JAMAICA’S JUBILEE: 1962 – 2012
PREPARING THE NATION FOR JUBILEE
By Jamaica Jubilee Commission
PREPARED FOR THE INTERCESSORS & THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMUNITY OF JAMAICA
Jamaica has entered a Jubilee season as we celebrate our 50th year of independence in 2012. Jubilee is a special season whose significance has spiritual, social and political implications.
The Jubilee year was launched with a blast from a ram’s horn … on the Day of Atonement, signifying a call to celebration, liberation, and the beginning of a year for “doing justice” and “loving mercy” . [ Day of Atonement: - This was by far the most important day in the Hebrew calendar. It was the day on which reconciliation with God was made for the entire nation. After the ordinary morning sacrifice was presented ( Exodus 28:38-42 ), a special offering was made, consisting of one young bullock, seven lambs, one ram, one kid of the goats, accompanied by meat offerings of flour mingled with oil ( Numbers 29:7-11 )].
“The fiftieth year was a special year in which to proclaim liberty throughout all the land” (Leviticus 25:10). Individuals who had sold themselves as slaves or indentured servants, because of indebtedness, were released from their debts and set free.
If a family’s land had been taken away because of indebtedness, this land was returned to the original owners in the Jubilee year. God apparently established the Jubilee year to prevent the Israelites from oppressing and cheating one another (Leviticus 25:17).
This law prevented a permanent system of classes from developing; it gave everyone the opportunity to start over, economically and socially. The Jubilee year reminds us of God’s concern for human liberty. God wants people to be free (Luke 4:18, 19). Calling into question any social practice that leads to permanent bondage and loss of economic opportunity, it also stands as a witness to God’s desire for justice and truth” (The New Open Bible, p.151) .
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