Leviticus 26, Blessing or Cycles of Discipline

Tod Kennedy, September 1999

Introduction:

1. Chapter 26 was given to encourage Israel’s long range perspective about her relationship with the Lord. They are his people. He is their God and king.

2. This section contains the two alternatives, blessings and discipline; blessings come when Israel obeys the Lord, while discipline comes if they turn from him.

4. The blessings and cursings are similar to those of treaties of the Hittites, Assyrians, and Arameans of the second millennium BC. Those included threats and promises depending upon the obedience to the treaty.  There are unique differences such as the relationship between God and Israel.

5. Other Scripture that comments on the blessings and the discipline of the Mosaic Law are Exodus 23:22-33; Deuteronomy 28, and Joshua 24:20.

5. The blessings and warnings are founded on the statement “I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 26:1) and “I am the Lord” (Leviticus 26:2).

6. Because He is the Lord He gives three commands:

        6.1. Do not make or worship idols (Leviticus 26:1).

        6.2. Keep my Sabbaths (Leviticus 26:2).

        6.3. Reverence my sanctuary (Leviticus 26:2).

7. Then He gave a general command for obedience to the Mosaic Law in a conditional sentence (Leviticus 26:3).

8. There are four sections in Chapter 26:

        8.1. Introduction to blessings and discipline, 1-3.

        8.2. The blessings associated with obedience, 4-13.

        8.3. The cycles of discipline associated with repeated disobedience, 14-39.

        8.4. Promise of recovery and reminder that the Lord will not reject them or forget his covenant to them, 40-46.

Leviticus 26:1-3, Introduction to blessings and discipline.

1. Note that God continually identifies himself (Leviticus 26:1, 2, 44, 45). He has made the covenant with Israel. He is very different from the many gods of Canaan and Egypt. He has already demonstrated himself to them.

2. God will give them Canaan. In doing so he will disposes the Canaanite gods. Those gods cannot hear, help, or defeat Israel. They are non existent.

3. Do not make or worship idols (Leviticus 26:1). Exclusiveness to the Lord (Leviticus 19:4; Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 7:25-26).

4. Keep my Sabbaths (Leviticus 26:2). This made the Israelites conscious of the Lord involvement in the living. The Sabbath is a sign of the Mosaic Law (Exodus 31:13, 17). Reverence my sanctuary (Leviticus 26:2). Then He gave a general command for obedience to the Mosaic Law in a conditional sentence (Leviticus 26:3).

5. Reverence my sanctuary reminds them that he told them to make a sanctuary for him after they left Egypt (Exodus 25:8). They had helped build it. They had seen his glory when it was dedicated (Leviticus 9:23-24). The sanctuary was the place he made his presence known. The sanctuary had stipulations such as clean and unclean (Leviticus 11-15). This was in contrast to the Canaanites and their prostitution, child sacrifice, and other raunchy rites.

Leviticus 26:4-13, The blessings associated with obedience.

1. Agricultural prosperity (4-5).

2. Peace in the land with military prosperity (6-8).

3. General prosperity under the blessing clause (9-10).

4. Fellowship relationship with the Lord (11-13).

Leviticus 26:14-39, The cycles of discipline associated with repeated disobedience.

1. First cycle: Mental and physical illness, terrorism (Leviticus 26:14-17).

2. Second cycle: Loss of international influence, agricultural failure and therefore economic failure (Leviticus 26:18-20).

3. Third cycle: Domestic terror caused by wild animal (Leviticus 26:21-22).

4. Fourth cycle: Military invasion, national vassalage, famine (Leviticus 26:23-26).

5. Fifth cycle: Cultural disintegration and destruction, judgment on religious life, national destruction and exile (Leviticus 26:27-39).

Causes for the cycles of discipline:

1. They refused to listen to the Lord and to do what He said, therefore they broke the Mosaic covenant. The result was divine discipline. This discipline was predicted before (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Joshua 24:19-20).

2. At each level Israel had the opportunity to return to Lord. Had she done so, she would have been blessed. Because she continued to reject divine viewpoint, she was judged.

3. The phrase “seven times more” indicates increased intensity of discipline. The phrase is used 30 times in the New American Standard Bible (Genesis 33:3; Leviticus 4:6,17; 8:11; 14:7,16,27,51; 16:14,19; 25:8; 26:18,21,24,28; Numbers 19:4; Joshua 6:4,15; 1 Kings 18:43; 2 Kings 4:35; 5:10,14; Psalm 12:.6; 119:64; Proverbs 24:16; Isaiah 30:26; Daniel 3:19; Matthew 18:21,22; Luke 17:4).

Leviticus 26:18 'If also after these things, you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

Genesis 33:3 But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

Leviticus 4:6 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary.

2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and [you shall] be clean."

2 Kings 5:14 So he went down and dipped [himself] seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Psalm 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

Isaiah 30:26 And the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times [brighter,] like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted.

Daniel 3:19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated

Luke 17:4 "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Characteristics of the people and culture who have turned from God and His word.

1. Fear 16

2. Cowardice 16

3. Confusion 16

4. Uncertainty 16

5. Disease 16

6. Insecurity

7. Cultural breakdown

8. Famine

9. Cannibalism

10. Economic failure leading to economic depression

11. Terrorism

12. Loss of social safety

13. Obvious rebellion against the Lord

14. Spiritual counterfeits, religion

15. Loss of national prestige and respect by others

16. Military attacks

17. Military invasion and takeover

18. Physical destruction cities, land, and culture

19. Exile

20. Slavery

Potential recovery and forgiveness, Leviticus 26:40-46

1. Confession of sin, (Leviticus 26:40) hdy, hithpael pf to throw, shoot, cast

   1a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)

   1b) (Piel) to cast, cast down, throw down

   1c) (Hiphil)

       1c1) to give thanks, laud, praise

       1c2) to confess, confess (the name of God)

   1d) (Hithpael)

      1d1) to confess (sin)

      1d2) to give thanks

2. Humble self (Leviticus 26:41) enk Niphal impf

AV - humble 18, subdue 11, bring low 2, bring down 3,

     subjection 1, misc 1; 36

1) to be humble, be humbled, be subdued, be brought down, be low,

   be under, be brought into subjection

   1a) (Niphal)

       1a1) to humble oneself.

3. Accept correction hur Qal impf a primitive root; TWOT - 2207; v

AV - accept 22, please 6, pleasure 6, delight 5, enjoy 4, favourable 3,

     acceptable 1, accomplish 1, affection 1, approve 1, misc 7; 57

1) to be pleased with, be favourable to, accept favourably

   1a) (Qal)

       1a1) to be pleased with, be favourable to

       1a2) to accept

       1a3) to be pleased, be determined

       1a4) to make acceptable, satisfy

       1a5) to please

   1b) (Niphal) to be accepted, be pleased with

   1c) (Piel) to seek favour of

   1d) (Hiphil) to please, pay off

   1e) (Hithpael) to make oneself acceptable or pleasing