Day 41, February 10 Bible Reading

Day 41,  February 10

Ex. 23:10-13  Sabbath laws

Ex. 31:12-17  The sign of the Sabbath

Ex. 35:1-3 / (Lev. 23:1-3) / Num. 15:32-36     Sabbath laws / Punishment for violating the Sabbath

Lev. 25   The Sabbath year / The Year of Jubilee

Deut. 15:1-11  The year for canceling debts

Ex. 21:2-11 / Deut. 15:12-18  Laws regarding Hebrew servants


We will learn about the Laws of the Sabbath today.  But as you read it is helpful to remember Christ’s commentary on the Sabbath.  He said “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.


What is then point?


The point being that God's (or the 'Son of Man's') intention with regard to the Sabbath law trumps obedience to the 'letter of the law'. Jesus explains the Sabbath "was made for man" (i.e. to bless him) not the other way round so if a man breaks the Sabbath law to avoid harm coming to himself, he is more in tune with God's intention than if he keeps the law to his harm (as an illustration, a starving man who works on the Sabbath for food does not displease God though he breaks the law).


In essence Jesus seems to be saying obedience to God is not the same as obedience to God's law—even if the law gives insight into how to please God. As another illustration, consider a minimum speed limit and whether it is the intention of the relevant authorities that you do not drop below that speed even if there is a person on the road in front of your vehicle.


Perhaps related is John 5:18 and preceding:

18This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.  "

Ex. 23:10-13  Sabbath laws

  • Sabbath is not just every 7 days. It's every 7th month, 7th year, 7th 7th year.  If you are not keeping that you are not keeping Sabbath. Christ is our Sabbath. We are not under Moses Law.

  • The Sabbath is a Person not a Day.

  • God was concerned about the stranger, the son of the female servant, the ox and the donkey getting rest.

  • God was concerned with the poor of the people, the beasts, having food to eat during the land rests, when nothing is harvested.


Ex. 31:12-17  The sign of the Sabbath

  • Ex. 31:12-13 The Sabbaths [Not the plural]  was not just something Israel was to jeep, but it was a sign of the covenant. 

  • Ex. 31:14-16 If anyone in Israel profane the Sabbath by working they should be put to death.

  • Ex. 31:17 Sabbath is only a sign between the Children of Israel and God.  Other people were not meant to keep the Sabbath. It is a sign for in six literal days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.  Look at that.  Even God needs refreshing.

Ex. 35:1-3 / (Lev. 23:1-3) / Num. 15:32-36     Sabbath laws / Punishment for violating the Sabbath

  • Ex. 35:1-3/ (Lev. 23:1-3) Apart from not working, you cannot start a fire on the Sabbath day.  Interesting.

  • Num. 15:32-36 So a man was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath -doing work. He was brought to Moses and Aaron and out under guard until God passed judgment.  God said the man must be put to death by stoning outside the camp.

Lev. 25   The Sabbath year / The Year of Jubilee

Lev 25 gives the laws of redemption


What are they? Simply put

  1. All sin is accounted as DEBT. It had a monetary value

  2. When someone sin and he cannot pay back restitution on the value, he needs to sell his possession and perhaps go into servant indenture-ship to pay off the debt

  3. If a kinsman can pay off the debt, he can redeem what his relative sold. It must be a relative. When it is paid he is released.

  4. If he has no relative, the property stays in the possession of the creditor until the Jubilee.

  5. 5. No debt was permanent. Each debt had a statute of limitations and expired every 49 years.

  6. Everyone is released when Jubilee comes.


Important principles to remember

  1. All sin is Debt

  2. A kinsman can release and redeem

  3. EVEN IF THERE IS NO REDEMPTION, You are released at Jubilee.


"Because man is a created being, he does not own himself. God owns all that He has created. All the land belongs to God. It is true that man has been given a level of authority, but man does not have ultimate sovereignty over his "land," that is, himself. For this reason, man has been given the right to sell his land temporarily. He may sell himself into sin for a while, even for a lifetime. But he has never been given the right to sell his land for all time. His land will always have to revert back to God at the Jubilee.


In other words, no man can be so great a sinner that he cannot be set free at the year of Jubilee. No man can go so far into debt that he cannot be set free in the year of Jubilee. No man has either the authority or the ability to incur a debt that is greater than the year of Jubilee can remedy. This is the law of God, not man's law …The law of Jubilee demands an end to all liability for sin (debt) at some point in the future. The law of Jubilee demands that all debts be cancelled at the end of that final age. Then all creation will be set free into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.…" From The Law of Jubilee, Dr. Stephen Jones


Less than 100 people have a net worth combined that is greater than that of the bottom 50% Globally.

Jubilee won't allow for this.


If the biblical economic principle of Jubilee were a reality, conservatives would cry Socialism.


Deut. 15:1-11  The year for canceling debts

  • Every seven years, if an Israelite had loaned something to another Israelite, the debt was to be forgiven. In addition, in that same year, they were to be extra generous to their poor brothers (fellow Israelites). They were to do so gladly and not begrudgingly. Again, this did not apply to those outside of Israel.

  • Key verse: “ For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

Ex. 21:2-11 / Deut. 15:12-18  Laws regarding Hebrew servants

  • Ex. 21:2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, that is, someone is in debt because of a sin, and they sell their labour as an indentured servant before the year of Jubilee, in the seventh year they should go free

  • Ex. 21:3-4 if he comes in by himself, he should go out by himself. If he came with a wife he leaves with his wife.  However if the master gave him a wife and she bore him sons and daughters, they are the master’s.

  • Ex 21:5-6 This is the making of a bond servant who decides to bore his ear with an awl and put blood on the master’s door, because he loves his master, wife and kids.  He becomes a trusted friend, not just a servant.  He is not free.

  • We are bond servants to Christ with our ears bored to hear only Him,

  • Ex. 21:7 Female slaves do not get released in the seventh year after serving 6 years, usually because she was made a concubine..

  • Ex. 21:8 But a female slave can be redeemed, when her master does not want her any more. He has no right to sell her to strangers.

  • Ex. 21:9 If the female slave was betrothed to the master's son, he shall deal with her as a daughter.  

  • Ex. 21:10-11 The issue of spousal support.  If he takes another wife, he still has to provide food, clothing and provide her marriage rights. If he does not do these three she can go free.

  • Deut 15:12-15 When the Hebrew man or woman is sold, they serve for six years and are released in the seventh, not empty handed, for remember than God did not send Israel empty handed after being free from Egypt.

  • Deut 15:16-18 Both male and females can be bond servants. It should not be hard to send them away to freedom after six years.

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