The acceptable year of the Lord, that is said 3 times in scripture. In Isaiah 61, Luke 4 (which is a rereading of Isaiah 61), and D&C 93. To understand what this phrase means and why it should be proclaimed we need to understand a bit about Biblical Hebrew living.
We all understand the importance of the Sabbath Day as taught repeatedly in scripture. Exodus 20:8, Exodus 31:15, and Exodus 35:2. Numbers 15:32-35, Numbers 28:9-10, and Deuteronomy 5:12. Jeremiah 17:21, Mosiah 13:16, Mosiah 18:23, and D&C 68:29. Also loads of other references less directly stating it. But are you aware that Israel was supposed to be following a 7-year cycle as well?
7 year Cycle
Leviticus 25: 3-4 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof. But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
Can’t blame you for not knowing if you didn’t, the Israelites didn’t follow this well and it is one of the reasons they are taken into Babylon. It is no coincidence the land got 70 years to rest during that exile, but that is another topic. What’s important is knowing the Sabbath yearly cycle was supposed to be observed. This 7-set cycle is taken to the next level as well.
Thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years. And the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine year. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. It shall be a jubilee unto you. Ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you. Leviticus 25: 8,10 and part of 11
So the 7th day of every week (technically the 7th month of every year too but I didn’t bring that one up), every 7th year, and the year after 7th sets of 7-year cycles. That was how celebrations were supposed to be in Israel, but they were not doing that. This brings us to Isaiah’s time.
Isaiah 61
As you know Isaiah is just (relatively) before the Babylonian exile. His book is divided in to 2 sub books, the book of condemnation and the book of consolation. Chapter 61 is well with in the consolation section and so it makes sense what is being said is consolatory. After chapters of letting them know that they are going to get got by Babylon, they are told that when it is done God will proclaim an acceptable year of the Lord. And Isaiah goes and describes a year of jubilee. The land will be returned, debts forgiven, the wounds of the people healed, the captives set free, and atonement made.
The difference being it is not directly in a year of jubilee as the 49 plus 1 schedule has not been held to the way it should have been. In short God in his infinite goodness will reach into their lives and set a year of jubilee when they don’t deserve one. We see this happen is Ezra and Nehemiah. The land was returned to the Jews, debts incurred to foreign lands forgiven, the wounds of the people healed. The captives of Babylon set free, and atonement in the temple was once again made. But that is not the end thereof.
Luke 4
We know that Isaiah and more precisely the Lord through him never waists a word. Why give multiple prophecies when one prophecy can stand for multiple fulfilments? And that brings us to Luke Chapter 4. After 400 years of spiritual silence the heavens are reopened, and a new Year of Jubilee is declared by the Lord. The Messiah has come! And in that day that scripture was fulfilled in the ears of those who heard Jesus. God once again, in His infinite love and wisdom reached into a world that did not deserve it and proclaimed His acceptable year.
The land, though now the battle ground of the hearts of men, was returned to the Lord of life who rightfully owns it, debts forgiven though less of money and more of spiritual, the wounds of the people healed, the captives of the ideology of the Pharisees were set free, and Atonement infinite was made. But that is not the end thereof.
D&C 93
Decades turn to centuries and once again the world fell into spiritual exile. And then in mid-1800’s the Lord reached into the world and a new Acceptable year of the Lord was declared. The windows of heaven were once again opened, and jubilee spread among those who love the Lord. Once again in restoration the land was returned, debts of sin forgiven, the wounds of the people healed. The captives of set free, and the Infinite Atonement made once again fully accessible through priesthood power. But that is not the end thereof.
Days to Come
In the last days the Lord will come again and will at last set a permanent acceptable year of the Lord. Then will the land will be returned to the people of the Lord Psalm 37:11, Matthew 5:5, 3rd Nephi 12:5, D&C 88:17. Debts forgiven 1 Samuel 2:8, 2 Corinthians 8:9, 3rd Nephi 15:1, D&C 104:16. Wounds of the people healed Malachi 3:3, 1st Corinthians 15:42, Mosiah 16:10, D&C 76:69. The captives set free Moses 5:9, Psalm 49:15, Mosiah 27:25-26, D&C 93:38. and Final Atonement bring man back with God Job 19:25-26, 1 John 3:2, Mormon 9:13, D&C 88:68
What does it mean to proclaim the Acceptable year of the Lord? It means to proclaim beyond contestation that God Almighty has saved His people, He has come, He Lived, He Died, He rose again, He acts on our behalf now, and He will come again. God the Father Reigns supreme and with Christ by His side has reached, is reaching, and will reach into the world and declare Jubilee when it would not otherwise be and make the year Acceptable unto Him.
So proclaim the Acceptable year of the Lord because it is now, it once was, and will be.
As always I’m praying for thee, please pray for me.
I had always wondered about the year of jubilee. That was a solid explanation and cool thoughts about it’s symbolic nature. I dig it