Year of the Jubilee
James Lee, President
The most unusual observance that God
commanded the Israelites through Moses was to
keep the observance of the year of Jubilee. For
most people, this celebration occurred only once
in their lifetime, and for others, not at all, as it
occurs only once every 50 years.
During this year of Jubilee, all Israelites who
had sold themselves into slavery were set free
and all land that had been sold reverted back to
the original owners. This meant that no Israelite
could ever be in permanent slavery; nor could any
Israelite permanently lose their inheritance.
A voice one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for our Lord!”
-Isaiah 40:3-
2016 STMT Missionaries: Richard Kim & Catherine Song
Richard Kim and Catherine Song have known each other since high school and
have been together for many years. When they went to separate colleges, they
turned away from God. When Catherine returned to Colorado six years ago,
they decided to attend Korean Baptist Church. They began to know God more
and as their relationship with God grew deeper, they grew closer together and
married a year ago.
Through prayer, they felt God calling them to go and serve in Peru, together as
husband and wife, so they can experience His glory to the fullest and serve Him
as He intended for them to do.
In Jewish tradition, the year of Jubilee was a time
of joy and year of Remission. Leviticus 25:10
reads, “Thou shalt sanctify the fiftieth year, and
shalt proclaim remission to all the inhabitants of
thy land: for it is the year of jubilee.”
The English word Jubilee comes from the
Hebrew word Yobel ( ;) ּיֹובֵ לmeaning a trumpet
sound. Ram horn trumpets were blown on the
Day of Atonement to announce the start of the
Year of Jubilee.
According to some scholars, Jubilees began in
1416 BC when the children of Israel entered
Canaan. The first Jubilee was 49 years later in
1367 BC and every 49 years another Jubilee
occurred. Supposedly the 70th Jubilee began on
the Day of Atonement in the fall of 2015 and will
last until the fall of 2016. There will have been 40
Jubilee cycles following Christ’s crucifixion.
How fitting and appropriate it is that the sound
of the trumpet was blown for Hanhee Kim
World mission center during this year of the 70th
Jubilee! God has opened many new doors for us.
BRINGING 150,000 NEEDY CHILDREN TO CHRIST!
After a long period of praying and waiting, the
door to India has finally opened. We are rejoicing
greatly for our God has provided enough funds
through our sponsors to build an orphanage
in India and to start a Children of Jesus India
program.
Our God has also opened the door to start a new
project called “Sons of Moses.”
This project will restore the joy and happiness
among the children of pastors who are struggling
with emptiness in their life and ministry. Also,
we are led by the Holy Spirit to enlarge the tent
of COJ Peru into the regions near the Amazon
River, bordering Columbia and Brazil. There are
many children in need of the gospel and financial
assistance. It will be a great closure to our Peru
ministry as we will reach children in the most
remote northern region.
Also the building of the youth mission training
center in Arequipa is in progress. There,
thousands of young missionaries will be trained
and equipped with the sovereign words of God to
go out to the utmost parts of the world to expand
God’s Kingdom.
For many of us, this will be our last experience
of Yobel ( ) ּיֹובֵ לon this earth for we will have to
wait another fifty years until the next one. But we
are rejoicing greatly today for our amazing and
awesome God has invited us to join Him where
He is working to proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favor and the day of vengeance of our God!
(Isaiah 61)
Very soon one day, we will all hear the last sound
of the trumpet, calling us to come home to
our Father’s glory! And there, over the yonder,
the children from the orphanage in India, river
banks of Amazon; the higher grounds of
Andes, pastors’ children, and young and faithful
missionaries will all gather with us and sing the
most joyous praise to our Redeemer and Savior
for His unimaginable love will last forever and
ever! It will be the true day of Jubilee!
www.coj.org
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