Summary statement: On behalf of the poor, release the oppressed by doing justice---Sabbath year justice, Jubilee justice.
These are principles that can and should be lived out daily, not just every seven years, by individuals and churches; nations will also benefit if they also release their oppressed and implement kingdom of God justice. See Oxfam and their new book, Even It Up, for how to do a modern application of these ideas.
God promises blessings upon those who implement Sabbath Year justice; God promises judgment upon those disobey these biblical principles.
Positive Biblical Examples:
1. Individuals: Zacchaeus, Luke 19; from oppression to justice, repentance and restitution.
2. Churches: Jerusalem church, Acts 4:32-35; rich sold surplus houses and lands; result: no poor/needy in the church, a socioeconomic miracle; in my opinion, the greatest miracle in the book of Acts.
3. Nations: Judah/Jerusalem, Nehemiah 5; the rich were oppressing the poor, the rich repented, released the opppressed by canceling debts and restoring land.
Negative Biblical Examples:
1. Individuals: The rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16; ignored the poor, no repentance so the final judgment was hell.
2. Church/Temple: Luke 19, John 2, Jeremiah 7 and Luke 11; the holy Temple became a den of robbers; God using the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. Why? Because the religious leaders were neglecting justice and the love of God.
3. Nations: Isaiah 1, 58:1-5, and Amos 5; a spirituality without justice; result: the Babylonian exile.
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