In
these series of
writings, regarding
the early happenings
just inside the
millennium, I have
been focusing quite a
bit on the liberation
from slavery of
the people of Israel, that
will take place right
after Armageddon, and
then directed to the
land of ancient Israel
where they will settle
down in their new
homes.
Once
again, take note of a
couple of Scriptural
references regarding
this coming time:
The
Future Exodus —
“And
it shall come to pass
in that Day ... you
will be gathered one
by one, O you children
of Israel. So it
shall be in that Day
THAT THE GREAT TRUMPET
WILL BE BLOWN, they
will come, who are
about to PERISH in the
land of Assyria, and
they who are outcasts
in the land of Egypt,
and shall worship the
LORD at Jerusalem”
(Isaiah 27:12-13).
The
prophet Jeremiah was
also led to write
about this coming
exodus of Israel back
to the Land of
Promise:
“Therefore
behold, the days are
coming,” says the
LORD, “that it shall
no more be said,
‘The LORD lives who
brought up the
children of Israel
from the land of
Egypt,’ but, ‘The
LORD lives who brought
up the children of
Israel from the land
of the north and from
all the lands which He
had driven them.’
For I will bring them
back INTO THEIR LAND
which I GAVE to their
fathers” (Jeremiah
16:14-15).
Israel
An Agrarian Nation —
Since
ancient Israel
was essentially an
agrarian nation, and
appears that it will
largely be again, I
wrote in the last
writing about the
commanded observance
of the Sabbatical
year. (To
understand more fully
about God’s command
to observe it and
its importance to God
and to the spiritual
and physical health of
the people of Israel,
I recommend the
re-reading of it.)
The
Sabbatical year is for
more important than
one might think for it
also connects to the
weekly Sabbath and
then to the Year of
Jubilee. And the
importance of the Year
of Jubilee also
highlights the very
year in which it seems
sure Jesus Christ will
return to this earth.
Please
consider the events
that have to do with
those particular
years.
Blessings
of the Sabbatical Year
—
Jesus
said there would
always be poor people
(Matthew 26:11). When
we think about the
times that seems to be
beyond a person to
stay within the bounds
of solvency, and then
often due to adverse
circumstances, one
just sinks deeper and
deeper into debt, the
only choice left is to
sell his land and then
himself into slavery
to someone else.
The
LOVE OF GOD is
manifested for the
poor and the
downtrodden in the
Sabbatical year during
this time for He makes
possible a new
beginning for such
people to take place
all over again.
This
law would keep
instilled within the
poor people a
worthwhile goal of
being able to reclaim
their land and their
own liberty at the
conclusion of a seven
year period of time, a
Sabbatical Year!
What
a wonderful God He is
to love and care for
all of His people
regardless of status
and wealth, or the
lack of it.
The
Sabbatical Year was to
begin and end at the
Feast of Tabernacles.
This was the ideal
time for the priests
to remind all Israel
of His law concerning
their obligation to
carefully fulfill all
the requirements of
the Sabbatical year,
as well as other laws
of God.
Please
note this in the
following Scriptures:
And
Moses commended them,
saying, “At the end
of every 7 years, at
the appointed time in
the year of release,
AT THE FEAST OF
TABERNACLES WHEN ALL
ISRAEL comes to appear
before the LORD your
God IN THE PLACE which
He chooses, YOU SHALL
READ THIS LAW before
all Israel in their
hearing. Gather
the people together,
men and women and
little ones, and the
stranger who is within
your gates, THAT THEY
MAY HEAR and that they
may learn TO FEAR the
LORD your God and
CAREFULLY OBSERVE all
the words of this law,
and that their
children, who have NOT
known it, MAY HEAR AND
LEARN TO FEAR the LORD
your God AS LONG AS
YOU LIVE IN THE LAND
which you cross the
Jordan to possess.”
(Deuteronomy
31:10-13).
Realizing
the often greedy
nature of the more
solvent people who had
control of the land
belonging to the poor,
and often the poor
person as well, God
made them ALL listen
to His laws when they
were assembled before
Him at the Feast of
Tabernacles and remind
them they were to let
His people go and give
back their land as
well, at this
appointed time:
Experimental
Commentary, Volume 1,
Pages 698-699,
Feast of Tabernacles
“...
Amongst the various
wise reasons for
choosing this period
of 7 years, one most
principal one appears
to its being THE YEAR
OF RELEASE, when the
general abolition of
debts and discharge
from personal slavery
periodically took
place; circumstances
which would
necessarily SECURE
CONSTANT ATTENDANCE to
this solemnity , and
contribute TO ENSURE
THE OBSERVANCE OF THIS
COMMAND. Thus
closely were the
religious and civil
parts of the Mosaic
connected.”
