“AND IF a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold;... and if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established (alienated, or cut off) forever to him that bought it...: it shall not go out in the jubilee.” vv. 29, 30.
Here was a warning to an Israelite that there was that which he might lose forever, something which would not be restored even in the jubilee. The Jews forfeited their possession when they rejected their rightful King. They cried out, “We will not have this man to reign over us,” “we have no king but Caesar.” Thus they sold themselves to the Gentile. But grace yet lingered over the guilty nation and in the preaching of Peter and the apostles in the Acts they were given an opportunity to repent.
When Stephen looked up steadfastly into heaven, he “saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” The Lord would still have come back to them if they would still receive Him, but in stoning Stephen, they sent a message back to Him saying, as it were, they would not have Him. This marked a definite change in God’s ways with that rebellious people. Except for a small remnant who were received into the Church and heavenly blessing, the guilty nation was delivered over to judgment and scattered among the Gentiles.
“The dwelling house” speaks of man’s building, and “the walled city” tells of the presence of the enemy’s power. That which was specially the work of man could be alienated or transferred to another. God does not redeem that which is of man’s building. However, all that is redeemed of the Lord shall abide forever, while all that is of man shall be consumed. God only secured the possession of the land.
“But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubilee.” The country dwellings, and the villages were considered part of the land, so they would be redeemed in the jubilee.
In their unfaithfulness Israel forfeited the Lord’s protection and resorted to human ways and means of defense. Therefore God gave them over into the hand of their enemies. But the day is coming when they will repent in dust and ashes, and He shall redeem from the hand of their oppressors. His vengeance will be upon all their adversaries, and every intruder will vanish from the land.
Israel has enjoyed but little of the privileges the Lord has given them, but the time is coming, when “they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken.” Micah 4:44But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. (Micah 4:4). “A King shall reign in righteousness,... and a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isa. 32:1, 21Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. 2And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32:1‑2). Israel shall dwell in a peaceful habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
In Ezekiel 38, when they are dwelling in peace and prospering in the land, we read of Israel’s last great enemy, Gog and his northern hordes, coming down “to the land of unwalled villages,” to seize the spoil and to take a prey. But Jehovah Himself will be there. He shall be a wall of defense round about His people, and their proud adversaries shall perish on the mountains of Israel.
ML-11/26/1972