Observations: Today I’m not writing about any
particular lesson applications. I picked up some interesting observations and I’m
just going to share them. In Leviticus 25 Moses wass giving the law pertaining
to the properties they owned, the fields they harvested and the debts they owed.
Every seven years the debts were cleared, and every seven years they were
commanded not to plant anything and let the land rest a year. They were
supposed to live on the extra that was provided in excess in the previous year.
They were supposed to let the ground produce naturally whatever it produced but
they were not allowed to harvest it. They were supposed to leave it for the
poor and the foreigner. This seven year pattern follows the seven day pattern
of the sabbath day of rest even to the excess that was provided on the 6th
day. I find it interesting how many things we unknowingly follow in our modern
day culture that came from this. For example, bankruptcies follow the seven
year pattern of restoring credit, we are required to save only the last seven
years of files and some companies provide sabbatical leave time which is earned
every seven years of employment.
In Acts 26 I noticed that Paul had to
go through another hearing with King Agrippa because he appealed to Caesar. Festus
had heard his story and acknowledged he hadn’t done anything worthy of death,
but wanted to do the Jews a favor by sending him back to Jerusalem for a trial
that was a ploy to kill him on the way. After King Agrippa heard his case he
too agreed that Paul had done no wrong, and ended the trial by telling him he could
have been set free before reaching him but since he appealed to Caesar the case
had to be heard. Paul was found innocent by every Roman leader who heard his
case, but he was not set free because each of them had a working relationship
with the Jews and wanted to do special favors for them.