Considering
this wonderful and
caring law, we should
be able to say as did
king David, who was
inspired by God to say
in prayer, “O
how I love your law!
It is my meditation
all the day” (Psalm
119:97).
Blessings
of the Year of Jubilee
—
Though
there are passages of
Scriptures in other
places that
speak of the Year of
Jubilee, it is spoken
of more directly and
fully in Leviticus 25;
Scriptures that follow
the weekly Sabbath and
the annual Sabbath
Days in Leviticus 23.
Soncino
Commentary
Leviticus 25
“The
cycle of sacred
seasons begun in
chapter 23 (Leviticus)
is here continued, and
the system of Sabbaths
– is here completed
by the Sabbatical Year
and by Jubilee, which
came after ‘a
week’ of Sabbatical
years.”
Jubilee
Picturing Christ
Returning to Earth —
In
the following excerpts
that I am taking from
various commentaries,
I intend to continue
to HIGHLIGHT the areas
that, I feel, make
quite clear WHY Jesus
Christ will return at
the very beginning of
the Year of Jubilee,
which is the Feast of
Trumpets (the
beginning of the Civil
Year).
A
note in passing: To
put it all in context,
it would be well to
remember though the
Jubilee Year actually
begins with the Feast
of Trumpets, LIBERTY
was NOT proclaimed
until the Day of
Atonement – which
has great
significance, for it
pictures the putting
away of Satan the
devil, the Adversary
of all of mankind who
has this world
kidnapped, imprisoned,
and well covered in
Spiritual Darkness.
Soncino
Commentary, page 532,
Leviticus 25:9, Horn,
Shofar
“Although
the year commenced on
the first of Tishri
(1st Day of 7th
month), Rosh Hashanah,
it was not until the
10th of the month, Yom
Kippur, that the
proclamation of the
Jubilee was made.
The Day of Atonement
and the Jubilee had
much in common.
The message of both
was ‘a new birth’.
The
Day of Atonement freed
men from slavery to
sin and enabled him to
start life anew, as
ONE with God and with
his fellow man.
The
Jubilee had for its
aim the emancipation
of the individual from
the shackles of
poverty, and the
readjustment of the
various strata in the
commonwealth in
accordance with social
justice.
No
more appropriate day,
therefore, for
inaugurating such a
year of rectification
– as well as to
attune the hearts of
all to the sacrifices
demanded for by such
rectification – than
the Day of Atonement;
and no more suitable
signal to inaugurate
it than the blowing of
the Shofar.
Isaiah 58, which forms
the haftorah for the
Day of Atonement,
seems to have been
spoken of on a Yom
Kippur inaugurating a
Jubilee year.
The
50th year
In
the 50th year, the
Hebrew slaves with
their families are
emancipated, and
property, except house
property in a walled
city, reverts to its
original owner.
The Jubilee
institution was a
marvelous safeguard
against deadening
property. By it,
houses and land were
kept from accumulating
in the hands of the
few, pauperism was
prevented, and a race
of independent
freeholders assured.
It represented such a
rare and striking
introduction of morals
into economics, that
many have been
inclined to question
whether the wonderful
institution was ever
in actual force.
However, ‘nothing is
more certain than that
the Jubilee was once
for centuries a
reality in the
national life of
Israel’ (Ewald).
Ezekiel speaks of its
non-observance as one
of the signs that
‘the end has come’
upon the nation for
its mis-doings [sin],
and he mentions (see
page 966) ‘the year
of liberty’ when a
gift of land must
return to the original
owner. It is
impossible to think
that, as has sometimes
been supposed, the
institution of the
Jubilee is a mere
paper-law; at least as
far as the land (for
the general
redistribution of
which there are the
analogies in other
nations), it must date
from ancient times in
Israel (Driver).
According to the
Talmud, the law of the
Jubilee was observed
as long as the entire
territory of the Holy
Land was inhabited by
Israelites. When
a portion of the
tribes went into
exile, the law
lapsed.”
The
Last Known Observance
of Jubilee --
As
far as it is known the
last year of the
observance of the
Jubilee Year was
during the 26th year
of king Josiah of
Judah (II Kings 22:3;
II Chronicles 34:8,
year 623-622 B. C.).
Israel itself probably
ceased observing it
during the early years
of king Solomon.
No
one has actually been
able to accurately
determine where we are
today in regard as to
which would be the
actual Year of
Jubilee.
