The Foolishness of Sin and the Promise of Restoration

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.”
—Psalm 53:1
Scripture ReadingsPsalm 53 – A world corrupted by sin, where humanity has turned from God.
Leviticus 25:1-19 – The Sabbath year and the Year of Jubilee, God's vision for renewal and justice.
Revelation 19:9-10 – The invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb, where redemption is made complete.
Psalm 53 offers a stark picture of human nature: corruption, greed, and a turning away from God. To live as if God does not exist is the height of foolishness. But while this Psalm reminds us of our fallen state, Leviticus 25 points to God’s desire for restoration.
In the Year of Jubilee, debts were canceled, slaves were freed, and land was returned to its rightful owners. It was a divine reset, a tangible expression of God’s justice and mercy. This was not just an economic policy—it was a theological declaration: God reigns, and true security is found in trusting Him, not in hoarding wealth or power.
Walter Brueggemann writes:
“Jubilee is a radical notion that we do not own what we have, and our well-being is not in our control. The land, the economy, and even time itself belong to God.”
Yet, we know that Israel often failed to live out this vision. The greed and corruption that Psalm 53 laments were the same forces that kept Jubilee from being fully realized. The same is true today--economic injustice, oppression, and sin continue to distort God’s world.
But Revelation 19 gives us hope:
"Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" (Revelation 19:9)
This is the final Jubilee—the ultimate restoration. What humanity failed to do, Christ has accomplished. The Lamb’s wedding feast is the fulfillment of God’s promise: a world made whole, a people redeemed, and sin finally defeated.
Lent is our time to acknowledge the foolishness of sin, to repent of the ways we have contributed to injustice, and to prepare our hearts for the great feast to come. As we fast, pray, and give, we do so in the hope that Christ is making all things new.
PrayerGod of justice and mercy,
We confess our foolishness—our greed, our doubt, and our failure to trust in You. Yet You call us to repentance and restoration. Teach us to live in the spirit of Jubilee, trusting in Your provision and working for justice. As we journey through Lent, fix our eyes on the feast You have prepared, where all things will be made new. In Jesus’ name, Amen.