Leviticus  26:14-26   (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 26:14-26. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 26:14-22 (NIV)
14  “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands,
15  and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant,
16  then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.
17  I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.
18  “‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.
19  I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.
20  Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit.
21  “‘If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve.
22  I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.

On verses 14-22:  After describing in verses 1-13 the blessings that would come if the Israelites obeyed God, God describes in verses 14-26 the problems that would come if the Israelites refused to obey God.  As we look at some right now, keep in mind the mentality of the ancient Israelites, who believed that God was the ultimate cause of everything both good and bad.  In their minds, God was the bringer of both sickness and healing, death and life, misfortune and fortune.  In the New Testament, we get a more defined picture of who God is: that everything good comes from God, whereas anything that is not good (such as disease and misfortune) is not something God actively creates and sends but is a natural outflow of living in a world broken by sin.

With that in mind, let’s look at the various problems that would come to the Israelites if they persistently rejected God.  These are the same curses that would hamper all of humanity because sin entered the world:

  • Because of sin, we end up being slaves to fear (“sudden terror” – v16; “you will flee even when no one is pursuing you” – v17);
  • Because of sin, sickness and death entered the world (“wasting diseases and fever” – v16)
  • Because of sin, our work is not as productive and the things we produce can stolen by an enemy (“You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it” – v16; “your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit” – v20)
  • Because of sin, we can be defeated and even ruled by an enemy (“you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you” – v17)
  • Because of sin, we are at odds with God and alienated from Him (“‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over” – v18; “I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve” – v21)
  • Because of sin, we deserve to be rebuked by God (“I will break down your stubborn pride” – v19)
  • Because of sin, life and work become much harder than they were meant to be (“…and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze” – v19-20)
  • Because of sin, tragedy and misfortune entered the world (“I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted” – v22)
Leviticus 26:23-26 (NIV)
23  “‘If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me,
24  I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over.
25  And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands.
26  When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.

On verses 23-26:  As verses 23-26 say, if the Israelites continued to be hostile toward God even after they experienced such hardships (v23), God would oppose them (v24), and death and dissatisfaction will typify their existence (v25-26).

What can we learn from this?  When we face hardship, God wants us to respond by turning back to Him.  How we respond to God in our hardships is crucial.  In our hardships, do we humble ourselves before God, or do we shake our fists at Him?  If we persist in disobedience to God, we’re only asking for it in terms of the problems and punishment that we will face.

That’s what makes Jesus so amazing.  Not only did we receive every blessing in Leviticus 26:1-13 that flowed from His obedience, Jesus also removed from us every curse in Leviticus 26:14-47 that we deserved for our disobedience by dying on the cross for us.  As Galatians 3:13-14 says “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.  (Galatians 3:13-14)”

Because of Jesus, instead of God’s animosity, we have His acceptance.
Instead of God’s hostility, we have His presence.
Instead of God being our enemy, we have His friendship.
Instead of living under the curse, we live under His blessing.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for breaking the curse that should have been ours because of our disobedience.  Thank You that through Your obedience, Your death on the cross and Your resurrection, we have victory over every curse.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

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