The Declaration of Independence
Leviticus 25:10 And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants.
PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND TO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF LEV. XXV X –This inscription from the Liberty Bell is a quote from Leviticus 25. The bell was ordered to commemorate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter establishing self-government and religious freedom in Pennsylvania. Originally called the “State House Bell,” the bell first became known as the “Liberty Bell” in the 1830s.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed July 4 to be “National Bell Ringing Day” through U.S. Congressional Resolution Number 25, which denoted 2:00pm(EDT) for nationwide bell ringing.
There is no doubt that bells are a joyful noise. Since the 5th century, church bells have called Christians to “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD”…and “Serve the LORD with gladness”. (Psalm 100:1) How appropriate to make a point this week to use the ringing of bells as a reminder to thank God for His blessings and the freedoms we enjoy today in the United States.
Leviticus 25:8ff describes the Old Testament Year of Jubilee. Instead of a bell, a ram’s horn was blown on the tenth day of the seventh month to start each fiftieth year in the land of promise. It was a special year of redemption for land and people. A year of rejoicing (Jubilee!) that was a beautiful picture of Christ the Redeemer who came to set free those who are slaves and prisoners to sin and death. On the cross, Jesus died on our behalf. We are forgiven the debt of our sin-guilt once and for all. No longer slaves to sin, having been freed by Christ, we can truly enter the rest God provides as we cease laboring to make ourselves acceptable to God by our own works.
Lord Jesus, as we rejoice in the freedoms that are ours as citizens of the U.S., help us even more to rejoice and give thanks to You for the eternal freedoms that are ours through faith in You and what You have done for us. Amen