In verses 1-7, the Lord commands his people to give the land a Sabbath rest every seven years. This allows the land to restore its nutrients. Spiritually, by denying themselves from a harvest during the Sabbath year, it taught his people several things. Firstly, the Promised Land belonged to the Lord. Secondly, it taught them to rely on his providence. During the Sabbath year, they were to eat the wild, untended produce of the land. Thirdly, they were to be good stewards of the land, caring for its cultivation so that it would remain fertile.

In verses 8-22, God teaches them that the fiftieth year is the Jubilee. The Lord commanded them not to plant or sow, but to enjoy the fruits of the land provided from his hand. It was a holy time to rejoice, thank God, and enjoy his freedom in the land. This law also stipulated that in the year of Jubilee, the land must return to its ancestral owners. The price of land that was sold was required to correspond to the number of years until the next Jubilee. This guarded people against greed. God ordered them to not take advantage of each other but to fear Him. If they obeyed him and kept the Sabbath rest for the land, God promised an overflowing harvest the sixth year that would last them for three years. It was a test of faith to trust in him for all things and to live holy lives by faith.
Application: Father, help me to rest on the Sabbath and trust in you to live a holy life by faith.
One Word: Keep the Sabbath holy and trust in God