Does the Shemitah Turn things Upside Down or Right Side Up?

God often does things that are counter-intuitive to humans. They seem upside down. Or backwards. (Tweet that!)

Some examples of this in the Bible are:

The first are last, but the last go first:

But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (Matthew 19:30, ESV)

Those who believe they are free are really slaves. But then slaves set free.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 

They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" 

Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:31-36, ESV)

Not only that, but those who claim to see clearly are really blind. However while the seeing are blind, the blind can see:

Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind..."

Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains." (John 9:39, 41, ESV)

Did you know that the poor are really rich? The poor own the entire kingdom!

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3, ESV)

Perhaps the most dramatic upside-down truth is that while those who live will die, those who die can live:

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, ESV)

What does that have to do with the Shemitah? One more incomprehensible truth is the principle of less is more. God says if you tithe, that is, give 10% of your money to Him, you'll discover your 90% goes further than your 100% would have had you kept it.

We think we must work hard to rest and play. God said to the Israelites rest a day out of 7, and a year out of 7, and you'll have plenty.

God does things that seem backwards to us. (Tweet that!)

When it seems God is turning things upside down, He is actually turning things right-side up. (Tweet that!)

The truth is God is not backwards or upside down. We are the ones who are both backwards and upside down. (Tweet that!) God is just setting us straight.

Resting one day out of seven doesn't make sense to us. Taking a whole year off definitely makes no sense to us. But it worked for the people of Israel when they obeyed this direction that He gave them. Why? Because God makes it work.

And that's the whole lesson: Listen to God. Do things His way. And He'll make sure it works out right.

It's all training in trusting Him. (Tweet that!)

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Does the #Shemitah turn things Upside Down or Right Side Up? #Bible #Christians need to know: (Tweet that!)

Related Articles:

• June 1: Taking a Closer Look at the Shemitah

• June 4: The Lord's Release = Shemitah 

• Join the Shemitah Watch Facebook Event. Click "Going" then invite your friends.