TEXT: Luke 4:16-21, KJV

16 And He (Jesus) came to NAZARETH, where he had been GROUGHT UP (nurtured, reared): and, as his CUSTOM (habit, usage) was, He went into the SYNAGOGUE on the SABBATH DAY, and STOOD UP (all standing) for to READ (seven readers on Sabbath - priest, Levite, 7 chosen Israelites).

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet ESAIAS. And when he had OPENED (unrolled) the BOOK (roll, scroll), He found the place where it was written (Isa. 61:1-2a),

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath ANOINTED (chrio) Me to preach the gospel to the POOR (beggars); he hath sent me to heal the BROKENHEARTED, to PREACH DELIVERANCE (aphesis) to the CAPTIVES (bound), and recovering of sight to the BLIND, to SET AT LIBERTY (aphesis) them that are BRUISED, NOTE: "ANOINTED" (chrio) is only used elsewhere (Acts 4:27; 10:38; 2 Cor. 1:21; Heb. 1:9 = three out of four about JESUS).

Luke 4:19 To PREACH the ACCEPTABLE YEAR of the LORD.

20 And He CLOSED (roll up) THE BOOK (at Isa. 61:2a), and He GAVE IT AGAIN (apodidomi = delegated authority; last Sunday's message on "Son of the Highest") to the MINISTER and SAT DOWN (at the right hand of the Father). And the EYES OF ALL them that were in the synagogue were FASTENED ON (to gaze intently) Him.

NOTE: "MINISTER" (huperetes = "under-rower, assistant") - John Mark in Acts 13:5; "ministers" and "stewards of the mysteries of God" in 1 Cor. 4:1 - picture of Eph. 4:11).

21 And He BEGAN (archomai = to commence in order of time; to be the first in anything = as the HEAD of a BODY) to say unto them, THIS DAY IS THIS SCRIPTURE FULFILLED in your ears (I am the MESSIAH!).

Luke 4:19, KJV To PREACH the ACCEPTABLE YEAR of the LORD.

NOTE: These other translations:

To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord (NAS).

To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (NIV).

And that God is ready to give blessings to all who come to HIM (TLB).

…the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound (AMP).

…the welcome year of the Lord (Rotherham).

…to announce, "This is God's year to act!" (Message Bible)

Luke 4:19, KJV To PREACH the ACCEPTABLE YEAR of the LORD.

"PREACH" = kerusso = "to herald as a public crier; proclaim."

"ACCEPTABLE" = dektos = "approved; (figuratively) propitious" = from dechomai (to receive; subjective and passive - to have offered to one; to take with the hand; not to refuse intercourse or friendship; to receive hospitality; to receive FAVORABLY, give ear to, embrace, make one's own, approve, not to reject; to receive, get to learn."

"LORD" = kurios = "supreme in authority; controller; Master; the disposer of a thing."

THE "ACCEPTABLE YEAR" IS THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR!

NOTE: There are two primary Hebrew words for "FAVOR":

1. khane = "graciousness, subjective (kindness, favor) or objective (beauty); acceptance."

2. raw-tsone' = "delight; pleasure, a favor, goodwill, acceptance, a will, a desire."

NOTE: the Greek word for "FAVOR" is charis (grace), and is so translated in the following verses:

Luke 1:30, KJV And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found FAVOUR with God.

Luke 2:52, KJV And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in FAVOUR with God and man.

Acts 2:47, KJV Praising God, and having FAVOUR with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 7:10, KJV And delivered him (Joseph) out of all his afflictions, and gave him FAVOUR and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

Acts 7:46, KJV Who (David) found FAVOUR before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

The "ACCEPTABLE YEAR of the LORD" is the JUBILEE YEAR,

also known as the "Year of LIBERTY!"

Ezekiel 46:17, KJV But if He (the Prince = Messiah) give a gift of His inheritance to one of His servants, then it shall be his to the YEAR OF LIBERTY; after it shall return to the prince: but His inheritance shall be his sons' for them.

Ezekiel 46:17, NIV If, however, He makes a gift from His inheritance to one of His servants, the servant may keep it until the YEAR OF FREEDOM; then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance belongs to his sons only; it is theirs (Rom. 8:17).

"LIBERTY" = der-ore' = "from an unused root (meaning to move rapidly); freedom; hence, spontaneity of outflow, and so clear; a flowing, a free run, liberty" = the YEAR of the FLOW! This Hebrew word is only used elsewhere

to describe the "PURE" (free-flowing) MYRRH of Exodus 30:23, and by Jeremiah (4 times in Jer. 34:8,15,17), AND in the following two verses:

Levitcus 25:10, KJV And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a JUBILE unto you…

Isaiah 61:1, KJV The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim LIBERTY to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound (compare "preach DELIVERANCE" and "SET AT LIBERTY" in Luke 4:18).

