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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 redemption. These are intimately related. There are correspondences between the old creation and the new - the material and the spiritual. The grand effect of redemption will be the constitution of a new creation, in which the mundane system will participate.

I. THE SEVENTH YEAR WAS A "SABBATH OF THE LAND." Then:

1. The soil remained untilled.

(1) In other years it was customary to sow the grain after the Feast of Ingathering, and the vines were pruned in the spring. While we are in this world the greater portion of our time should be occupied in its concerns. This is God's order. The thing in hand should be done with might.

(2) In this year no seed was sown, and there was no dressing of vines. The affairs of this world must not engross all our time and care.

(3) The sentiment of religion must be with us in our earthly business. Religion must limit the time it claims - the intensity with which it is pursued. Thus:

2. The people were taught to trust God.

(1) They lived upon the natural productiveness of the soil. But not without the blessing of God upon it. Natural productiveness without the blessing of God is a poor dependence.

(2) With that blessing, such was the bounty of the sixth year that it carried the nation on to the harvest of the eighth (see verses 21, 22). Thus miraculously was the fruit of three years brought forth in one. This was in perpetuity the miracle of the manna (Exodus 16:22; see also Matthew 4:4).

(3) What reply to this institution can those give who would convict Moses as an impostor? (see Exodus 23:10, 11). No sensible man would have made such a law as this, unless he acted under Divine direction; for the sixth year would have refuted his pretensions. Thus also:

3. The people were taught to hope in God.

(1) Every recurrence of the sabbatic year reminded them of the period before sin entered, in which the earth of its natural strength brought forth plenty.

(2) In it too they anticipated the period when, through the redemption of the gospel, the curse shall be lifted from the earth, and men shall be released from the burden of labour (see Genesis 3:17; Genesis 4:11, 12; Genesis 5:29; also Isaiah 65:17-25; Romans 8:18-23; Revelation 22:3).

II. TURN THE FRUIT OF THE LORD'S LAND WAS FREE.

1. The land is the Lord's.

(1) In this law he asserted his right as Landlord to impose conditions upon his people when he gave them possession of Canaan. All God's gifts carry conditions. This should ever be remembered.

(2) God's laws will regulate the new heavens and earth. They will not then be contravened. Happy will that state be. By loyalty to the laws of God we should now anticipate that state as much as in us lies.

2. This year the tenant shared his benefits with all comers.

(1) What fruit came spontaneously was free to the poor - free to the stranger - free to the cattle - free even to the wild animal. What a lesson of generosity! of public spirit! of kindness to animals! Consider here also the Divine philosophy of rights in property.

(2) Note that the resolution of the primitive Christian Church to have all things in common was not without precedent (see Acts 2:44). Also that in the light of this precedent we may discern their purpose; and learn that when the Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh, of which the baptism of the Pentecost was but an installment, the consummation will be happy.

(3) But how different are the theories of our socialists! Satan is an adept at setting up counterfeits. The idle vagabond has no objection to be the subject of love from others, if he can thereby live on their property. He would eat without working, in contravention of the apostolic rule (see 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12; 2 Thessalonians 3:10). He has no conception of those spiritual blessings in connection with which alone communism is a happy possibility.

(4) The feeding together of the cattle and wild animals points to the universality of the blessings of the gospel (see Isaiah 11:6-9; Isaiah 56:7-9; Hosea 2:18; Acts 10:11, 12). The feeding together of the stranger and poor Hebrew on the holding of the rich sets forth the spirituality of the gospel. These things will be blessedly realized in the sabbaths, viz. of the millennium, and of the heavenly world.

3. There was a release from debts (see Deuteronomy 15:1, 2).

(1) The gospel truly is "the Lord's release."

(2) This release will be perfected in the heavenly state.

III. THE LEISURE OF THIS YEAR WAS RELIGIOUSLY SPENT.

1. The Law was publicly read (see Deuteronomy 31:10, 11).

(1) Our leisure should be largely given to the study of the Word of God.

(2) Leisure should be made for this important duty.

2. If not religiously used, leisure is fruitful in mischief.

(1) The want of a worthy aim is in itself a great mischief. The faculties suffer.

(2) The want of a worthy aim implies the pursuit of that which demoralizes. We are constitutionally active. We cannot sleep away existence.

(3) The curse of labour is a blessing in disguise. All God's curses crop up as blessings somewhere. This must be so, for he is essentially and everlastingly Good. Men who retire from business should give their leisure to Church work. - J.A.M.

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KJV: And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,

WEB: Yahweh said to Moses in Mount Sinai,