Proclaiming Good News of A Kingdom Jubilee

Viv Grigg, 2002, rev June 2006

DECLARING the JUBILEE

Background: Genesis of Work and Rest

God is the first worker and the first rester. When God created he also rested, because he rested this task he was doing must be seen as work. Yet for God this was not toil by any means, but a way to create and express beauty. By resting and reflecting that "it is good" God shows us the example of both what work should be and what rest should be. He rested not out of exhaustion but out of completion and in order to enjoy the work of his hands.

God's work was creative; making something from nothing; out of chaos creating order; through naming bringing into being; His work was artistic. All of these are godly functions of godly work in which we can reflect his image. God's work can be broken down into four different categories: creation, providence, judgment, redemption. These are the tasks of God.

Work was created before the fall and is therefore to be seen as good. Work has received a bad reputation from other cultures whose god's felt that work was beneath them and created humanity to do the work. In the Hebrew tradition work has much honor and can be seen as a holy commandment from God. To till and keep the land.

After the fall work was cursed by God. This did not change the fact that it was still a duty commanded by God. the difference now was that work was toil instead of the creative process that it was originally intended to be. Humanity went from fulfillment to frustration from gardener to farmer. Throughout the Bible work still contains its dignity. David as a shepherd, Saul the farmer. There was no shame in common work. The imagery of tending sheep being a training ground for leading God's people could not be used if this culture looked down on the laborer. (Ryken 1987:119)

Even though there was this high esteem for work there was still the view that work could and was abused. This took two forms: idleness and overwork. Idleness is condemned in Proverbs. It is seen as the path of the wicked. But overwork was also condemned.

Work without rest was one of the major sins warned about by God. The Sabbath was not only a symbol of the covenant between God and his people it was also a time to reflect and rest. The Sabbath was established by God as a day of rest. Rest is a time of reflection of the week. It is out of this reflection that worship is naturally brought out and later established. Rest must include worship. God's rest was a reflection on his work and seeing that it was good. Our rest is a reflection on God's provision and his work combined with our work and obedience and worshipping God because it is good.

God's overall plan is that there is an established pattern between work and rest. Neither are complete by themselves. There is good in rest and refreshment and in production and work. The two are natural fruit of obedience to and worship of God.

The Sabbath (Lev 25:1-7)

Two of the major festivals of Israel are the year of Jubilee and the Sabbath year. The Sabbath was to be an ecological, a societal and an economic rest period. It was to be a time to allow for the recreation of the soil, of the soul and of the society. It was to be a time to remember that it is the Lord who provides - that same Lord who provided manna in the wilderness.

The Sabbath was so important that the Lord exiled the Jews for 490 years, enough to make up for the Sabbaths that had not been kept.

the biblical idea of JUBILEE

The Jubilee (Lev 25:8-17)

The Jubilee, every 50th year, took these values a step further, redistributing the sources of wealth, the means of production of the society. It was a time of equalizing.

I. Liberty

It is synonymous with the year of liberty. Slaves are to be set free. Freedom is inherent in the gospel message.

II. Debts are to be canceled

Economic freedom is inherent in the gospel message.

III. celebration

Celebration is inherent in the gospel message.

IV. Redistribution

The means of production, the land was to be returned to the original owners. Redistribution of the means of production is inherent in the gospel message.

4. Jesus’ Message of the Jubilee

This theme of the Jubilee becomes central to the New Testament, and as such, central to our understanding of the nature of the gospel.

In the central passage around which Luke builds his gospel and the Acts, Luke 4:18, Jesus declares his mission and as he does so, he inaugurates the Jubilee eternally.^[1]

Here Jesus declares his commission and ours, his gospel and ours. It was to be good news for the poor?^[2] But what could be good news to the poor? What is the master talking about? What is the content of the gospel?

He describes it as a proclamation of freedom, as a release from oppression, as the coming of a special year. What do these phrases mean? These are allusions and references to the Old Testament idea of the year of Jubilee. He is declaring that the Jubilee has come - forever. The rest from oppression, slavery is here, forever.