A PICTURE OF JUBILEE - Acts 16:26

Acts 16:26 And SUDDENLY (unawares, unexpectedly) there was a GREAT (megas) EARTHQUAKE (seismos = commotion, shaking, as in Matt. 28:2), so that the FOUNDATIONS of the PRISON were SHAKEN (wave, agitate, rock, topple; overthrown): and IMMEDIATELY )instantly) ALL THE (PRISON) DOORS (entrance way, passage into) WERE OPENED (up), and EVERY ONE'S BANDS (shackle, impediment; disability) were LOOSED (to send back, let up, slacken, desert from, to leave).

NOTE: This whole scenario (the shaking of the foundation of the prison, every door opened, and every prisoner released) is a vivid picture of the YEAR OF JUBLIEE, the RELEASE of the groaning creation, and the MANIFESTATION(unveiling) of the SONS of God (Rom. 8:14-23)! On that DAY:

1. All men were proclaimed free!

2. All the prison doors were opened!

3. All the slaves were released!

4. All returned to his original possession (inheritance)!

Leviticus 25:8-13, KJV And 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 years.

9 Then shalt thou cause the TRUMPET of the JUBILE to SOUND on the TENTH DAY of the SEVENTH MONTH, in the DAY OF ATONEMENT shall ye make the TRUMPET SOUND throughout all your land.

10 And ye shall HALLOW the FIFTIETH YEAR, and PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a JUBILE unto you; and ye shall RETURN EVERY MAN UNTO HIS POSSESSION (Adam back to EDEN), and ye shall return every man unto his family.

11 A JUBILE shall that FIFTIETH be unto you: ye shall NOT SOW, NEITHER REAP (no work, no SWEAT) that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.

12 For it is the JUBILE; it shall be HOLY unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

13 In the year of this jubile ye shall RETURN EVERY MAN UNTO HIS POSSESSION.

Leviticus 25:39-42, KJV And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not COMPEL him to serve as a bondservant:

40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of JUBILE:

41 And then shall he DEPART (released DEBT-FREE) from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.

42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

The JUBILEE YEAR of the LORD'S FAVOR points to man being DELIVERED from the CURSE to return to the GLORY and DOMINION of EDEN (Gen. 1:26-28). The trumpet blew the SAME DAY that Aaron WENT BEYOND THE VEIL-a body of OVERCOMERS will follow Jesus into the Most Holy Place (Heb. 6:19-20; Rev.

12:1-5; 14:1-5). In 6,000 years there are 120 Jubilee trumpets (2 Chr. 5:12; Acts 1:15). THIS is the SEASON!

"JUBILEE" (yobel = jubilant, exult) was the 50th year after seven cycles of seven years, when specific instructions about property and slavery took effect (Lev. 25:8-55). This word is related to the one for ram's horn or trumpet.

The Jubilee "year of liberty ("freedom" - NIV)" (Ezek. 46:17) was launched with a blast from a ram's horn on the DAY OF ATONEMENT, the TENTH day of the SEVENTH month, signifying a call to joy, liberation, and the

beginning of a year in which to "proclaim liberty throughout all the land" (Lev. 25:10). Specifically, individuals who had incurred debts and had sold themselves as slaves or servants to others were released from all debt and set at liberty. Land was returned to the original owner or his lawful heirs.

One effect of the Jubilee Year was to prevent a permanent system of classes. The Jubilee Year had a leveling effect on Israel's culture; it gave everyone a chance to start over, economically and socially.

NOTE: JESUS is our JUBILEE, our Deliverer, and our Emancipator! He is the One who through His finished work-His death, burial, and resurrection-REVERSED THE CURSE (Gal. 3:13-14) and turned the graveyard back into a Garden!

CONCLUSION

2007 will be the YEAR of the Lord's FAVOR and GRACE, His DELIGHT and PLEASURE, His FREEDOM, LIBERTY, RELEASE, and JUBILEE - the YEAR of the FLOW!

Psalms 102:13-16, KJV Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to FAVOUR her, yea, the set time, is come.

14 For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones (in one another), and favour the dust thereof.

15 So the heathen (nations) shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory (Zion).

Luke 4:18-19, KJV The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Each of us and all of us are to go forth into 2007 and to HERALD this ACCEPTABLE YEAR of the LORD'S FAVOR to ourselves, to our families, to our friends and neighbors, to the unsaved! This is a SPECIAL YEAR that He has chosen to FAVOR His creation!