Session 13
Leviticus 26:1-13
Memory Verse: Leviticus 26:12
Many ancient treaties included curses detailing the consequences of treaty violation. Even those that listed blessings as incentives for loyalty emphasized the curses by mentioning them first. Biblical covenants that used a treaty form, however, always emphasized how God would bless those who continued to love and follow Him. For example, God promised obedient Israel His blessings of guidance and protection before identifying the consequences of disobedience (Ex. 23:20-33).
We worship and serve a God who loves and longs to bless us. That’s why He gave us wise instructions in His Word to guide us and, more importantly, why He sent His Son to redeem us and lead us into eternal life. As you dig into this final session from Exodus and Leviticus, thank God for His goodness in your life. Pray that you will learn how to walk in holiness with Him-not for the blessings, but because He is worthy.
Road signs-we probably think about them right after we notice the blue lights flashing. In the 1920s, representatives from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Minnesota developed the first uniform road signs. Round signs were for railroad crossings. Octagons meant STOP. Diamonds signified curves ahead. Speed limit signs were rectangular and yield signs, triangular. Today, colors, shapes, and sizes of road signs are standardized. The signs are constant reminders of what we should-and shouldn’t-do while driving. (PSG, p. 118)
Biblical “law” (Hebrew torah, often rendered “instruction”) calls for a response of gratitude for what God has done in redeeming a people and bringing them to Himself (see John 15:12; 1 John 4:19). The general flow of Leviticus has been observed to have a dual structure that balances foundational theology with instructions for practical application. Chapters 1-16 describe the means our holy God gave Israel to remove defilement and to worship Him. Then, chapters 17-27 generally describe the conduct expected of a grateful, holy people living in God’s presence.
Of course, obedience is more than gratitude for God’s redemption. Levitical instruction was often motivated by an acknowledgment that God is “the Lord,” which happens about 70 times in Leviticus. This goes hand in hand with God’s command to be holy because He is holy, a concept that flows in the New Testament as well (Lev. 19:2; 20:26; 1 Pet. 1:16).
Holiness can be defined in terms of being unique or set apart for the Lord. God can set apart people, places, times, and objects for His use. They all derive their holiness from Him, but He is inherently holy because He is unique and perfect in every aspect of His nature and character.
Holiness serves as the main focus of God’s instructions in Leviticus 17-27. His redeemed people are called to pattern their lives after their holy God, which is one reason it is so important for people to know God.
This is still true for the redeemed in Christ. Our lives should reflect the character of our holy God. Paul called this “godliness” (1 Tim. 6:3-11) and challenged readers to “walk worthy” of God’s call on their lives (Eph. 4:1). He also emphasized being “imitators of God” (5:1). This is “true worship” (Rom. 12:1). And, as noted, Peter quoted Leviticus when he was teaching about our need for holiness (1 Pet. 1:15-16).
The relationship between the various topics in Leviticus 17-27 is not easy to identify, and some scholars just list them. But the grouping of chapters 25-27 is clear because they were given to Moses on Mount Sinai before the tabernacle was built (see Lev. 25:1; 26:46; 27:34). They were probably placed at the end of the book because they concern life in the new land. Their placement also shows that all the previous laws are part of the same covenant.
Instructions on keeping the Sabbath, observing Jubilee, and relating to the poor are given in chapter 25. Chapter 26 contains exhortations and warnings about keeping God’s covenant faithfully. Chapter 27 concludes with laws related to vows and other final matters.
Read Leviticus 26:1-13. Underline each occurrence of the phrase “I am the Lord.” Why do you think the Lord repeated this when giving His instructions to the Israelites? (PSG, p. 119)
EXPLORE THE TEXT
1 “Do not make worthless idols for yourselves, set up a carved image or sacred pillar for yourselves, or place a sculpted stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God. 2 Keep my Sabbaths and revere my sanctuary; I am the Lord.”
Covenant passages in the Pentateuch that describe the relationship between God and Israel share many features with international treaties discovered in the ancient Near East. One common feature is a section of “blessings and curses,” describing actions the “gods” would perform for or against the vassal nation in its covenant with a sovereign or “suzerain.”
Examples of biblical blessings and curses may be found in Exodus 23:20-33; Leviticus 26:3-39; and Deuteronomy 28:1-68. God created us with the purpose and capacity to enjoy life in relationship with Him. Only when we are trusting Him and following His instructions can we experience the joy and satisfaction in life-the blessings-He intended when He created us.
(v. 1) Worthless idols . . . carved image . . . sculpted stone: Leviticus 26:1-2 is a reminder of Israel’s covenant commitment from Exodus 19:8. The prohibition against idols and images echoes the first two commands to worship only Yahweh, the Lord (Ex. 20:3-6).