The scroll he had been given in this little synagogue in the little Jewish enclave of Nazareth, (amid so many foreign villages), contained a passage in Isaiah 61:1 - one of the servant songs, one of the four songs about the coming Messiah. He speaks of the year of the Lord’s favor. The Jews had been exiled because of their disobedience about this year. For 70 years the land was left fallow to recover from 490 years of use without rest. And their expectation was that when they returned, the land would again be blessed by God.

But the expectation was not fulfilled and 400 years of silence from God settled on the land as they awaited a Messiah. So when Jesus quotes this verse he is saying he is the Messiah, the one who brings the Jubilee.

Isa 49:8 calls this year, the time of my favor, the day of my salvation. This day would be a day of covenant, this day would be a day of restoration of the land, this day will be a day when captives, slaves, oppressed people will find their chains fall off. Paul in 2 Cor 6:2 tells us, “now is the acceptable time, now is the time of my favor.” We live in the now of the jubilee.

This is good new for the poor.

I. A Liberating Gospel

This is good new for the poor. To be set free from slavery is surely good news. To be released from oppression is surely good news.

I recall setting free a brother in Hong Kong, Timothy from demons that had been there since he had been thrown out of home. What wonderful joy and new freedom in the life of this young believer! Some years later I came back to find him a leader in the ministry.

And I remember the release of a 22 year old, Simon, from alcoholism. Not once, not all at once. The joy of his new found freedom.

II.An Ecological Gospel

The Jubilee is the restoration of the land, a restructuring of the human-land relationship. We are to manage the land not to abuse it. To manage, to steward is to care for, to protect, as well as to develop the productivity of the land.^[3] Jesus aim is to bring all of creation out of its bondage and set it free (Rom 8:21). As the good news of the Jubilee is preached, so the land is allowed to rest. Christians restore the land, they manage the land. But more than that Christians wait for the promised land, the return of the Messiah to rule for 1000 years and bring right relationships to the land.

Evangelism this decade will hinge on Christian leadership of urban and rural environmental issues. As you are working to establish housing for the poor, to enable a community to raise a sustainable food supply, the reason for your care for the land becomes the center of your conversation.

I watched the celebrations, and sudden release of spiritual life when the people of Tatalon a squatter area where I lived were given rights to the land on which they had been illegal for so many years. In involvement with the poor in these struggles we find a ready, open door for the gospel.

The way that the created order can be reinstated to God's original purpose depends upon the proclamation of the Good News (Mark 16:15). Creation groans until the message of the gospel has penetrated to every nation, every person (Rom 8:19,20).

III.A Celebrating Gospel

In the Jubilee, life becomes a celebration. Even within the simplicity of Jesus' lifestyle, he did not consider things as evil. Jesus knew how to enjoy dining with the rich, yet for the sake of the Kingdom of God, he chose to come to a family who could not afford the dedication offering of the poor (Luke 2:24). He was accused of being a party-goer - and he was. He loved life and people. This is where he did his evangelism. For as the proclaimer of Jubilee, he was calling people to celebrate.

Our task is to bring the joy of Christ into situations of darkness, the hope of Christ into situations of despair.

IV.A Reconciling Gospel

Immediately after declaring his mandate, Jesus began to talk about ministering to Gentiles. It seems like it was a big mistake!! the talk turned from respect for this local son to murder. They tried to murder him!!

It was no mistake. The jubilee is reconciling. And that is the basis for a multicultural church.

In New Zealand we developed a cell group among Indian migrants. It grew from four to at times 50. Rejected, jobless, this became the place of love for people. I remember one Hindu lady saying, “I am not a Christian, but this is place where I feel loved each week.”

A successful evangelistic church is based around cells that meet weekly, involving non-believers, and set up evangelistic parties at least once a month.

V.An Economic Gospel

But at heart this declaration is shown by Jesus to be economic. Let us turn to his modeling of this.

