Disobedience to the Covenant. Leviticus 26:14-39 Israel was not obedient as a nation for very long. Some of the early generations experienced the peace God had promised. But divine government should never be taken for granted. God clearly warned them about the consequences of disobedience and doing things their way. First, there would be fear, sickness, poor harvests, and enemies attacking. Second, there would be no rain, resulting in a lack of crops for food. Third, the land would be plagued with wild animals attacking their children and domestic animals.
After that, there would be a series of curses that increased “seven times.” Their enemies would invade their land. The rural villages would be emptied, and the cities besieged. Epidemics would claim many lives, and famine would cause such severe food shortages that cannibalism would occur among the people. Enemies would not only invade the country but also defeat them and take them captive, and those who survived would be exiled.
Principles related to righteous living and justice are not open to debate about whether they should be changed or not. There are always consequences for sin. God's purpose in causing or permitting tragedies may serve various reasons. In Israel, and it is still possible today, one reason was due to their disobedience and reluctance to do what they knew was right.
Sometimes, tragedy befalls us because of someone else's wrongdoing. Innocent people often suffer because of the neglect or choices of others. Unfit parenting has hurt many children. People have been injured or killed because of careless or drunk drivers. Peacekeepers have been attacked by those who are completely self-centered. Natural disasters have also caused severe damage to property, life, and health. We may not, and often cannot, understand at the moment why things happen. But we should take ourselves seriously and consider whether we are obeying or disobeying God's will. Calamity is not always the result of wrongdoing, but it is a good time for serious spiritual reflection.
In the case of the nation of Israel, God's action was taken to bring about repentance and restoration for them. The purpose of punishment is that it can change behavior when accepted properly. Chastening "yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." God had clearly defined the way of life He expected from His people. There was never a question about His mercy and long-suffering toward those He loved and who were His people. His desire for them was very clearly stated. The consequences were easy to understand. His love was demonstrated by giving them many opportunities to repent.
Even when they fell under His chastening hand of judgment, it was an act of revealed love. Many times, it led to repentance but not lasting change. That is why the years of captivity were like "years the locusts have eaten." They spent years in captivity and, even now, are not what God intended for their purpose and well-being when He chose them. That future will come because God does have a plan for Israel.
Misplaced guilt should not be part of God's people's lives today. Searching for a reason for punishment behind every difficulty that arises is not a proper way to understand God's will. Trying to find someone to blame when disasters happen or trouble comes to others is not our right. However, viewing everything that happens to us as merely an accident of nature or something we have to endure is also incorrect.
Take time to meditate on God's Word and seek to understand the events in your life as God's way of training you to be effective in His service. If we think our Lord is not aware of our attitudes and actions, He can change that very quickly. "For this cause, many are we and sickly among you, and many sleep." He wants us to be representatives of Him among the people and places where we find ourselves. May we never forget the laws, judgments, and principles we live by as believers, influencing others so they know the One we belong to says of Himself, "I am the Lord."
These are not just opinions; they are promises from God. None are careless decisions of men; they are in His written Word. It is vital that we listen to and heed God's words. Then, when we act according to His will, it may influence people's lives and possibly the nation's. It did so in the times of giving the covenant and continues to do so for many.
God's judgments are straightforward and always just. The principles for living a meaningful life are universal and applicable to everyone, everywhere. He knows what is best for us; these principles have been in place from the beginning.
Blessings come from genuine obedience, and severe adverse consequences result from willful sin. Deliberately going our own way, even after being taught what is right, will not only bring bad results but is also an abomination in God's sight. Consequences for right or wrong occur as consistently as night follows day. The wise person will submit to God's authority, and they will discover that He remains the same in blessing today as He was in the past.
It is impossible not to lose if one ignores God's laws. For every disobedient action we choose to take, pause to consider the cause of just judgment. When difficulties arise or tragedy strikes unexpectedly, it may be God's way of speaking to us when one's will is rejected. Not everything that happens to us is caused by unresolved guilt or actions left undone. Some lessons are only learned after experiencing pain. It may be an act of divine grace when God allows hardship to come, as it might be the very thing that keeps us from falling under sin's powerful grip.
“I Will…If.” Leviticus 26:40-46 This covenant document is like a prophetic history of the promised land, spanning from the past to the future. God promises directly—“I will… I will”—24 times. He gave them the land to occupy and told them blessings would come “If” they fulfilled their part of the covenant. A response was necessary and expected because blessings have a foundation. Obedience is a reasonable expectation; it is a basic, fundamental response to an agreement to receive God’s “I will.”
The covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob takes precedence over the covenant at Mt. Sinai because the impact of the first covenant is global. God’s grace, mercy, love, and redemption lead Him to remember the ancient covenant, and He has blessed the world through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A barometer for the blessing of Israel was connected to whether Israel obeyed the Magna Carta of the land. Rainfall, bountiful crops, and sunshine in the right amounts would come from God’s gracious hand when they obeyed His holy will. If we have over us an umbrella of indifference, sin, and stepping out of God’s will, that will leave us without the blessings of obedience, and all that could have been good is lost, even though God says, “I will.”
The difference between good and bad boils down to a single word and act from me – “If.” The “ifs” of my life significantly influence the outcome. A nation lives or dies by its choices. I live or die depending on my choice of “ifs.” I dare not blame others’ choices or failings because I am called to think, consider, and respond to what I do when God says, “I will.”
If Israel had obeyed, there would have been peace in the land; however, they did not. If people do not listen to God and His word and refuse to do what He has a right to expect; if the covenants made are broken, rejected, despised, or ignored; if I walk contrary to the way the Lord has shown me – I will walk alone with no light to guide me. I do not want that; I want God’s “I will” of blessing. I hope I truly understand the meaning of the words, “not my will but Thine be done.” I genuinely want the will of God in every part of my life – personally, in my family, marriage, church, and service. For God’s “I will” of blessing, I pray – and I choose what my Lord desires.