Topical Bible: Year: Land to Rest for One, in Seven

◄ Year: Land to Rest for One, in Seven ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of allowing the land to rest every seventh year is rooted in the biblical principle of the Sabbath, extending beyond the weekly day of rest to a sabbatical year for the land. This practice is primarily outlined in the Old Testament, specifically in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. It reflects a divine ordinance that emphasizes trust in God's provision, stewardship of creation, and social justice.

Biblical Foundation

The commandment for the land to rest is first introduced in Exodus 23:10-11: "For six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce, but in the seventh year you must let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people may eat; and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove." This passage highlights the dual purpose of the sabbatical year: ecological sustainability and provision for the needy.

Leviticus 25:1-7 provides further details on this practice: "The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 'Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the LORD. For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyard and gather its crops. But in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land—a Sabbath to the LORD. You are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard. You are not to reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of complete rest. Whatever the land yields during the Sabbath year shall be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, the hired hand or foreigner who stays with you, and for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. All its growth may serve as food.'"

Theological Significance

The sabbatical year underscores the belief that the land ultimately belongs to God, and humans are merely stewards of His creation. By ceasing agricultural activities every seventh year, the Israelites were reminded of their dependence on God's provision. This practice was an act of faith, trusting that God would provide enough in the sixth year to sustain them through the seventh (Leviticus 25:20-22).

Moreover, the sabbatical year served as a social equalizer. It provided for the poor and the stranger, ensuring that everyone had access to the land's produce. This reflects the broader biblical theme of justice and care for the marginalized.

Historical Observance

While the biblical texts provide clear instructions for the sabbatical year, historical adherence to this commandment varied. The prophets, such as Jeremiah and Nehemiah, rebuked the Israelites for neglecting this practice, linking their disobedience to the land's desolation and the Babylonian exile (2 Chronicles 36:20-21). This suggests that the sabbatical year was not consistently observed, leading to divine judgment.

Contemporary Relevance

In modern times, the principle of allowing the land to rest has found resonance in sustainable agricultural practices. Crop rotation, fallowing, and organic farming echo the ancient wisdom of the sabbatical year, promoting soil health and ecological balance. For believers, the sabbatical year remains a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty, the call to stewardship, and the importance of social justice.

Nave's Topical Index

Leviticus 25:5
That which grows of its own accord of your harvest you shall not reap, neither gather the grapes of your vine undressed: for it is a year of rest to the land.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Several Laws.
... as he had prescribed to them to rest from working ... This year also restores the land
to its former possessors ... name denotes liberty, he that sold the land, and he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 12 several laws.htm

How after the Death of Cambyses and the Slaughter of the Magi but ...
... also a determinate sum of money every year for their ... also to God that he restored
the land of their ... The rest of the Jewish multitude also besides accompanied ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how after the.htm

The Sacred Officers and Sacred Occasions.
... 4. The Sabbatical Year. The land of Israel should rest every seven years as the
people rested every seven days. No seeds must be sown or vineyards pruned. ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter iii the sacred officers.htm

The Consecration of Joy
... How firm the confidence of entering the land must have ... which He speaks beforehand
concerning that rest and the ... There were mourners in Israel each year, as the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the consecration of joy.htm

Concerning the Flood; and after what Manner Noah was Saved in an ...
... and twenty only,[12] he turned the dry land into sea ... wants there, but also sent in
with the rest all sorts of ... when he was in his hundred and sixty-fifth year. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 concerning the flood.htm

When a Man Sows, He Expects to Reap.
... In the early years of Israel's existence as a separate people, God commanded
them to give the land of Canaan rest every seventh year. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/sowing and reaping/chapter iii when a man.htm

Hymns of Hope and Consolation.
... It was Keble's "Christian Year" and his "Assize Sermon" that ... returns to transport
the soul from the land of emotional whirlwinds to unbroken rest. ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter xiv hymns of hope.htm

Leviticus
... Of kindred theme to this chapter is ch. xxv."the sacred years"(a) the sabbatical
year: the land, like the man, must enjoy a Sabbath rest, vv.1-7; (b ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/leviticus.htm

The Birth of Saint George.
... were thin and haggard from want of food and rest. ... From place to place he wandered,
year after year, till his ... fate, in being thus left alone in a foreign land. ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter one the birth of.htm

Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be ...
... the best help to the keeping of all the rest. ... the creation of the world, wherein
the land was possessed ... the children of Israel, was a sabbatical year, and the ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/ten reasons demonstrating the commandment.htm