3. Jubilee in the Acts Community and Gospels

In the Old Testament, the economic principles of the Kingdom were seen demonstrated in a nation. Since Jesus' coming, they are demonstrated in communities of believers, communities of the King.

We see these worked out within Jesus’ band of disciples with their common fund, from which they gave to the poor (Matt 26:9). In Acts 4:32-34 that Jubilee is

outworked as the believers sold their possessions, and gave to the poor.

I. First Principle: Celebration

The disciples worked these out also in the Jerusalem community. The first principle is celebration. 'They partook of food with glad and generous hearts' (Acts 2:46). The Jerusalem community celebrated life, enjoyed its goodness, but for the sake of their own souls, for the sake of the Kingdom, and for the sake of the needy deliberately forewent their rights.

II.Second Principle: Sharing

Acts 2:44 'And all who believed were together and had all things in common. The second principle is sharing. This was but an extension of the teaching of Jesus, demonstrated in the common purse of the disciples. It is an extension of the principle in the Old Testament: equality, not an utopian equality, but an equality in spirit that results in an active equalizing.

III.Third Principle: Forsaking

And they sold their possessions and goods (45). Principle three is 'forsaking'. this we've mentioned above. The motivation for such drastic action is threefold:

a. Because one cannot serve God and money.

b. Because of the needs of the battle, the needs of proclaiming the Kingdom

c. Because of compassion for the poor and needy since 'If anyone has this world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him' (1 John 3:17).

IV.Fourth Principle: Meeting Needs

'..and distributed them to all. as any had need.' Principle four is to meet the needs of those within the community... The result? a single-mindedness to God, a love for each other and a dynamic witness.

V.Fifth Principle: Private Ownership Without Possessiveness

Acts 4:32 tells us 'the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no-one said that any of the things which they possessed was there own, but they had everything in common.' Principle 5: Some continued to possess things, but they gave up the attitude of protective private ownership.

VI.Sixth Principle: Voluntary Giving

It was a voluntary thing. Acts 5 tells us the story of a couple who tried to cheat God. In verse 4, Peter tells them 'while the property remained unsold, did it not remain your own? and after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?'

VII.Seventh Principle: The Equalizing Gospel

In this community we see the equalizing effect of the gospel. The poor had their needs met.' There was not a needy one among them.' (Acts 4:34). The rich are brought low. Jesus' brother tells us 'Let the believer who is lowly exalt in being raised and the rich in his humiliation' (James 1:9).

For the kingdom uplifts the poor, but the rich refuse to enter it. There is an equalizing effect in the gospel. But at what level is this equality? Do all of us receive a mansion and two cars? No! it is the level of basic needs.

'For we brought nothing into this world and we cannot take anything out of this world, but if we have food and clothing we shall be content' (1 Tim 6:6-8). Basic needs vary according to many factors, so this is not a fixed level - a family of 12 needs more than a single person. It is a voluntary lifestyle. The outward action depends on the inner values. Some call it a simple lifestyle. For most it is a sacrificial lifestyle where we learn to depend on our heavenly father for our basic needs rather than become anxious (Matt 6:25-33).

4. Jubilee and International Redistribution (2 Corinthians 8,9)

The principles of Jubilee as evidenced in Jesus community, then in the Acts

community are further extended globally in Paul’s teaching on global redistribution between the churches.

What does this mean for us? We are to share from our resources so that others are uplifted, so all come to some level of equality and justice.

5. Work and Leisure in the New Testament

With a new role to proclaim the Kingdom, and a new community to demonstrate it, do we still need to work? This was the question of the Thessalonians, who were so expectant of Christ's return to establish his Kingdom that they stopped working.

Christ like the Father , places a high regard upon work, by labeling himself a worker (Jn 9:4, 4:34, 5:17). He also is very familiar with the jobs of the poor and the rich of his time. The use of these parables enabled him to teach in a way that he would be understood, but it also places a high regard upon work. If our work gives glory to God or it serves humanity then it can be seen as a Kingdom job (Ryken 87).

