Leviticus 26:14-27:34

Leviticus 26:14-27:34

The second portion of Leviticus 26 focuses on what would happen to the Israelites when they disobeyed the Lord. It is interesting that there is more space devoted to those who disobeyed than those who obeyed. That is because there were severe consequences for disobedience. If the Israelites did not uphold their end of the covenant, then God promised to not give them the blessings of the land. Instead, He would take those things away from them and punish future generations as well. However, God was still a God of forgiveness, and when someone came to Him seeking forgiveness, then He promised to remember the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If they turned from their wicked ways and decided to become obedient, then He promised to give them the blessings associated with the covenant.

This is seen throughout the remainder of the Old Testament. The books of history are filled with accounts of obedience and disobedience and a return to obedience. God’s blessings and cursings are scattered throughout all of the stories. In the times of the judges and good kings of Israel, the land flourished and they were the best among the nations. No nation could come against them, and they were continuously blessed. But in the days of rebellion and the kings who neglected to follow God’s commands, the land was overtaken by foreign nations. God removed His hand of protection from the Israelites and allowed them to suffer, hoping that the punishment would draw them back to Him.

The book of Leviticus closes with a system of vows. I am not entirely sure why these prices were used or what they necessarily meant, but I have found that it had something to do with a type of redemption. It had something to do with the sanctuary, and to me, it seems as if it could be some type of promise to God. I really do not know what this was used for, but I do know that the Israelites were commanded to do this, so God obviously found some importance in it. Basically, it sums up what this book was all about. God gave the Israelites a set of commands, commanding them ultimately to live a holy life, which comes through obedience. He expected them to remain holy before the other nations, thus living out a godly example before them. For the rest of the world was to be blessed through them. Although many of these commands might seem outdated or as if they no longer apply to us, we can take one very important truth from the book of Leviticus. We too are called to be holy before God, and as Christians we must live in obedience so that others can see Christ in us.

Matt