The New International Version translation is quoted below, except where otherwise indicated.

 

In his last sermon, Moses enjoins keeping the Sabbath remembering being given freedom: "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day." (Deuteronomy 5:15) A day not only for you to rest, but also for you to give rest to all that pertain to you, even work animals!

 

The "passion" our Passover Lamb is, in a very real sense, 'genuine freedom with dignity' for all of God's children. His mission, which he so desired to complete in an exemplary way [and succeeded!] was to free us from sin and suffering! Christ gave himself to "set the stage" for us "to enter upon the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Romans 8:21, REB).

 

The Feast of Trumpets as a "memorial" for those to whom it was given [Leviticus 23:24, KJV] would be a time for them to remember the loud shofar-like sound that accompanied God's fiery descent to Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:19).

 

 

The intent of his opening words seems to be: "I am the sovereign God who frees you from slavery: please listen as I tell you how to truly live in real freedom!" Not for nothing James calls His commandments "the law that gives freedom"! (James 2:12)

 

His ten commandments grant us the 'rights' that form the basis for genuine freedom with dignity for each and for all. They give us the "right" to serve the one true God His way in order to enjoy His favor; the "right" to assemble to worship Him and proclaim His holiness; children the "right" to learn and parents the "right" to teach them all that is good and right and honorable; the "right" to life; the "right" to honorable marriage and stable families; the "right" to private property; the "right" to fairly speak and hear the truth; the "right" for all to live in peace without anyone even so much as dwelling on unfairly taking anything.

 

The unique, defining, singular event that God chose to 'set apart' His chosen people was: BEING FREED! That is what "The Exodus" is all about! Freed from a land of slavery to be led to a lasting inheritance in the land that flows with milk and honey.

 

That 'first coming' in glory -- YHWH coming down to Sinai in fire to promulgate the 'law that gives freedom' easily compares to Christ's second coming in glory to rule.

 

"The law that gives freedom" is the keynote of Messiah's millennial government after He comes. That government is summed up by the repeated phrase (Isaiah 2:3c, Micah 4:2c): "The law will go out from Zion..."! The genuine government of God is not arbitrary tyranny, but rather a government of JUST LAWS that define and protect genuine freedom with dignity for each and for all. The genius of the United States of America is that it was founded by Bible literate men who created a government based on just laws that define and protect freedom.

 

Freedom is the key theme of Paul's arguments as he addresses THE controversy that most threatened the young church [the issue of whether or not new male Gentile believers must be circumcised in their flesh]. God's intentions are revealed in the line of argument Paul provides in the book of Galatians. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Galatians 5:1a).

 

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." (Galatians 5:6b). Love is often considered the grand theme of Scripture. But there is a sense in which genuine freedom is greater than love! You see, without freedom, there cannot be genuine love! Only love freely chosen is genuine love!

 

"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:13-14). The Hebrew title name for the book of Leviticus, which sets out such tenets of holiness as "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18) is, translated into English, "and he called"! And ekklesia, the Greek word translated "church" literally means 'called out ones' -- called to be holy, and to enjoy God's genuine freedom with dignity!

 

God's intention is that we be genuinely free with dignity as He is, freely choosing to exercise our freedom as He exercises His, in love.

 

The motivation of Abraham, father of the faithful, is summed up with the words: "he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10). It is the Holy City. In Scripture the Holy City is first mentioned with the words: "the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother" (Galatians 4:26). The first thing we learn about the Holy City is that she is free!

 

The genuine freedom of God is bound up with His holiness: "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness" (Hebrews 12:10). All trials and all punishments and all of His constructive Teaching (torah) as well -- provided "for our good, that we may share in his holiness". To share in His holiness is to share His freedom with dignity in choosing to live a life of love!

 

Genuine freedom with dignity correlates perfectly with holiness as defined by the precepts of the holiness code in Lev. 19:3 - 26:2; you cannot have one without the other.

 

The most comprehensive command is: "Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy"! (Leviticus 19:2). That is BASIC New Testament teaching as well. Holiness is the opening keynote of Peter's first epistle. "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:15-16).

 

In so many ways, the sabbatical year cycle (Deut 31:9-13 and Leviticus 25), with its laws safeguarding family property, and strictly limiting slavery and debts ... is a grand celebration of the freedom with dignity that God intends for all of His children. In every seventh year, "the year of release", debts must be forgiven and the law that guarantees and regulates freedom with dignity read and expounded to all the people, especially the children, during the feast of tabernacles (Deuteronomy 31:9-13).

 

A reflection of His concerns is that one of the first things the Messiah sees to is: "the survivors of all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:19). The sabbatical years will be observed when He is enthroned as King over all the nations of the earth!

 

In the Hebrew manuscript order, Chronicles is the last book of what we call the Old Testament. Almost its closing thought is a reference to how ancient Israel went wrong, neglecting to keep the sabbatical years given to celebrate and insure the continuance of their freedom; thus: "The land enjoyed its Sabbath rests" (2 Chronicles 36:21) while the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon!

 

The liberty bell inscription "proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants" (Leviticus 25:10) refers to a day of atonement proclamation in the fiftieth year, jubilee, which is the year after the seventh sabbatical year. It celebrates, in an ultimate "once in a lifetime!" way, the Holy One's genuine freedom with dignity, His style of freedom, the real deal! As the commanded proclamation indicates, His freedom with dignity includes an inviolable inheritance of land for every family -- with no property or inheritance taxes!