Jubilee: What He Changed

I love to travel. I’ve gone to many states here in the US, but I really enjoy traveling outside of the country. My favorite trip was when Pastor Adina and I went to Israel. We got to the Temple Mount, the Israel Museum, the Dead Sea Scroll exhibition hall, the Holocaust memorial, Bet Shaan, Masada, Caesarea Philippi, the mountain springs of Dan with the Temple of Pan, and so many other places. While traveling, we stopped for lunch, grabbed countless bottles of water, and had our share, and then some, of Magnum ice cream bars. They just taste better in Israel for some reason. None of these places take US dollars. Why? Because we were not in the US. We had to exchange our dollars into shekels to engage in the commerce of the culture. The value stayed the same, but the currency changed to fit our context.

This is what Jesus did when He quoted Isaiah 61. The Word quoted the word and fulfilled the word and in doing so, He exchanged the word to fit the cultural and spiritual context of the people He was speaking to.

Last week, we looked at what He added. Next week we will look at what He left out. But today we are going to look at what He changed.

When I say changed, I do not mean that He is altering its intended meaning. Many cults are guilty of this. Mormons add to Scripture, Jehova’s Witnesses remove or alter scriptures that point to Jesus’ deity.

Revelation 22:18-19 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

Jesus came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it. He wasn’t editing Scripture, He was explaining it, fulfilling it, and contextualizing it.

Please stand to honor the reading of God’s word.

Luke 4:17-19 He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Isaiah 61:1-2 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God…
You may be seated. ***PRAY

To understand why Jesus rephrased Scripture, we must first look at the original scripture and understand its context.

Isaiah 61:1 …The Lord has anointed Me… to proclaim… the opening of the prison to those who are bound…

This, at first, may seem straightforward. People who are in prison would be set free. If Jubilee happened, would that mean that everyone on death row would be set free? No!

In the OT law, you went to prison only because you were accused and were being held awaiting trial.

Today, we do things the opposite way. We let people out if they make bail by making them sign a bail bond, then throw them in prison if they are convicted. If they don’t show up for trial, they are in breach of their bail bond agreement, and there is a bounty put out to capture the offender for a percentage of the bail amount. Dog bounty hunter

Prison, under OT Jewish law, was no punishment, but a means to ensure the accused did not escape trial.

Sometimes the accusation is just as bad as a conviction.
Teacher pleaded guilty to a crime he didn’t commit
The weight of the accusation condemned him before the trial had a chance.

There are those that do the crime and live in fear of getting caught. Even after they do the time, there is still the stigma of felon. The accusation, and not just the conviction, has consequences.

We have the accusation of sin leveled against us. We are bound in our conscience, in the eyes of others, and ultimately in the eyes of God. We are in prisons of shame, fear, anxiety, and depression as any hope of freedom gets choked out and suffocated by the enemy.

How many thank God that this is not the end of the story. The Gospel, the good news is that Jesus declares a Jubilee and sets us free by His grace.

Embracing Accusation: Shane & Shane
Could the father of lies be telling the truth of God to me tonight? If the penalty of sin is death, then death is mine. I hear him saying, "Cursed are the ones who can't abide." He's right, Hallelujah, he's right. The devil is preaching the song of the redeemed, That I am cursed and gone astray, I cannot gain salvation, Oh, the devil's singing over me an age old song, That I am cursed and gone astray, Singing the first verse so conveniently over me, He's forgotten the refrain, Jesus saves

God expresses His heart in:
Ezekiel 33:11 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?

God desires mercy and forgiveness. He paid the price, so we don’t have to.

382 A.D. St Jerome was asked to translate the Bible into Latin by Pope Damasus. This translation became the standard. He tragically and mistakenly translated the word metanoia to “do penance” instead of repentance. To do penance means to make up for you sins by external works: self-affliction, hail Mary’s, etc. Repentance is an internal change of perspective and godly sorrow toward sin that results in a change of thought, actions, and destiny.

He was afflicted so we don’t have to be. We now can repent, change our mind and our life, by grace through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross.

Romans 8:1-2 There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

God opened up our prison doors. He paid the price and destroyed the accusation. He was condemned to die to grant us freedom.

Are you bound up in guilt and shame? Are you in bondage to sin? Are you condemning yourself for what you have done? Are you living under the shadow of judgment? Jesus is here and He desires to break your bonds, open the prison doors and to set you free. This is Jubilee!

Now that we see what God meant in Isaiah 61, let’s look at what He said in:
Luke 4:18 …He has anointed Me… to set at liberty those who are oppressed…

If you had a debt you could not repay, you would be sold into slavery to work off the debt.

Matthew 18:23-35 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

10,000 talents of gold vs. 100 Denarii
Gold’s Current Value: $ 1,811.27 / oz
16 oz / lb, 75 lbs / 1 talent, 10,000 talents = $ 21,735,240,000

Denarii = 1 day’s wage
Current minimum wage: $13.85 x 8 hrs. x 100
100 Denarii = $ 11,080

Jesus redeemed us from our sin, forgave us of our sin debt, frees us to forgive others, and breaks the bondage and oppression of the enemy.

Reproach and shame, addiction, infirmity.

This is the Jubilee. Jesus is the Chain Breaker.

Micah 2:13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.”

Isaiah 10:27 It shall come to pass in that day that [the enemy’s] burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.

Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the [season of Jubilee].

Jesus not only proclaims freedom to the captives, He also sets you free.

John 8:36 If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Emancipation Proclamation – Slavery was officially abolished but many stayed in bondage either because the news was kept from them, or they simply didn’t know how to live free so they stayed where they were.

Jesus is opening the prison doors, you CAN go free, you ARE set free, but you must choose to BE free – to walk out of the prison and live free.

Jesus forgives us and sets us free from the oppression of the bondage of our sin. He expects us to forgive others. It’s not saying that the sin or what they did to you is ok, but forgiveness is removing the perceived right to hold an offense, to exact punishment, or harbor animosity in your heart towards another person because of what they have done. God is the Judge and King, not you.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Jesus is declaring Jubilee – freedom from bondage, oppression, and unforgiveness. We have been forgiven of a debt we could never repay and

Luke 4:18 …He has anointed Me… to set at liberty those who are oppressed…

Response:
Confess your sins to God and ask for forgiveness.

If you are in physical or spiritual bondage, ask Jesus to come and break the chains.

If you have any unforgiveness in your heart toward anyone else, forgive them and ask God for the grace to walk that out.

Begin to praise Jesus and thank Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do in your life. Praise brings the anointing, and the anointing breaks the yoke.