Leviticus 26:1

PART FIVE

CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS

(Leviticus 26-27)

"This chapter is indeed an inspired prophecy in the true sense of that word, an utterance of the Spirit of God regarding things then present and things yet future."[1] Here, in the amazing prophecies of this chapter is the final and irrevocable defeat of the modern nonsense that denies predictive prophecy as a major feature of the Holy Bible! These prophecies were written at a time before Israel ever entered Canaan, and not only do they predict the behavior of Israel and the consequences of it during their tenancy in Canaan, they also describe the history of Israel through the ages following their expulsion. To be sure, critics rely upon the old discredited device of late-dating the prophecies, but their cavil no longer interests very many people. Micklem observed that, "The attempt to (late-)date sections and verses of Leviticus is a fascinating literary exercise, but inevitably inconclusive."[2] Furthermore, even if the date of Leviticus could be moved out of its matrix in the law of Moses, the book remains a continuing prophecy, as up-to-date as this morning's newspaper.

"All of the miseries endured by Israel throughout this dispensation by their dispersion among the Gentiles are but a literal accomplishment of what is recorded here prophetically."[3] Even the arrangement of this chapter with its list of blessings and curses, being placed at the end of a long elaboration of laws and regulations, "was the way to close a major legal text"[4] in the times of Moses, a pattern that was followed in connection with other Biblical lists of blessings and curses, as in Deuteronomy 28; Exodus 23:25ff; and Joshua 24:20. Thus, the text itself bears witness that these chapters lie within the literary forms of the mid-second millennium B.C.

The chapter is easily outlined. First, there is a short summary in the form of a brief catechism regarding major divisions of God's laws (Leviticus 26:1-2). Secondly, there is a list of blessings which God promised Israel upon condition of their obedience to the divine law (Leviticus 26:3-13). Thirdly, a list of curses and punishments is recorded, all of which will fall upon Israel in the event of their rebellion and disobedience. Fourthly, a promise of forgiveness and restoration (Leviticus 26:40-46) is included, contingent upon Israel's repentance.

"Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am Jehovah."

"Neither shall ye rear you up a graven image ..." "This means, you shall erect no carved image, obelisk, or stone with religious symbols on it."[5] Upon entering Canaan, Israel would also encounter other types of "pillars," such as the phallic symbols of the pagan cults. All such things were forbidden to Israel. "This expression to bow down unto (or toward) a pillar forbade, not only worshipping a pillar (or image), but also worshipping in the presence of it."[6]

"Ye shall keep my sabbaths ..." The notion that this concerned merely the weekly sabbath is grossly incorrect. Jewish writers, especially, were aware of this. LeTorah has this:

"Of all the laws of the Torah, what makes the law of the Sabbatical Year so important that its violation is named as the cause of Israel's exile? This is true because the Sabbatical Year was to teach that the whole world belongs to God ... If man defies God by not observing the Sabbatical Year, he thereby regards himself as the sole proprietor of the land (or whatever he owns)."[7]

The importance of this is seen in the fact that a mere keeping of the weekly sabbath, as advocated by some, is by no stretch of the imagination any adequate keeping of God's ancient law of the sabbath.

"And reverence my sanctuary ..." A footnote in the Tyndale Bible has the following explanation:

"To feare the fanctuarie, is dylygently to performe the true worfypping and feruyce of God, to leue (leave) of (off) nothynge, to obferue and kepe the purenes of both of bodye and mynde, verely and not ypocritelike, to beleue that he knoweth and beholdeth, doeth and ruleth all thynges: to bewarre of offendyng hym and with all feare and dylygence to walk in the pathes of his lawes."[8]

These three commands (Leviticus 26:1-2) constitute a short summary of the first great table of the Decalogue setting forth man's duties toward God.