² We will examine a better jubilee, even better than the year-long festival that was proclaimed every 50 years in ancient Israel. That ancient Jubilee brought liberty to the people who observed it. Why is that of interest to us today? Because Israel’s Jubilee year reminds us of a wonderful provision for lasting liberty that Jehovah is making even now, liberty that Jesus spoke about.​—Read Luke 4:16-18.

3. As outlined at Leviticus 25:8-12, how did the Israelites benefit from the Jubilee?

³ We can better understand what Jesus meant when he spoke of liberty by first considering the Jubilee that God arranged for his ancient people. Jehovah told the Israelites: “You must sanctify the 50th year and proclaim liberty in the land to all its inhabitants. It will become a Jubilee for you, and each of you will return to his property and each of you should return to his family.” (Read Leviticus 25:8-12.) In the preceding article, we considered how the Israelites benefited from the weekly Sabbath. How, though, did the Israelites benefit from the Jubilee? Well, suppose an Israelite had fallen into debt and, as a result, had been forced to sell his land to pay off the debt. During the Jubilee year, that land was to be returned to him. Therefore, the man could “return to his property,” and the future inheritance of his children would not be lost. In another case, a man who fell on hard times might have had to sell one of his children​—or even himself—​into slavery in order to pay a debt. During the Jubilee year, the slave was to “return to his family.” So no one would become a slave permanently with no hope! How thoughtful of Jehovah!

4-5. Why should the ancient Jubilee interest us today?

⁴ What was another benefit of the Jubilee? Jehovah explained: “No one among you should become poor, for Jehovah will surely bless you in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance.” (Deut. 15:4) What a contrast to what is happening in the world today, where the rich often get richer and the poor, poorer!