CONTENTS This forms a most interesting chapter, even in its moral sense, but much more so in its spiritual. And as an enlightened eye will he enabled to discern in it, that Moses spake of CHRIST, the attention ought to be the more awakened. Here is GOD'S appointment of every seventh year to be a ye... [ Continue Reading ]
Was not this precept intended to teach the LORD'S people to look back and consider how, in the garden of Eden, there would have been a perpetual rest to the land, and a constant Sabbath to the LORD, but for the transgression? And was it not also intended, to teach the LORD'S people to look forward t... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD here asserted his right and property, as the LORD of the whole earth: not unsimilar to the proprietors of earthly manors, who allow such and such seasons for breaking up the ground. But there is a sweeter sense to be given to this precept in a spiritual point of view. The six years of labour pre... [ Continue Reading ]
What a strong leading feature is here given of man's dependence upon GOD. And what a precious comment doth JESUS himself give of it. Matthew 4:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Was not the extensiveness of this mercy, in reaching to all ranks and orders of the people, intended to shadow forth the extensiveness of that mercy which JESUS by his glorious redemption hath accomplished. See what the LORD hath said of it himself. Revelation 3:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
In this calculation it should seem that the year of jubilee was the nine and fortieth year; and that then the trumpet was sounded. But what a joy must it have been to every poor bond-servant, and especially to him that was under a rigorous master. I have no doubt in my own mind, but that there was a... [ Continue Reading ]
The return of every man to his own possession and to his own family, beside the mercy of the thing itself; certainly, had this very important point in view; namely, to preserve in proper distinction the rights and connections of families. It is by this, in a very eminent degree, that we are enabled... [ Continue Reading ]
Reader, do not overlook in these verses how gracious the LORD is. Rather than GOD'S people shall be losers by their dependence upon him, he will even work a miracle to supply them; for causing the sixth year to be doubly and trebly prolific, this was little less than a standing miracle. See that swe... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a most proper idea ever to be kept in view, The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof. Man is but a pilgrim and a traveler through it. Psalms 39:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
All these precepts refer to one and the same thing. But their spiritual import is peculiarly striking. A brother so poor as not to be able to redeem his right, is a lively type of our poor nature. And a kinsman so rich, and the nearest that could be found, in whom the right of redemption lay, beauti... [ Continue Reading ]
The doctrine of free grace, and of full redemption by JESUS, became so important to be shadowed forth, and kept in view through the whole of the law, that the HOLY GHOST was pleased to repeat the same precepts again and again, only with a little variation, as suited to different circumstances: and t... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS WHAT motives of thanksgiving and praise pour in upon my soul from every quarter, in the perusal of this chapter, while I consider and compare my privileges and my happiness to those of the LORD'S people of old. They had, it is true, their seventh year of Sabbaths to remind them of the S... [ Continue Reading ]