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The Queen's coronation coach restored for the Jubilee celebrations

In 2003, the UK celebrated a Golden Jubilee, a time to rejoice in the fact that Queen Elizabeth II had reigned for 50 years. For many loyal subjects, it was a time to rejoice that they have been privileged to have such a gracious monarch, who has devoted her life to the duties imposed upon her by her royal position.

The Bible also tells us about a year of Jubilee. In the Law given by God to Moses, the Israelites were commanded to set apart every fiftieth year as a Jubilee:

‘And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you;’ [Leviticus 25.10 NKJV]

This was not just a time to hold street parties and other events to celebrate the lengthy reign of a monarch. It had a real practical effect that gave many people a very good reason to rejoice. For example, all Hebrew slaves were to be liberated, all debts were to be cancelled, and all land was to be returned to its original owners.

It may surprise you to know that Jesus proclaimed it as his mission to bring such a time of blessing on all peoples:

‘The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, Because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives ...to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the LORD.’ [Luke 4.18,19 NKJV]

The Hebrew word for ‘Jubilee’ is ‘Yobel’ which means ‘the blast of a trumpet’ or ‘a time of shouting.’ The theme of the Jubilee is there in the words of Jesus when he referred to his second coming:

‘and they will see the Son of Man coming ... And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect…’ [Matthew 24.30,31 NKJV]

The same theme was taken up by the Apostle Paul in a message to the early believers:

‘For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.’ [1 Thessalonians 4.16 NKJV]

The gospel message preached to Abraham long ago was that all nations would be blessed through Jesus [Galatians 3.8] This Jubilee, in the Mosaic Law, pointed forward to the Second Coming of Jesus to bring the ‘acceptable year of the LORD’ and the time of blessing for all nations as promised to faithful Abraham. Paul told the Athenians that God ‘has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all, by raising him (Jesus) from the dead.’ [Acts 17.31.NKJV]

The Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the fourth longest reign in 1,000 years of English history! In contrast, God’s plan is to establish a world-wide Kingdom that will last for 1,000 years with Christ as the righteous King. When this occurs, there will be a time for shouting and rejoicing such as this world has never seen - a Jubilee of Jubilees !

More information
Feature: A Golden Jubilee