After a beautiful Paragraph of “blessings” promised for obeying God … Israel was then given a list of “chastisements” promised for disobeying God! Both in this captivating twenty-sixth chapter of Leviticus.
Here’s how the Section begins: “But IF ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and IF ye shall despise my statutes, or IF your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you …” Verses 14-16a, God being the Speaker. (As He is in virtually all of Leviticus!)
And what a “list” this is!
Sampling it, brace youself … “Ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.” Verse 17
And if Israel still does not repent, things worsen … “And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: and your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.” Verses 19-20
However, throughout this litany of curses God (seems to me) often offers the possibility of “turning back” to him, of “renewing Fellowship.” As in Verse 21 … “And if ye walk contrary unto me, AND WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.”
“I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.” Verse 22
“And IF ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me,” certainly a Glimmer of Grace, Verse 23. There’s “choice” in this verse, offered to Israel.
Verse 24 … “THEN will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.” Notice the “if” and “then” of verses 23 and 24!
Hunger and famine (crop failure) will become (to the constantly “hardening of their hearts” people) this severe, starvation! “And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.” Wow!
All this because God hates idolatry! He abhors false gods and goddesses! “And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.” Verse 31
Still, if no sign of repentance occurs … “And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.” Verse 33, a displaced people!
One writer I studied earlier this morning suggests there is a parallel, a nexus, between the blessings and the curses of this chapter.
In other words, God “reverses” the blessings He has promised to an obedient people. Like this: from a fruit bearing land to a dry, barren land! From no enemies to powerful, overcoming enemies!And from “God’s Presence” to “God’s Absence!”
I am telling you right now, according to this Text … God is serious about holy living!
Leviticus 11:44 … “And ye shall be holy; for I am holy,” thus says the Lord God Almighty.
Any body listening, reading?
And He is the Same God today as He ever was. A God Who is Spotless, expecting a “sanctified” people.
Paul to his Corinthians converts, the Apostle’s ultimate goal for this difficult Church … “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2, pure and innocent!
Holy, Holy, Holy!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Yet this is the Same God Who will say to Israel … “IF my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
Wow!
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