Alongside our food producing jobs we have a primary job that all children of the kingdom must do. Our primary work is now to be laborers in the Kingdom reaping a harvest (Matt 9:37,38) but to do this we need 'to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs and to work with your hands, as we charged you; so that you may command the respect of outsiders, and be dependent on nobody' (1 Thes 4:11,12). We now work for a new set of motivations:

a. to extend the kingdom, by commanding the respect of outsiders.

b. to be dependent on nobody and

c. to support others. (Acts 20:35), both the needy and those involved in proclaiming the Kingdom.

d. The thief must learn to work with his hands (Eph 4:28) so as to give to those in need.

Education in the scriptures is always considered good. Knowledge is essential to wisdom. In acquiring knowledge we learn of God. Working at a good education honors God.

A full-time worker is to be supported because of his hard work (2 Tim 2: 1-6). 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.' (1 Tim 5:18) However the normal approach of the early church was to depend on laymen and lay elders who supported themselves. When an older man had proven his worth he was to be 'worthy of double honor.'

Rest is also a key part of life for those who are part of the Kingdom. Leisure can be defined as a time free from the constraints of work and other obligations of living. It is a time to cultivate an enriched state of being. Jesus was the herald of the kingdom and he taught us what resting in the kingdom should look like.

The first and foremost leisure time for Jesus was his time of prayer in a lonely place. Jesus, in order to enrich his state of being, turned to his relationship with the Father for help. He knew that this was the priority of the kingdom when it came to rest. The other form of rest came in the form of fellowship. Jesus loved to spend time both with regular people and his disciples. This for him many times was rest and he called his disciples to rest with each other (6:31).

6. Debt and Lending in the New Testament

i. Debts

The basic principle here is Rom 13:8 'Owe no one anything,' since 'the borrower is servant of the lender.' (Prov 22:7). so if you can pay your debts do so today (Prov 3:27,28). There is no pautang-utang (debt of gratitude) in the Kingdom of God. We are to work to support ourselves, to live within our means, and we are to look after our poor.

2. Charitable Loans

In lending to a poor believer we lend without interest (Lev 25:36). Since 'they who are kind to the poor, lend to the Lord' (Prov 19:17). Indeed Jesus takes the principle of giving generously even further in Luke 6:34,35. We should lend, expecting nothing in return, being unconcerned with the fact that it cannot be repaid.

Good will come to those who lends freely, conducting his affairs with justice (Psa 112:5). There is no 5:6 in the Kingdom of God. If a poor person is so poor that the only collateral they have is their coat, return it to them that day (Lev 25:26; Deut 24:10-14).

Since the poor get poorer and eventually become slaves, the Lord commanded periodic canceling of debts and release of those who had been enslaved (Lev 25:10).

Don't make loans to strangers (Prov 6:1-5; 11-15; 20:16; 27:13) and don't countersign a note unless you have extra cash (Prov 22:26,27).

3. Commercial Loans

Notice that all the above instructions are in the context of lending to help people get out of 'personal poverty.' It appears that at the time of the Exodus and on into the Monarchy borrowing capital for business was not highly practiced.

In modern society, commercial loans are considered as a way of giving money to a person to manage for a fixed length of time. This person through business of investment is to make money-enough for himself and enough to repay the back capital plus interest.

Do not borrow on depreciating asset (i.e. on things that will decrease in value) since the loan will not increase your money and you will be unable to pay it back (e.g., Do not borrow money to buy a motorcycle for personal use since it decreases in value yearly. On the other hand, if you borrow to buy land or a motorcycle to extend your business contacts you will make money, since land always increases in value and business contacts bring more income). If this advice is followed Rom 13:8 will be fulfilled 'Owe no one anything.'

O Peter don't you call me, cause I can't go,
I owe my soul to the company store.

