Seventh Year Sabbath

THE YEAR OF RELEASE

Leviticus 25:2-4, “. . . then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto Yahweh. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof: But in the seventh year it shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for Yahweh: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.”

"Continuing and expanding our understanding further, there is still much more to the Fourth Commandment as it extends far beyond its weekly or annual significance. It offers us liberty when understood and obeyed properly as it does, in fact, have real world significance.

The Sabbath of years, a multiple annual cycle of time, reveals yet an even deeper understanding of Yahweh’s perfect system of time. In its simplicity, it is patterned after the weekly and annual cycles.

Just as Yahweh established the seven day cycle we know and identify as the week, with the seventh in that cycle designated for rest, so it is with the Sabbath of years.

The weekly Sabbath simply reflects what takes place in other cycles of time. Remember, a blessing was placed in the Sabbath command. There’s something special about Sabbath that prepares His people to be given even greater gifts, and even greater blessings.

Keeping the Sabbath, including its all encompassing system of time, is a formal acknowledgement and acceptance of Yahweh’s Covenant. It’s a physical recognition of our part of the contract by which we choose to abide. He says, “I will be your Elohim, you will be My people.” Meaning Yahweh will give us direction and we will be His instruments for the fulfillment of His plan. “. . . Keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath . . .for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever. . .” Exodus 31:16-17

Just as we are commanded to work six days and rest the seventh, so it is with the land. The land was also commanded to be given rest. Every seventh year, according to His appointed time, is to be a complete year of rest. All debts are to be canceled and the land is to lie fallow. His people, those who followed His Law knew and prepared properly, putting up stores to provide for themselves and their family for the year(s) in which the land should rest and they could not plant. This seventh year was called the year of release!

Once again, the seventh year is called the “Year of Release”. Debts are canceled, crops are not planted. Take a break! Have a great vacation. Take a whole year off! Spend time with your family and loved ones, enjoying what has been created and designed for you.

The only reason you can’t do this today is because you are following other systems of time. These systems, as a function of their design, are meant to keep you in bondage. There are no blessings in lies, only in the truth. You can’t expect the blessings of the Sabbath if you are not obeying the Sabbath. It just doesn’t work that way!

The word Sabbatical originates from the root word, Sabbath meaning a period of rest that recurs in regular cycles such as a Sabbatical year or leave.

If you still consider yourself a Scripturally based “Christian” then consider an honest answer to this question:

Q. If you are over the age of seven, when was the last time you celebrated the year of release when all debts were cancelled?

The Fourth Commandment tells us to “Remember the Sabbath.” It’s the only commandment that starts with the word remember and the only one that deals with time. Could it really be that important to remember? You be the judge. . .

Leviticus 26: 27-35, “And if ye will not for all this hearken unto Me, but walk contrary unto Me; then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. (famines will be great) And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols, (your sun gods, pagan gods, statues and images) and My soul shall abhor you. And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors. (He will not accept our sacrifices) And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. THEN SHALL THE LAND ENJOY HER SABBATHS, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her Sabbaths. As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your Sabbaths, (your selected times of worship and rest) When ye dwelt upon it.”

Strong words! . . . either obey or get evicted.

Another record of blessings or curses based on obedience or disobedience is found in Deuteronomy 28. Read the whole chapter. Verses 1-14 tells you of the blessings. Verse 15 to the end tells of the curses. When you read it, consider our society today and see which portion you feel we align with.

Time is not in our control or Satan’s. The sun, the moon, the stars all function whether we are here or not. Although Yahweh is longsuffering for our sake, the consequences of our continued disobedience has a cumulative effect, definitely not to our advantage.

“The love of money is the root of all evil” I Tim 6:10

Do the Churches love to collect money? Don’t they call for it over and over again? Yet, do they ever teach about the year of release, the year in which all debts are cancelled? If not, then why not?

The Scriptures tell us to not charge usury (interest) or take usury; and to let no one, other than a brother rule over us.

How many churches have mortgages and bank accounts? They call themselves “Christian?” It is totally unscriptural to participate in interest as it is always tied to some form of bondage. What part of scripture don’t they understand?

If no interest were charged on your mortgage you could pay it off in five to seven years rather than twenty five or thirty. What could you do with that extra money instead of giving it to the banks? Maybe
buy a boat, a new car, a second home or provide your children a true education? The fact remains, you wouldn’t have to work as hard and you could spend more time with your family enjoying the freedom you were given.

If you followed these principles you could easily enjoy a Sabbatical year, a whole year off in the seventh year, the year of release, “the Sabbath of years.” The Scriptural system of law and time is sound, and solid as a Rock. It is the ROCK of a solid foundation upon which your faith and actions should be built. On what have you placed your foundation?

A basic teaching of Scripture is that “to whom much is given, much is required.” Churches were given responsibility to care for and teach the people properly so that they would prosper as a society. As they prospered under His guidance and Laws, Yahweh would get the glory. Unfortunately, that’s not what has happened. Their misdirected, pious, self centered, self serving attitudes have brought society to the brink of disaster. The truth as well as The Law Giver Himself are discredited by them before the universe. Malachi 3:9 tells us, “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation.”

The ignorant clergy claim that this text speaks to the issue of money and not giving to the Church as they regard tithes but IT DOES NOT as the following verse tells us to “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, so that there may be FOOD in Mine house…” This is a clear reference to the preparation necessary to honor the year of release, which robs Yahweh of His glory by keeping we, His people in bondage by not cancelling debts as He commands.

YEAR OF RELEASE

Land rests

Seven year Sabbath

Debts Canceled!"

~Christianity Unmasqued, Chapter 7: An Open Door, excerpts

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