Sacred or Jubilee Times in the Bible

Abstract

This article addresses the sacred or jubilee seasons in the Bible. The exploitation and consequent impoverishment of the people was the “indelible mark” that accompanied them throughout biblical history. Faith has always been the strength of the poor, the foundation of their hope, and the starting point for every new beginning. The sacred seasons in the Bible point to the need for a “historical rupture”: every six days of work, the Sabbath follows; every six years of activity, the Sabbath year follows; and every forty-nine years, the Jubilee year follows. All of them are times to: recover God’s plan and strengthen spirituality; hear the cry of the oppressed; awaken critical consciousness and rebuild hope; create alternatives. For Sacred Scripture, chronological time— the seventh day, the seventh year, the fiftieth year—acquires a kairological meaning, as a time of liberation, of protecting structures, relationships, and hope.