"The trumpet of the jubilee." Leviticus 15:9
My soul, pause over the subject of the jubilee trumpet; for surely much
of gospel was proclaimed by it. It should seem that there were four
distinct and special sounds of the trumpet in the camp of Israel. The
trumpet of memorials, so called, (Levit. xxiii. 24.) was blown on the
occasion of the new moon, calling the people to the joyful assembly,
Psalm lxxxi. 3. There was also the fast trumpet of which the prophet
speaks, Joel ii. 1. Besides these, the war trumpet gave a certain sound
to prepare to battle, 1 Cot. xiv. 8. And this of the jubilee, which
differed from all. And although the jubilee trumpet was never heard but
once in fifty years, yet so sweet and so distinguishing was the sound,
that no poor captive among the servants in the camp of Israel, was at a
moment's loss to understand its gracious meaning. Say, my soul, is not
the gospel sound, when first heard by the ear of faith, precisely the
same? When pardon was first proclaimed to thee by the blood of Christ,
and the day of his atonement so manifested to thy spiritual senses,
that the captivity of sin and Satan lost their power upon thee, was not
this indeed the jubilee trumpet, and the acceptable year of the Lord?
Hast thou heard this joyful sound? Hath the Son of God made thee free?
Hath Jesus caused thee to return to thy long-lost, long forfeited
inheritance? And wilt thou never forget the unspeakable mercy? Hail,
thou Almighty Deliverer, thou Redeemer of thy captives! I had sold my
possession, sold myself for naught; and thou hast redeemed it for me
again without money. I had sold it, indeed, but could not alienate it
forever, because the right of redemption was with thee. Yes, blessed
Jesus, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise. Thou art the next of
kin, the nearest of all relations, and the dearest of all brothers. And
thou hast redeemed both soul and body, both lands and inheritance by
thy blood; and so redeemed the whole, as never more to be lost again,
or forfeited forever. And now, Lord, thy jubilee trumpet sounds; and
the proclamation of the everlasting gospel is heard in our land, to
give liberty to the captive, sight to the blind, to bring the prisoners
out of the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the
prison-house. Oh, cause me to know the joyful sound, and daily to walk
in the light of thy countenance. Cause me, by the sweet influences of
thy Spirit, to live in the constant expectation of the year of the
everlasting jubilee, when the trumpet of the archangel shall finally
sound, and all thy redeemed shall then return to Zion with songs, and
everlasting joy upon their heads; when they shall obtain joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Hallelujah.
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