Independence Day

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free.” [Galatians 5:1]

Perhaps no one name in American history is more associated with the Fourth of July than Thomas Jefferson, probably because he penned the immortal Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson and the second president, John Adams, were good friends in their youth, but in later years political disagreements separated them. In fact, after John Adams left the White House to be replaced by Jefferson, they never saw each other again. They were eventually reconciled in the last 14 years of their lives, and they exchanged over 150 warm and affectionate letters.

John Adams died at the ripe age of 91, and his last words were, “Thomas Jefferson still lives.” But had Jefferson known this, he would have said to Adams in his dry manor, “Wrong as usual.” You see, at the age of 83, during his last hours in his home in Monticello, Virginia, Jefferson passed in and out of consciousness. In July 1826, just a few hours before Adams died surrounded by friends and family, Thomas Jefferson died. His final words were, “Is it the Fourth?” They said, “Yes.” Then he breathed his last. Amazingly they both died on the same day, July 4th, which also happened to be the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. They were two of the last three surviving signers of that historic document.

Did you know the day of Jesus’ death also coincided perfectly with the Jewish independence day? The annual Day of Atonement took place on the 10th day of the seventh month and was the most solemn day of the year for Jews. On this day all the sins of the preceding year were disposed of in the ceremony of the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary. It represented a day of cleansing from sin and reconciliation with God. Everyone was to “afflict their souls” – in other words, search their hearts and repent of all known sin. God instructed Moses, “For on that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30). When we are cleansed from sin, we are set free from its power over us. It truly is a day of independence!