Leviticus 26
-This chapter outlines the blessings of obedience and the
penalties of disobedience for the nation of Israel with significance to the
Christian walk. God begins with telling His children not to make idols, images,
or sacred pillars of false worship (worthiness). He is the LORD their God, and
His people are commanded to keep His Sabbaths and reverence His sanctuary. His
people are to walk in His statutes and carry out His commands. If this happens,
He will give them rain in its season, and the land will produce abundantly for
their provision. Peace will also be in the land that follows God’s rules, and
along with that, security. They are guaranteed to chase their enemies away and
have complete victory over them. They will multiply and be strong in the LORD.
God’s dwelling will be among them, and His soul will not reject them. The
Deliverer will break the bars of the yoke of every kind of slavery and make
them walk erect (Leviticus 26:1-13).
-On the other hand, a severe warning is issued for
disobedience in not carrying out all of God’s commands. If they reject His
statutes and abhor His ordinances, the LORD will appoint sudden terror,
consumption, and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine
away. Fruitless will be the result in the field. Their enemies will strike them
down, and those they hate will rule over them. They will be afraid and flee
even when no one is pursuing them. They will be punished seven times for their
sins. The pride of power will be broken down and drought will consume their
land. Plagues and disease will result, and the beasts of the field will destroy
their cattle and reduce the human population. Their roads will lie desolate. Cannibalism
and the constant threat of being conquered will be their plight as their idols
are destroyed, their cities are laid waste, and they are scattered to the
foreign nations. Then the LORD’s land will enjoy its Sabbaths all the days of
Israel’s desolation and exile. The remnants left in the land will have weakness
in their hearts, and they will have no power. Many of God’s people will perish
among the nations and the enemy will consume their Promised Land due to their
iniquity. This actually did happen eventually in Israel as the ten northern
tribes were lost to antiquity and the southern kingdom eventually was consumed
by Gentile powers even though God’s plan was carried out through Jesus Christ (2
Kings 18:10-12, Daniel 2). This is the awful
promise for transgressing their God (Leviticus 26:14-43).
-Despite their unfaithfulness, God in the end declares, “Yet
in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject
them, nor will I so abhor them as to destroy them, breaking My covenant with them;
for I am the LORD their God. But I will remember for them the covenant with
their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the
nations, that I might be their God. I am the LORD (Leviticus 26:42, 44-45).” “These
are the statutes and ordinances and laws which the LORD established between
Himself and the sons of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai (Leviticus 26:46).”
-*Application* If we want to walk in the fruitfulness of God’s
provision, we must obey Him and walk in fellowship with His desires. Setting up
our own agenda is tantamount to idol worship and brings His displeasure with
our lives. The question for us today is this: do we want God’s way or our own?
He clearly presents the blessings and the solemn warnings to both the children
of Israel, our own nation, and individually as people. The choice is always
ours. So God clearly sets before us the path of life or destruction
(Deuteronomy 28). We are without excuse.
Verses to Memorize:
Leviticus 1:9, 12, 44
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