Festival of Jubilee
God provides for those who trust and obey Him, even in times of uncertainty and lack.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the significance of the Jewish festival of Jubilee as outlined in Leviticus 25, where God commands Israel to let the land rest every seventh year. This sabbath year required the Israelites to trust God completely for their sustenance, as they would not engage in any agricultural activities. Despite their fears of scarcity, God promised a miraculous provision, ensuring a triple harvest in the sixth year to sustain them. Wilkerson highlights that this command was not just about rest, but about deepening faith in God's faithfulness and provision. Ultimately, he reassures that God always provides for those who trust and obey Him.
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The history of the Jewish festival of Jubilee is found in Leviticus 25. This observance begins with the Lord's command that Israel allow the land to rest from cultivation every seventh year. The seventh year was to be a sabbath year, in which the land would lie fallow. During that year, the people were to do no planting, picking of fruit or harvesting of any kind: "Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; but in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard" (Leviticus 25:3-4).
God was literally shutting down all agricultural activity for an entire year. That meant Israel would have to live for that period without any visible means of support. They would have to put their lives completely into God's hands, trusting Him for all supplies.
Of course, this required a lot of faith. Think about it: For an entire year there would be no intake of crops for food . . . no harvest of grain to feed cattle . . . no work for farmers . . . no labor for vineyard keepers. Most Christians today would panic after only a week of this, much less a year. Indeed, the Israelites wondered: "What are we going to do for food during the seventh year? How will we feed our families, our cattle? We'll use up everything we have in the sixth year, just prior to the sabbath year. Are we supposed to sit idly by while our children go hungry? Does God really expect us to watch the grapes rot on the vine? "
Yet God had a clear purpose in commanding a sabbath year for the land. It was meant to reveal His faithfulness to His people. "If ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years" (verses 20-21).
What an incredible promise! God was guaranteeing Israel a triple harvest (see verse 22): "If you will just step out in faith and trust Me, I will give you a harvest during the sixth year that will provide you with enough provisions for three years."
I believe the Lord is saying something important here. And that is, no matter what our circumstances, He always provides for those who trust and obey Him.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Concept of Jubilee
- A. A time of rest for the land
- B. A time of trust for the people
- II. The Command to Observe Jubilee
- A. A sabbath year for the land
- B. A time of faith for the people
- III. God's Promise of Provision
- A. A triple harvest in the sixth year
- B. Enough provisions for three years
- IV. The Application to Our Lives
- A. Trust and obey God in all circumstances
- B. He always provides for those who trust Him
Key Quotes
“God was literally shutting down all agricultural activity for an entire year.” — David Wilkerson
“If you will just step out in faith and trust Me, I will give you a harvest during the sixth year that will provide you with enough provisions for three years.” — David Wilkerson
“He always provides for those who trust and obey Him.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should trust and obey God in all circumstances, even when we don't understand what He is doing.
- God always provides for those who trust and obey Him, and we can have faith that He will provide for us.
- We should have faith that God will give us a harvest of blessings in our lives, even when we are not seeing immediate results.