Leviticus

Leviticus 26:1-2

Blessings came from obedience; obedience was obeying Yahweh's commandments.   Punishment and correction came from disobedience.  The core requirements then were summarized in the first couple verses:

1. Complete loyalty to the Lord alone.
2. Observing the Sabbath.
3. Respect for the Lord's sacred space.

Imagine telling your spouse how loyal you were this last week – you made 6 out of 7 days!  It probably wouldn't go well.  The Lord commanded complete loyalty.  We see the importance of the Sabbath.  Observation was acknowledgement that you served the Lord on His terms, acknowledging the sabbath was made for your rest.  Then, respect of the Lord's sacred space was to acknowledging His holiness in contrast to our impurity and commonness, not to mention potential sin.  Respect meant acknowledging, maintaining as the Lord commanded.

Leviticus 26:3-13

Documented blessings and curses were typical at that time and are seen in legal codes and treaties.  It was characteristic that curses outweighed the blessings and were normally arranged in order of increasing severity.  This verse is the first of a series of 'if – then' statements. 

• Rain:  The rain was key to survival, to abundant harvest from fields and vines.  The key to rain was walking in the Lord's statutes and commandments. 
• Productivity:  This was a walk of faith; faith leading to obedience brought rain and productivity.  The produce will last from season to season without a void.
• Safety:  In addition, obedience from faith brought safety in the land.  The sword and wild beasts were associated with judgment.  These would be removed.
• Family:  God would bless them with large families.
• Covenant:  Living in covenant with God as their forefathers.
• Abundance:  The old harvest was abundant enough there would still be some left when the next harvest came.  It would need to be cleaned out to make room for the new.
• God Tabernacle among them:  Relationship, the sentence has the sense of foreshadowing Christ. 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

[NKJV Jn 1:14). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]

• God would walk among them:  Probably to convey a sense of His continued presence among them.

The Lord declares Himself to the people.   He was their God, they His people.  He brought them out of Egypt, redeeming them for this very thing.  They were free and in God's care.  He wanted to shower blessing on them, live among them and allow them to enjoy Him forever. 

The blessing brings to mind the twenty-third Psalm; the great shepherd caring for the sheep. 

Leviticus 26:14-17

If, however, they chose not to obey the Lord and fail to observe His commandments, despise His statutes and abhor His judgments, then the Lord would also act.  He does not just remove the blessing, but He works against you.  They were His children.  Their disobedience would be corrected or punished; they would be punished or driven back to the Lord, or both.

The first level of correction consisted of:

• Appointing terror
• Wasting disease
• Fever that will consume your eyes & cause sorrow of heart.
• Your food will feed your enemies. 
• The Lord's face was set against them.
• Your enemies would defeat you.
• Those who hate will reign over you.
• You will live in fear.

Leviticus 26:18-20

If the first correction did not work, the Lord would punish 7 more times in the 2^nd level of correction.  He would:

• Break the pride that emboldens you.
• Heavens of iron is no rain, bringing earth like bronze – hard, barren, judged.
• Your strength spent farming is a waste of time – no yield, no fruit.

Leviticus 26:21-22 

The 3^rd level of correction is 7 more times in accordance with the sin.  He would:

• Send wild beasts among them.
  • Would take their children.
  • Would destroy the livestock
  • Would deplete them.
• The highways would be desolate because of the danger

It's not clear if these wild beasts are animals or men acting as wild beasts.

Leviticus 26:23-26 

If the children are not reformed by the 4th round of punishments, the Lord would act contrary to them.  Seven more times he would bring punishment. 

• The Lord would bring a sword.
• The Lord would send pestilence.
• They would be delivered into the hand of their enemies.
• They would experience famine; there would never be enough bread to be satisfied.

Peace would be taken away.  Good health that often was taken for granted would be removed.  Safety from their enemies would not longer be a given.  The blessing of food they were so used to would be removed. 

Leviticus 26:27-35 

If the children of God are not reformed and continue to run astray, then the Lord would in turn walk contrary to them.  The Lord continues to punish the children in an effort to correct their incorrect behavior.  This is the 5^th level – seven more times the Lord would bring His chastisement.

• They would eat the flesh of their sons and daughters.
• He would destroy their high places, cut down their altars.
• God would cast their carcass on the lifeless form to the idols.
• The cities would be laid waste and sanctuaries desolate.
• Your enemies would even be astonished.
• God would scatter them to the nations by the use of the sword.

We find their punishment fit the crime of unbelief.  They would do the unthinkable; things otherwise thought inconceivable would suddenly seem like a good idea.  The gods they were trusting in would be shown powerless and useless.  They had failed to honor the commanded sabbaths of the land.  The land would find rest when the Lord removed them.  It would lie desolate.  All those sabbaths they ignored and thought they got away with, had all been added together and the land got its rest all at once.

Leviticus 26:36-39

After all of this, there would still be some left.  They had suffered through much in their disobedience.  Perhaps they convinced themselves they were just having bad luck; or maybe the enemy was particularly wicked; maybe they blamed those around them, their kings and elders.  Why would they not recognize God's punishment for what it was and change their ways?  Can we not ask ourselves the same thing? 

The faintness spoken of is a spirit of fear; they will be soft where they were once a hardened people of courage.  They are characterized as being afraid of even the shaking of a leaf.  They will run as though running from their enemy.  They'll fall down in despair when no one is after them.  They'll trip over each other.  They would be weak and powerless, consumed by the nations.  They will waste away in their sin. 

Leviticus 26:40-46

Restoration of the covenant was in the hands of those who had turned away.  They had to confess to their:

• Iniquity, and that of their fathers.
• Unfaithfulness
• Contrary walk

They had to humbly acknowledge and accept their guilt and God would restore the covenant relationship.

With all that they had done, the Lord even acknowledged that their destruction would not be complete because the Lord was good to His word.  He would never cast them away, abhor them or break the covenant because He is Lord.

These statues and judgments were between God and the children of Israel.  As Christians we know we are not under the law.  However, our response to grace is obedience.  We desire to keep His commandments, to live as He would have us live and to know that His ways are wise and fruitful.  We can see how God deals with a nation that has turned its back on Him.  Our salvation is a transaction between each of us and the Lord.  Our fate in the nation is wrapped up in community.  If the nation is judged, we will not escape this unless the Lord returns. 

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