. We noticed a pattern there: one out of 7 days belongs to the LORD and one out of 7 years also belongs to Him. How about one out of 7 hours? Or one out of seven of minutes? Do you think this could be a Biblical principal that pertains to everything? We do know that the number 7, as used in the Scriptures, symbolizes perfection. Should not rest follow perfection?
Also, similar to the 4th Commandment, where we are to work 6 days, then on the 7th day rest ourselves. Here, in verse 3, the Israelites were to sow their fields, prune their vineyards, and gather in the the fruit; then in the 7th year, they were to rest the land.
This method, of resting the land every 7 years, is a sound agricultural principal and is still used today by farmers, ranchers, and home gardeners everywhere. This Scripture is the very basis for rotation planting and crop rotation. Ranchers move their stock from pasture to pasture to let the land rest in between.
Even the First People, the Native Americans, knew this law of 'nature.' They have always rotated their crops and stock, and continue the practice to this very day. We and the land we live on were created to first work 6 days and then enter in to the Lord's rest and receive His refreshing.
All crops of the sabbatic years were for all people, without profit to the owner.
:5 ~ That which grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, neither gather the grapes of your vine undressed (unpruned): for it is a year of rest unto the land.
Dakes noted that the unpruned vine was referred to as the "Nazarite vine," because it was compared to the unshorn locks of the Nazarites! Very cool, yes? It all ties in so perfectly!
:6 ~ And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you: and for your servant and for your stranger that sojourns with you,
:7 ~ And for your cattle, and for the beast that are in your land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.
What an awesome plan all around! The land, the people and the animals rest from working the land for one year. And ALL are provided food and sustenance for ... for the whole year. Once every 7 years! Perfect plan! No 'welfare' needed! No starving people, no starving animals! The LORD's ways are always SO perfect!!
Jon Courson points out that, in the Sabbatical Year, it was:
1. Agriculturally wise to rest the land - the land was not worked.
+2. Sociologically wise to rest the land - bills were not paid.(Deut.15)
3. The people were refreshed and renewed through the uninhibited study of God's Word!
Imagine how different life would be if we observed the sabbatic years ... wow! ... just wow! I also wonder if we will observe this pattern in heaven? Very possible, I believe.
Sadly, it is it probably less likely that we would do any better, here on earth, than the Israelites! They decided that they needed to get ahead more than they needed the rest (yikes, sound familiar?) We so often act like we know better than our Creator about what we need ... SO WRONG!!!
At any rate, the Israelites went 499 years without observing even one sabbath year!! They actually robbed God of 70 sabbath years!!! The result? ... well, does the number, 70 years, ring a bell? It should ... that is exactly how long the children of Israel were held captive in Babylon ... 70 years!! (2 Chronicles 36:17) Their decision proved to be very unwise, indeed!
Thank our merciful LORD, that we live under His grace! Just figuring my own number of years on earth ... divided by 7 ... I would owe God seven sabbath years already! Yowza!!
We always hear that we "reap what we sow" ... but we actually also "reap what we don't sow" ... don't we? A whole year's worth of "meat" that we miss out on ... that would affect us physically and spiritually.
You may also recognize the word 'sabbatical' for the leave that teachers used to earn. For every 6 years they taught, they got a 'sabbatical leave' for that 7th year. I haven't heard the term used in a long time ... so I am not sure if they still have that system. Perhaps someone will enlighten me?
Well, my goodness ... this is enough for me to ruminate on for one day. I pray you have enjoyed this study as much as I have. There are so many good fundamental principals in the Old Testament. We are by no means, bound by them ... but oh we can learn SO much! What a blessing! And each time we read God's Living Word, we learn more and more from It!
Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!
Until tomorrow ... my friends,
I am blessed every day
with some new revelation of God's Word.
I will be sharing my measure of manna
with all who come to my "tent."
Please, let me know if you have been blessed
by the way it was prepared for you this day.
~Shalom~
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