God
has carefully
concealed the exact
numbering of the Year
of Jubilee just as He
has with
chronology!
Meaning an accurate
count from
Creation Week to where
we now are, for He
does NOT want mankind
to figure out the
exact time of Jesus
Christ coming back to
earth.
We
know we are very
close, but no one
knows for sure how
close!
With
these things in mind,
I will continue with
further elaboration of
the blessings of the
Year of Jubilee:
The
New Bible Dictionary,
Page 1111, JUBILEE
YEAR
The
culmination of the
Sabbatical years [7 X
7] was reached each
50th year. This
was a Jubilee (Hebrew
yobel, ‘ram’,
thence trumpet
(ram’s horn) year by
which the year was
heralded). The
sanctions of the
Sabbatical years were
enforced. In
addition, property
reverted to its
original owners, debts
were remitted, and
Hebrews who had been
enslaved for debt were
released. It was
a time of thanksgiving
and an occasion for
the exercise of faith
that God would provide
food (Leviticus 25:8,
etc.),
The
International Standard
Encyclopedia, Volume
III, Pages 1256-1257,
JUBILEE YEAR
“The
Hebrew word yobhel
stands for the horn of
a ram . Now such
a horn can be made
into a trumpet, and
thus the word yobhel
came to be used as a
synonym of trumpet.
According to Leviticus
25:9 A LOUD TRUMPET
SHOULD PROCLAIM
LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY ON THE 10TH
DAY OF THE 7TH MONTH
(The Day of
Atonement), after the
lapse of 7 Sabbaths of
years = 49 years.
In this manner, every
50th year was to be
announced as a Jubilee
year. All real
property should
automatically REVERT
TO ITS ORIGINAL OWNER
(Leviticus 25:10; cf
verse 13), and those
who, compelled by
poverty, had sold
themselves as slaves
to their brothers,
should regain their
liberty (25:10; cf
verse 39).
In
addition to this, the
Jubilee Year was to be
observed after the
manner of the Sabbatic
Year, i. e. there
should be neither
sowing nor reaping nor
pruning of vines, and
everybody was expected
to live on what the
fields and the
vineyards produced
‘of themselves,’
and no attempt should
be made to store up
the products of the
land (25:11 f).
Thus
there are three
distinct factors
constituting the
essential features of
the Jubilee Year:
personal liberty,
restitution of
property, and what we
might call the simple
life. ...
In
the Year of Jubilee a
great future era of
Jeh’s [LORD] favor
is foreshadowed, that
period which,
according to Isaiah
61:1-3, shall be
ushered in to all
those that labor and
are heavy laden, by
Him who was anointed
by the Spirit of the
Lord JHVH.
Th
Jubilee Year, being
the crowning point of
all Sabbatical
institutions, gave the
finishing touch as it
were to the whole
cycle of Sabbatic
days, months, and
years. It is
therefore quite
appropriate that it
should be a year of
rest for the land like
the preceding Sabbatic
year (Leviticus 25:11
f).
The
Feast of Tabernacles,
Year 7001 —
By
the true count of
years from the
creation week in
Genesis 1, the 6000
year allotted to Satan
will then end
precisely on time, as
numerous Scriptures
make known.
Then
will begin the new
year, the Year of
Jubilee, 7001,
the Year of
emancipation for all
of mankind from the
grasp and control of
this present evil
world that yet for a
little while longer
belongs to Satan.
When
we consider all that
God has said was to
take place during the
Year of Jubilee it
only seems logical,
and also seems
Scripturally sound, to
assume that what this
Jubilee Year
represents will be
fulfilled by Jesus
Christ when He returns
to this earth.
In
addition, within the
scheme of what this
Year of Jubilee
represents, and the
fact that both the
land of Israel and the
peoples of Israel will
all be held in
captivity and slavery
when Christ returns,
there seems to be no
question for it all
dovetails together
when He returns and
sets the captives free
along with the land He
gave to Israel.
It
will truly be a new
beginning for all of
the peoples of Israel
who have been enslaved
and liberated are
directed to the
Promised Land just as
Israel of old was when
they were brought out
of slavery in Egypt.
God
is the owner of all
the earth, the seas,
and the fullness
thereof (Psalm 24:1).
He gave the ancient
land in Canaan to
Israel and will see to
it that it will return
to its rightful owner
(Jeremiah 16:14-15;
23:3-8).
The
Barren Promised Land
—
When
Israel crossed the
Jordan and entered the
very bountiful land of
milk and honey they
found it exactly as
God promised them it
would be after 40
years of wandering in
the barren desert.
It
would appear that the
Promised Land will not
be found this way in
this coming time.