Hebrew has many words for idols and idolatry. Four of them are used here. The term ’elil, means something that’s worthless or “nothing.” Another word is pesel, which is rendered carved image. It is used to describe prohibited idols in Exodus 20:4. The sacred pillar (matsebah) was a monument or memorial that were sometimes used in pagan worship. God ordered that they be smashed when Israel entered the promised land (23:24). The sculpted stone (maskith eben) was an idol that may have been in the shape of any person or animal.
(v. 1) I am the Lord: God is the one true Ruler of the universe. He is holy, the only Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is Redeemer and Father of His people, the only wise, loving, and all-powerful God. He longs for His people to know Him, trust Him, follow Him, and to have real life forever. He is the antithesis of the useless and worthless images the people would encounter in their new homeland. The phrase also summarizes the motivation for the obligations in verse 2.
(v. 2) Keep my Sabbaths: The second obligation that represented Israel’s covenant commitment was related to the Sabbaths. The original holy day, encouragement to honor the Sabbath would have included the other festivals, feasts, and special days God instituted.
The Sabbath initially celebrated the order God brought into creation (Gen. 2:1-3). Making it one of the “Ten Words” (Ex. 20:8-11) added to its significance. The Sabbath became a sign of covenant commitment.(v. 2) Revere my sanctuary: The third obligation involves properly respecting the place where God would meet His people. Revere translates the common Hebrew word meaning “to fear.” The word sanctuary, Hebrew miqdash, means “holy place.” It designates the dwelling place of the holy God.
Since this was the place where God incinerated Nadab and Abihu for despising God’s holiness, respect for His sanctuary would be appropriate. The Lord was stressing the importance of following His instructions.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
3 “If you follow my statutes and faithfully observe my commands, 4 I will give you rain at the right time, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest, and the grape harvest will continue until sowing time; you will have plenty of food to eat and live securely in your land. 6 I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to frighten you. I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword. 8 Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand; your enemies will fall before you by the sword.”
(v. 3) Follow my statutes: Follow is more literally, “live in.” God’s people conduct their lives according to His revealed will, as expressed by words such as statutes (hoq), commands (mitswah), and ordinances (mishpat, see v. 15). The other expression of obedience here, faithfully observe, is more literally “practice.” The verb (shamar) is also the common word for “guard” or “watch,” which implies the need for vigilance and diligence.
The terms used here to reveal God’s will define not only Israel’s covenant faithfulness, but also the divinely marked pathway of human fulfillment, satisfaction, flourishing, and joy. In other words, these are what lead believers to real life. Read and reflect on the passages below to identify other keys to living the kind of life God blesses. Write a brief prayer, asking God to help you follow His path and apply His principles.
(v. 4) Rain at the right time: Verses 4-13 list the material (vv. 4-10) and non-material (vv. 11-13) benefits of obedience. These are the blessings, although the term “bless” is not used here. The Hebrew word for rain is plural because it refers to the two rainy seasons in Canaan-autumn/early rain and spring/late rain (Deut. 11:14; Jer. 5:24). The blessing of rain means the blessing of crops (including fruit on the trees) and food (v. 5).
After the conquest of Canaan, it became apparent that the different tribes would not have equal rainfall. The result would be the necessity of interdependence. The land would be good
(Ex. 3:8; Num. 32:1; Deut. 8:7), but not in the same way for each tribe or each person. Also, the blessings were promised to Israel as a whole, not necessarily to individuals, some of whom would be poor and dependent on the compassion of others (Lev. 19:10,15; 23:22; Deut. 15:7).
(vv. 5-6) Have plenty . . . live securely: In addition to promising an abundance of food, God also offered them peace (shalom, v. 6). The Hebrew term refers to more than just the absence of conflict. It emphasizes a holistic calm that envelops one’s entire life.
Practically, this security would include the absence of dangerous animals and the sword of an enemy. Although Israel would soon and did often break the covenant, God’s promises persevered. Their sin did not annul His faithfulness.
(vv. 7-8) Fall before you: This is the first of many uses of this idiom that means to be killed in battle. The divine blessing of God being on their side would mean that the size of armies did not matter (v. 8). Whether they were outnumbered twenty to one or 100 to one, God’s people could have confidence that He would move on their behalf. Accounts in the books of Joshua and Judges validate this promise, and God’s protection and provision remain something believers can lean into today. Of course, God also affirmed that He would withdraw His help when the people failed to obey His words.
