Journal Through the Bible: Week 20 Thursday

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Leviticus chapter 26
Cause and effect, blessings and cursings: God told the people exactly what He wanted them to do, exactly how He would bless them if they obeyed, and exactly how He would curse them if they disobeyed. He could not have been any clearer than the statements He made that could fall under the heading "If this . . . then this . . . ." Anyone who has read the Old Testament knows what is going to happen in spite of the warnings that were given.

Does God make any promises in this chapter?

• God promised that if they would keep His statutes He would send the rains at the appropriate times so that crops would be abundant. 
• God promised that if they fulfilled His statutes they would live safely in the land without fear because He would help them be rid of their enemies and wild beasts.
• God promised that if they kept His statutes He would have respect for them, give them children, and establish His covenant with them.
• God promised that if they would keep His statutes His tabernacle would be in the middle of them and He would walk among them.
• On the obverse side, God promised curses to those who would not listen to Him: those who despised His commandments and break the covenant. They would suffer from terror, diseases, and famine.
• As part of the curse of disobedience God promised that there would be no safety from their enemies and that He would have no respect for them. In fact, He would turn away from them.
• God promised that if they would not repent as a result of the curses upon them He would punish them seven times more for their sins in order to break their pride and their strength. This would result in such starvation that it would even turn them to cannibalism for survival (which happened during the siege of Samaria in 2 Kings 6:29). God did not condone this evil practice any more than He condoned the evil practice of sacrificing their children to idols. As a matter of fact, it was their disregard for God's command not to subject their children to the one evil practice that eventually led to the other.
• God promised that instead of love toward them He would abhor them for their wickedness if they disobeyed Him. He would then abandon them to their enemies who would kill them upon the altars they built to their idols. And He would not take notice of the sweet incense and sacrifices made to Him. 
• God promised that if they would not let the land have its sabbaths He would scatter them and let the land have its rest.
• God promised that if they would confess their iniquity and accept their punishment He would remember His covenant with Jacob and Abraham and would return them to the land after the land had finished its sabbaths of rest.
• God promised that He would NEVER forget His covenant with them and totally destroy them even though they would forget their part of the covenant. He would be faithful for the sake of their ancestors which He brought out of Egypt. (Which are the very people He is speaking with at that moment.)

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus is the fulfillment of verse 13. He broke the bonds of our slavery to sin. (He said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light.)
• Although the people did not keep their part of the covenant, Jesus, as Emanuel, which means "God with us," came to dwell and walk among them. "10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not."  John 1:10-11 (KJV)
• Jesus came to fulfill the covenant that the people were unable to fulfill. Humanly, He was of the lineage of Abraham, Jacob, and of the people who came out of Egypt. He was the only representative of the Hebrew family that was able to keep the Jewish covenant agreement with God. He fulfilled the covenant with His blood (see Hebrews 13:20 - quoted below).

Does this chapter teach anything about still-future events?

• The crops (food supplies) will be abundant when sin is no longer present. "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Rev 22:1-2 (KJV)
• Everyone will dwell in safety and without fear when sin is no longer present. "4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Rev 21:4 (KJV)
• God will have respect for His people when sin is no longer present in their hearts. "7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."  Rev 21:7-8 (KJV)
• God will live and walk among His people and His tabernacle will be in their midst.  "3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." Rev 21:3 (KJV)
• All sin has been abolished and the covenant with Abraham will be honored and enjoyed throughout eternity.  "20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Heb 13:20-21 (KJV)  and "16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."  Heb 10:16-17 (KJV) - See also Luke 1:68-79.

Does God issue any commands?

• God restates His former commands not to make any idol, not to build a statue for worship, not to forget to keep the sabbaths, and not to fail to reverence His sanctuary. He commands them to keep His statutes!