Chapter 25 covers the Sabbatic Year and Jubilee. 
The sabbath of days was extended to a sabbath of years. 
Every seventh year was to be a year of rest for the land 
(verse 5). This was to restore the soil and provide for 
the poor from what grew from the untilled fields (verse 
6). However, it was primarily a recognition of God's 
sovereignty over the land which He was to give them. 
Failure to observe the Lord's supremacy resulted in 
captivity in a foreign land.

        The Year of Jubilee is covered in verses 8-55. 
The cycle of seven sabbatic years was followed by the 
fiftieth year (verse 8), ushered in by the blowing of 
the jubilee trumpet on the Day of Atonement (verse 9). 
This portrays Israel's entrance into the blessings of 
the Messianic reign, with the Lord in the midst of His 
people. It means much more than the promised blessings 
to Israel. It also foreshadows the blessings of Romans 
8:19-23 for the entire earth.

        Chapter 26 gives the condition of blessing in 
the land. The blessings for obedience are covered in 
verses 1-13. To receive blessing, God's people had to be 
holy and maintain a holy reverence for Him, according to 
the first table of the Law given at Sinai. The curse of 
disobedience (verses 14-39) culminated in the captivity 
of Jerusalem and dispersion of the people among the 
nations. This prediction and its fulfillment in Jewish 
history contain powerful evidence for the divine 
inspiration of the Bible.

        This same God, who was rich in mercy toward the 
children of Israel, is the God we serve today. He loves 
us and gave His Son to die for us. However, when His 
children are disobedient, this same merciful, but just, 
God must chastise them. It would be well for us to turn 
to Hebrews 12:1-15 and read of God's chastening of those 
who are His own.