The Sabbatic Year, also known as the Shemitah, is a biblically mandated year of rest for the land observed every seventh year by the Israelites. This year is characterized not only by agricultural rest but also by specific ordinances concerning the instruction in the Law. The primary scriptural basis for these ordinances is found in the Torah, particularly in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

Biblical Foundation

The Sabbatic Year is first introduced in Leviticus 25:1-7, where the LORD commands Moses on Mount Sinai regarding the rest for the land. However, the specific ordinances concerning the instruction in the Law during this year are detailed in Deuteronomy 31:10-13. According to these verses, Moses instructed the Israelites that at the end of every seven years, during the Feast of Tabernacles, the Law was to be read aloud to all the people.

Purpose of the Ordinance

The public reading of the Law during the Sabbatic Year served several purposes:

1. Renewal of Covenant: The reading acted as a renewal of the covenant between God and Israel, reminding the people of their identity and obligations as God's chosen nation.

2. Education and Remembrance: It provided an opportunity for the entire community, including men, women, children, and foreigners residing among them, to hear and learn the Law. As stated in Deuteronomy 31:12 , "Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear the LORD your God and follow carefully all the words of this law."

3. Promotion of Unity: The communal gathering fostered a sense of unity and collective responsibility among the Israelites, reinforcing their shared faith and values.

4. Intergenerational Transmission: The ordinance ensured that even those who had not been present at the original giving of the Law at Sinai would hear it, thus passing down the teachings to future generations. Deuteronomy 31:13 emphasizes this, stating, "Then their children, who do not know the law, will hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."

Implementation and Historical Context

The implementation of this ordinance required the presence of the Ark of the Covenant and the centralization of worship, which was fully realized during the reigns of kings such as Josiah, who reinstituted the public reading of the Law (2 Kings 23:1-3). The practice underscored the importance of the Law in guiding the moral and spiritual life of the nation.

Theological Significance

The Sabbatic Year, with its emphasis on rest and instruction, reflects the broader biblical themes of trust in God's provision and the centrality of His Word. By ceasing agricultural work, the Israelites demonstrated their reliance on God, while the public reading of the Law reinforced the foundational role of Scripture in their lives. This ordinance highlights the importance of regular engagement with God's Word and the communal aspect of faith, principles that continue to resonate in Christian practice today.Deuteronomy 31:10-13
And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,
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Nehemiah 8:18
Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the manner.
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Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
... days, following upon the Passover: the Sabbatic year, completing an interval reckoned
by seven: the year of jubilee ... times of waiting upon the ordinances of that ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter vi covenanting provided for.htm

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