EXPLORE THE TEXT
9 “I will turn to you, make you fruitful and multiply you, and confirm my covenant with you. 10 You will eat the old grain of the previous year and will clear out the old to make room for the new. 11 I will place my residence among you, and I will not reject you. 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so that you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to live in freedom.”
(v. 9) I will turn to you: The peace that God promised in verse 6 also meant safety from divine wrath. When the Israelites strayed from Him and experienced His discipline, He would turn to them, moving toward them with deliverance if they repented. He would confirm their covenant relationship and blessings. This is best illustrated in God’s repeated mercy toward His people in Judges and in passages like 2 Kings 13:22-23.
(v. 9) Make you fruitful: As noted, the Hebrew (shalom, v. 6) meant more than the absence of conflict and fear. It also suggested human flourishing in every regard. More than anything, it indicated intimacy with God. The concept is highlighted in God’s promise to make you fruitful and multiply you. For the descendants of Abraham, this also would have reminded them of God’s promises to their forefathers (Gen. 1:28; 9:1,7; 17:20; 28:3; 48:4).
(vv. 11-12) Place my residence among you: The Hebrew for residence (mishkan) is the word often rendered “tabernacle.” Although the tabernacle was built and filled with God’s glorious presence at the end of Exodus, these last three chapters of Leviticus recount God’s revelation to Moses before that on Mount Sinai (Lev. 25:1; 26:46; 27:34). God’s promise of His presence also includes His promise to never reject His people and to walk among them in covenant intimacy. The only other place we find God walking among His creatures is in Genesis 3:8 when He came looking for Adam and Eve in the garden.
Leviticus 26:11-12 are not so much about the Mosaic tabernacle in the wilderness as a preview of a greater intimacy between God and His people. Paul understood this when he applied these verses to the spiritual body of Christ in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17. Paul’s connection of these levitical promises to the new covenant people in Christ (Jews and Gentiles) is significant for our understanding of how the Old Testament continues to speak to Christians today. God’s covenant promises to all those who trusted and loved Him in the Old Testament are also His promises for those who trust and love Jesus today.
(v. 13) I broke the bars of your yoke: God’s promise of peace in verse 6 was echoed in His messianic promise of “a covenant of peace” and of security in the land (Ezek. 34:25). This comes after God announced that He would replace Israel’s false shepherds and tend the flock Himself (34:11-16).
In that passage, God reasserted from Leviticus 26:4-5 His promises of “showers of blessing” that would produce abundant crops (34:26-27). Then He declared that He would break the yoke that enslaved them to their enemies (34:27b-28). As the first exodus was a work of God’s sovereign will, loving mercy, and divine purposes, so the new covenant in Christ’s blood is built on God’s “grace upon grace” (John 1:16; see Rom. 5:17).
Spend time praying Scripture using Leviticus 26:12. Read the verse, then respond to these questions:
Example: Thank God for walking among His people and for being faithful and dependable in every circumstance. Ask Him to help you feel His presence and to trust Him in every situation you face.
During the session, invite adults to pray this Scripture, as well.
h2>CHALLENGE h2>Summarize: Review these points from Apply the Text on page 126 of the Personal Study Guide:
Review: Encourage adults to identify one of the summary statements that resonates with them in a special way. Encourage volunteers to share why they picked their statement.
Challenge: Direct attention to Pack Item 6 (Poster: Key Verse: Leviticus 11:45). Remind the group of God’s call to be holy because we need to imitate His character. Encourage the group to read and respond to the second set of questions on page 126 of the PSG. Encourage them to remove any false gods that might be hindering their fellowship with God.
Pray: Distribute copies of Pack Item 9 (Handout: Praying Scripture in Exodus and Leviticus). Lead adults to continue reflecting on Leviticus 26:12 using the prompts on the handout and on page 148 of the Leader Guide. Call for a volunteer to close in a prayer with three elements: thanksgiving for God’s blessings, praise for His everlasting love, and a request that He helps each adult to obey His commands.
Reinforce the session this week by texting or emailing each person in the group and encouraging them to be consistent in their daily quiet time with God. Suggest they use the daily Bible Reading Plan on page 7 of the PSG. Remind them that God wants them to be holy as He is holy, and time in the Word can equip them for that. Urge them to prayerfully consider their faithfulness to Him and His church as they reflect on the truths from Exodus and Leviticus from this quarter.
To God we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. (See Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 7:21.)
Memorize a verse and apply it to a real-life situation.
Memorize Leviticus 26:12 in your preferred Bible translation. Then paraphrase the verse in your own words. Finally, write a couple of sentences stating how the verse can help you today as you face a difficult situation.
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