When we consider the
massive armies
gathered in the valley
of Jehoshaphat to
fight in the battle
that is called,
Armageddon, and
realize as Scripture
states, the blood
spilled from these
armies will flow at a
level of about 4 feet,
up to the bridle bits
of horses, and for
about 200 miles
(Revelation 14:19-20),
along with the land
being stripped of its
fruit and vegetables
by these armies, it
will be in pretty bad
shape (Revelation
14:19-20).
Awesome
will be the numbers of
the armies gathered in
that area to do
battle! The Asian army
alone will number
200,000,000
(Revelation 9:16).
I would assume the
armies of Europe will
be somewhere close to
that number.
From these numbers in
mind, it is not hard
to imagine that much blood
being spilled and the
land stripped of all
food items.
The
tremendous climatic
battle of the war to
be fought will occur
in the valley of
Jehosaphat and the
main clash will occur
around Jerusalem which
borders the valley
(Joel 3:13)
The
blood from the armies
who are to be
slaughtered will occur
in the battle of
Armageddon and will
extend for almost 200
miles. It will
fill the valley all
the way from Megiddo
southward passing by
Jerusalem (where the
main battle will be
fought) and extend
into the ancient land
of Edom (Isaiah
63:1-6).
Time
will be needed to purify
the land from this
blood-soaked land. It
undoubtedly will be
aided greatly by the
gigantic earthquake
that will take place.
Under
these circumstances it
would seem that
possibly Christ will
provide the food
necessary in whatever
way He chooses for the
following two years
after the Sabbatical
Year and
Jubilee, one year
after the other, when
there should be no
sowing or systematic
ingathering (Leviticus
25:18-22). Then once
again will begin the 7
year count for the
Sabbatical Year, and
the beginning of the
cultivation of the
land.
Once
again all Israel will
observe the Sabbatical
Year and the Year of
Jubilee together, and
observe in conformity
with God’s holy and
righteous laws.
Answering
a Possible Question
—
To
dispel a possible
question whether the
49th year or the 50th
year was the year of
Jubilee, we need to
consider the
following:
God
states it is the 50th
year (Leviticus
25:10-11).
Remember
the count to the year
of Jubilee was 7 X 7
Sabbatical years that
came to a total of 49
years. The 49th
year was a Sabbatical
year that was to end
during the time of the
Feast of Tabernacles
in the 49th year.
The
Year of Jubilee would
begin at the Feast of
Trumpets in the 49th
Year, which is the
beginning of the civil
year, and would be
toward the close of
the 49th Year, and
also would be the end
of the Sabbatical
Year, at the
Feast of Tabernacles..
There
would be a small
amount of overlapping
here.
The
Jubilee would continue
all through the 50th
year to the Feast of
Trumpets which would
signal the beginning
of a new year, the
51st.
The
Beginning of the Year
of Jubilee —
I
repeat, when we really
think about the time
of Christ’s coming,
and the beginning of
the millennium with
the beginning reign of
Christ, then couple
all of it together
with the teaching of
the year of Jubilee,
there seems to be no
real question but
that Christ will
return at that time.
And
as I wrote earlier,
though it begins with
the Feast of Trumpets,
it is not proclaimed
until the Day of
Atonement. This
fits perfectly with
the meaning of this
Day for it speaks of
the world coming to be
AT ONE with God and
with each other.
This
world has been held in
captivity and in
slavery to the way of
Satan for almost a
full 6,000 years (Luke
4:5-6; Romans 7:23: II
Corinthians 4:4). The
millennium is the
beginning of the 7,000
years. (The 7,000
years are patterned
after the 7-day week.)
Also,
I repeat, even though
there are those who
have thought they had
figured out the exact
year that would
fulfill the 6,000
years God allotted to
Satan, no one has been
able to do it.
We know we are very
close but at this
point in time no one
really knows for sure.
To
Be Continued —
Though
I have in mind to
write further about
the events to take
place just inside the
millennium, I will not
plan on writing
anymore until after
the Feast of
Tabernacles.
To
each of you, as God's
true people, may our
good and wonderful God
keep each of you in
His loving care and
bring you more fully
to a state of
wakefulness in a
terrible time of
drowsiness and sound
sleep.
Your
brother and servant in
Christ,
Don
Billingsley
Hookups
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Church Services in
Modesto, California
will not be available
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Sabbaths: October:
11th, 18th.
The
hookups will be
available for all of
the other Sabbaths,
and the Feast of
Trumpets (10 am
and 2 pm), and also
for the Day of
Atonement (1-3 pm).
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listen to our Church
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