Some of our fundamentalists are claiming the end of the world will arrive in 2017 with references to the Jubilee. I thought this thread might clear that up. Excerpt: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/513212/jewish/When-is-the-next-Jubilee-year.htm According to biblical law, the Jubilee is only observed when all twelve tribes of the Jewish nation are living in Israel, as is derived from the verse,1 And you shall sanctify the fiftieth year, and proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live on it, which implies that the Jubilee is only sanctified when all who live on itmeaning, all who are meant to be living thereare in the Land of Israel. Furthermore, the Jubilee is only observed when every tribe is living in the specific part of the land which was it was allotted when the Land of Israel was divided. However, some are of the opinion that the Jubilee is observed as long as there is a partial representation of each tribe, even if most of the tribe is not in Israel. In the 6th century BCE, the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel and sent the majority of its population into exile. Those who were deported are historically known as the Ten Lost Tribes. We are certain that before that point in time the Jubilee was regularly observed. We also know that, with the destruction of the Second Temple and the disbandment of the Sanhedrin (supreme rabbinical court), we ceased to mark the Jubilee year in any form. The periods about which there is a question are the remaining years between the exile of the Ten Tribes and the destruction of the First Temple, and the Second Temple Era.
Jubilee was primarily an economic reset mechanism that gave everyone a fresh start. It was never intended to benefit anyone outside of the tribe.
Really? Like debts are forgiven? Then why is it no longer celebrated and why the reference to all 12 tribes must return to Israel before the Jubilee? I am more confused than ever.
Thank you.. So it apparently has nothing to do with the end times. Maybe that's some Christian fundamentalist addition. "The biblical requirement is that the Jubilee year was to be treated like a Sabbatical year, with the land lying fallow, but also required the compulsory return of all property to its original owners or their heirs, except the houses of laymen within walled cities, in addition to the manumission of all Israelite indentured servants."
I honestly hope this isn't your way of doing research. It's terrible. The Jubilee deals with the 70 weeks of Daniel. Perhaps you should research that? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophecy_of_Seventy_Weeks
Not according to the Jews.. The Book of Daniel is set in the late 7th and 6th centuries BCE, the period of the Babylonian exile; the majority of scholars do not take this at face value and see it as a product of the 2nd century BCE. Apocalyptic authors of the Hellenistic age reinterpreted the prophets (in this case, Jeremiah) in the light of their own circumstances, so that the 70 years predicted by Jeremiah was taken to mean seventy weeks of years, or 490 years. I don't put much stock in Dan'el.
Right... Except everything you said is false. Do more research. It won't hurt you to examine the 70 weeks of Daniel.
It seems to indicate that they'll celebrate every 50 years and declare freedom for whoever is there. Doesn't appear to make any mention of tribes or requirements at all.
John writes: “five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” The five Roman Emperors were Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius who each fell before Nero. The sixth Emperor was Nero. John writes, “one is.” Nero was alive when John wrote the prophecy. But, Nero died or committed suicide in 68 AD. The seventh is Galba who reigned only seven months. “He must continue a short space.” As I understand it Tiberius, Claudius and Caligula did not persecute the early Christians. The tribulation seems to mean the three-and-a-half year persecution of the church (AD 64 to 67) and the three-and-a-half year siege of Jerusalem (AD 67 to 70) The four beasts are Babylon, Mede-Persia, Greece and Rome .. with Rome being the most powerful.. Its a bit of a muddle whether your viewpoint is historicity or preterism. I think the book of Daniel was written very early and then added to in the second century BC or even a bit later... but I know very little about the dating of Hebrew or Aramaic. “But after you (Nebuchadnezzar) shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others…” (Daniel 2:39-40 NKJV) “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.” (Daniel 7:5-7 NKJV)
Perhaps Chabad has a different perspective?? Furthermore, the Jubilee is only observed when every tribe is living in the specific part of the land which was it was allotted when the Land of Israel was divided. However, some are of the opinion that the Jubilee is observed as long as there is a partial representation of each tribe, even if most of the tribe is not in Israel.