The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 435

the Jews. In so doing, they shared in Jewish privileges, and had the advantage of Jewish training. This was compensation for the loss of their freedom. Desides, their considerate treatment was carefully secured by the Law of God. It was right, there- fore, that it should thus be unmistakably exhibited that other nations were only" hewers of wood and drawers of water" to the Lord'■ own people. 'l'hi■ was what slavery r.mong the Jews embodied. III. THE JUBILEE wAS THE TYPE OF GOSPEL TIMES. Our Lord appropriated the prophecy delivered by Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord God ii upon me; because the Lord bath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek ; he bath sent me to bind 11p the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Isa, l.xi. 1, 2; cf. Luke iv. 18, 19). We are living consequently amid the glorious privileges of the Lord's acceptable year. The gospel, as preached to men, is the trumpet blown at the beginning of the jubilee. It is blown over the completed atoning sacrifice of Christ. It proclaims, therefore- L The pardon of sin. Sin constitutes the great debt, and as sin-burdened hearts feel, the pardon of sin is the great release. What a liberty forgiveness brings! 2. Tl,e gospel proclaimsfreedomfrom the power of sin, For if God gave us liberty to sin with impunity, it would be no real blessing. He gives us through Christ and his Spirit freedom from the dominion of sin. He takes away the love of sin, which is the real liberty. 3. The gospel proclaims the sanctity of fam,1y life. Just as in the jubilee broken family circles were restored again, and social enjoyments regained, so the gospel exalts the family as the unit, and sets its highest sanctions round the home. 4. The gospel has wrought steadily towards the liberties of men. For while there was no "servile war" proclaimed in the apostolic time, but seeds of liberty were left to frnctify in the bosom of the race, we know they have sprung into vigorous being, and that it is pre-eminently to the force of gospel truth and principle the battle of freedom and its victory are due. 5. .And the gospel is the charter oJ all wise reform. It might be shown that true progress and the blood.less revolutions of such countries as England and America are due to the force of gospel principles making their hallowed way among men. It is only so far as the will of God is regarded in the politics and policy of na,ions that true progress and needful revolutions shall be secured. IV. THE JUBILEE IB ALSO THE TYPE OF THE EVERLASTING BEBT, "There remalneth," we are told, "a sabbatism to the people of God" (Heh. iv. 9). This jubilee of Cre.ation is to be ushered in by the trump of God (1 Thess. iv. 16). .And regarding the heavenly state, we may in this connection remark- 1. Thai heaven wi7l be an evffl'lasting sa'bbath. If the jubilee was a sabbath extend- ing over a year, heaven is to be a sabbath extending over an eternity. All time, if such an element is recognized in eternity, will prove consecrated there. 2. .AU wrongs shall then be righted. All the burdens and injustices and sorrows which we endure here will give place in the jubilee of heaven to the utmost justice and the most scrupulous rewarcl. 3. The Divine family shall be complete. The scattered children of God shall be restored to their rightful place in the great family circle, and the home-feeling shall be the heritage of all. 4. And everlasting progress ,hall characterize the everlasting rest. For if progress towards perfection is life's most real joy, we can see how heaven itself can afford a field for it. God's infinite nature and boundless operations will not be comprehended in a flash of intuition; but insight will be, let us than.kfull7 believe, the steady growth of ages,-R. M. E. Vers. 1-7, 18-22.-The aabbatic year, At the close of the original week the sabbath of the seventh day was given; that of the seventh year, on the entrance of the Hebrews into Canaan. The former was a memorial of creation; the latter, of redemp- tion. These are intimately related. There are correspondences between the old cr~ation and the new-the material and the spiritual. The grand effect of redemption will be the constitution of a new creation, in whit:h the mundane system will participate. GI. XXV. 1--65.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. (OJ