The Independence Hall Liberty Bell, a symbol of freedom worldwide.
LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES
The English word “liberty” has lots of different meanings. To some it means freedom from rules and to others freedom from sin. According to the Oxford Thesaurus “liberty” means freedom, independence, self-determination and sovereignty. It also means free, uninhibited, unfettered, unconstrained, unrestricted, unrestrained and liberated.
The Liberty Bell is one of the most well known American images. When people look to it they are reminded of those that fought for liberty from unrighteous oppression. Tradition holds that the bell was rung to announce the opening of the First Continental Congress in 1774 and after the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. Residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the Liberty Bell has over 2 million tourists come to see it annually. Inscribed on the bell is this text.
“Proclaim liberty throughout all the land and to all the inhabitants thereof.” The bell’s inscription is taken from the Word of God. The full biblical text reads, “And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you and ye shall return every man unto his possession and ye shall return every man unto his family” (Leviticus 25:10).
Liberty in this scripture is the Hebrew word deror clearly meaning freedom from the bondage of debt and debt service. Its root meaning is to “move freely” as in unrestrained and unfettered. Those formerly enslaved because of debt bondage after having been liberated (deror) were restored the freedom to rejoin their families debt free. In this sense liberty produced restoration and economic freedom.