4. Partnerships

II Cor. 6:14 tells us not to be mismated to unbelievers in marriage. This applies to business also. In a partnership, all partners take responsibility for management decisions. If your partner is not a Christian, you cannot be sure of their honesty, and certainly they will not be seeking as their primary objective to extend the Kingdom of God, through their business dealings. This does not mean we do not work under or employ non-Christians or relate to them. The issue here is one of responsibility for decisions

8. The Jubilee and its Implication for Economic Theories

II Cor 8:9 tells us of Jesus economic mission. Grace somehow comes from this incarnation. And that grace creates life. When the church is planted somehow it creates life and that life is economic. II Corinthians 8:3 They gave first of themselves. Explosive power of word. That word is power, the power of the spirit against the economic power of the world.

1. Ownership

The principle of Jubilee is clearly based on the premise that the land belongs to the Lord, and we are stewards of that land. That stewardship is to be exercised on behalf of all.

2. Production

Gospel creates a new productive system as new communities emerge. I came to this as I was thinking about why the slums generate their own economic systems. A continual influx of people creates new wealth, new markets. So in a growing church there is an increasing amount of resources set free for the Kingdom.

Fundamental principal of production in the Kingdom is that of giving. II Corinthians 8:2,15 The world's system is one of getting. Biblical Economics starts in the cross as it cuts our basic instinct to acquire.

Out of the giving, comes mustard seed production. When I arrived in the States I had US$400 in hand. With this we generated 30 workers living and working among the poor over five years.

3. Distribution

God didn't intend exact equality but he did intend justice and levels that feel equal and free and creative.

There is no teaching on tithing in the New Testament. But there is teaching here on sacrificial giving. A good starting point is tithing. We can move money to the poor as we have workers among the poor.

4. Jubilee, Justice and Peacemaking^[5]

We will seek to uplift the economy of the poor by working where possible to get the skills to produce, the means of production and control of production into the hands of the laboring poor. This involves assisting those in the richer nations or classes in transferral of technology, tools of production, and initiating capital to the poor. We will encourage the development of cooperatives , home-based industries, and vocational training. Our intended model is development from within communities based on existing and developing values, skills and motivations of the poor, rather than large-scale externally imposed projects.

We recognize that the freedoms of democratic capitalism have enabled the most significant uplift of the poor in history because of its rewards for productivity through profits. Free market economies also are more compatible with Biblically-based concepts of the freedom of the individual than other state-controlled economies. But we seek to develop, modify and bring justice into existing systems by our renunciation of anti-biblical presuppositions inherent in capitalism of values of greed, excessive profit, usurious interest, the exploitation and dehumanization of man as a machine, and the exhausting of irreplaceable natural resources.

We renounce the centralization of power in elites as being contrary to Biblical principle, either power of an economic Capitalist elite or of a political socialist elite. We work rather for cooperative patterns of development with power diffused as much as possible to local community leadership, recognizing that the multiplication of small grass-roots economic, political and spiritual organizations aids in the diffusion of power, uplift of the poor and protection of freedoms within a nation.

We seek to bring biblical values of justice and equity also into the international arena of the usurious international banking and trade systems.

REFERENCES

Darragh, Neil.
2000 At Home in the Earth. Auckland: Accent.

Eller, Vernard
1973 The Simple Life. Hodder

Hengel, Martin
1974 Property and Riches in the Early Church. SCM Press.

Perkins, Harvey L..
Bible Study on 'The Poor and Oppressed; the focus of Christian participation in human development. Colleagues in Development' Bible Study Series Singapore Christian Conference of Asia.

Sider, Ronald J.
1977 Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Inter-Varsity Press. A masterly analysis. Very biblical and comprehensive.

Snyder, Howard
1985 A Kingdom Manifesto. IVP. An excellent summary integration of the theological debates on the Jubilee.

The Other Side
Nov-Dec 1974, Mar-Apr 1976, Jan-Feb 1976. Box 158, Savannah, Ohio 44874. A variety of thought-provoking articles. A good introduction to Kingdom economics.

FOOTNOTES

^[3]Darragh, Neil. At Home in the Earth. Auckland: Accent, 2000.

^[4]King, John L.
1991 Chaos in America, America West Distributors, P.O. Box 2208, Carson City, NV 89702.