This is a study that Dave Bigler gave at Adirondack Christian Fellowship. For more on ACF visit https://acfsaratoga.org

In Matthew 13, the Parable of the Sower (or the Soils) is used to illustrate how the gospel is received by different people based on the condition of their hearts. The "seed" represents the word of God or the message of the kingdom. The "sower" is ultimately the Holy Spirit, though God often uses people to spread the word. This teaching breaks down four specific soil types: the hard path where the word is snatched away by the enemy, the rocky ground where faith lacks depth and withers under trial, the thorny soil where worldly worries and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out spiritual growth, and the good soil where the word is understood and produces an abundant crop.

In this teaching Dave Bigler emphasizes that believers may find themselves transitioning between these soil types depending on their season of life. A central theme is the importance of maintaining "good soil" by trusting God as the ultimate gardener rather than relying on one's own efforts. This involves resisting the "weeds" of busyness and material security, which can lead to a lack of spiritual maturity. The lesson concludes with an encouragement to enter into God’s rest and allow the Holy Spirit to transform the heart from the inside out, ensuring that the word remains fruitful rather than being choked out by life's distractions.

In this final video of our study of Leviticus, we cover both Leviticus 26 and 27. Chapter 26 is a warning from the Lord of the consequences if they follow his decrees and if they do not. If they DO follow his law, God promises blessings, but IF THEY DO NOT, he promises punishment (or better known as chastisement). We look at these warnings as well as examples of where we see both play out in the Old Testament history of Israel. We also cover Leviticus 27, in which we study the dedication and redemption value of items devoted to the Lord.

In this Bible Study, we dig into Leviticus 25, looking at both the Sabbath year for the Land as well as the Year of Jubilee. The Israelites were instructed, after entering into the promised land, to give the land a sabbath rest every 7 years. Additionally, they were instructed that every 50 years was to be a year of Jubilee in which all land ownership went back to the original owners, all debts were cleared and all slaves were freed. What was the purpose for both the sabbath land rest as well as the year of Jubilee? What are our takeaways for today? All this and more we discuss in this teaching.

Outline:

01:54 Leviticus 25.1-7 - The Sabbath Year for the Land.Every 7th year, the land was to receive a Sabbath rest. So for 6 years you may Sow (plant) your fields, prune (maintain) your vineyards - your plants; and gather/reap/harvest - to gather to take to market to sell or save for future use. Then on the seventh year they were instructed not to: sow, prune or reap/harvest. Don’t verses 5 & 6 contradict each other? No, V5 is speaking of “working” the land, to either reap/harvest - to sell or store up. V6-7, makes it clear that you can gather what you can eat - but not for profit or storage. You must trust the Lord. For an entire year, you must trust in the Lord’s provision. Did Israel do this? - No, we will talk about that more later in our study.

10:01 - The year of Jubilee. Every 50th year (7x7 - 49 years), on the day of Atonement (10th day of the 7th month) at the sound the trumpet (shofar) the year of Jubilee started. Proclaim liberty, for all the inhabitants. At the year of Jubilee, everyone returns to their ancestral family property and family, and all land sales go back to the original owners (land ownership is a lease). If you purchase land, the price of the land (lease) is based on the number of crops you have until the year of jubilee.

15:30 - Leviticus 25.25-34 - Redemption of land. The land belongs to God; the Israelites are only tenants, at any time after a sale, a family member may redeem the sold land at a prorated price.

17:52 - What does “redeem” mean? As it relates to redeeming a person and redeeming land. The simple definition is to buy back at a price, to rescue to pay a ransom for something. What does the Bible say about redemption? Exo 6:6 - God declares that he will “redeem” Israel from the Egyptians. Exo 15.13 - Moses declares that God redeemed his people. Bought back. Jesus is our redeemer, bought us back, with a price (his blood). For more read Eph 1.7, Gal 3.13, and 1 Pet 1.18-19.

22:26 - Leviticus 25. 35-55 - Redemption and Treatment of Impoverished Israelites Who Sell Themselves into Servitude

28:22 - Why did God call for a land sabbath and for the year of Jubilee? To establish the land and the people are Gods - he is the owner. Lev 25.23, “the land is mine, and you reside in my land as foreigners.” To provide rest for the people and the land. - 25.20-22 God declares a massive blessing. To provide economic freedom to the people - no generational poverty or servitude. As a picture fulfilled in Christ - Typology. Jesus provides our ultimate jubilee - we are free from the debt or bondage of sin, we are adopted into our heavenly family, because we have been redeemed.

32:47 - Did they do this? Did Israel keep the land sabbath every 7 years? Did they follow the year of Jubilee every 50 years? What does scripture say? Read Chronicles 36.20–21, Jeremiah 29:10 & 25:11–12 (NIV).

41:09 - Question for discussion: what are you missing out on because you are not trusting the Lord?

43:21 - The Millennium Sabbath Rest for the world theory. https://answersingenesis.org/age-of-the-earth/

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