Leviticus
chapter 25 reveals an amazingly personal God telling His beloved
people the positive and negative consequences of faithfulness to His
word. As a parent, I learned early that the best way to deal with my
children was to let them know, up front, my expectations AND give
them the rewards and consequences of obedience. We even posted a
“Swat Chart” listing the number of swats for acts of
disobedience. Some may find that harsh, but my children could tell
me how many swats they earned. Our times of discipline were not
torture; they were times of tenderness and teaching. They learned
that dad loved them unconditionally, no matter what they did wrong,
and they learned that dad always keeps his promise (both positive and
negative) because the rules were understood. The chapter begins with
a few warnings, followed by the blessings of obedience, “If
you follow My decrees and are careful to obey My commands, I will
send rain in it’s season and the ground will yield its crops… fruit
trees… grape harvest… you will eat all the food you want and live
safely in the land. I will grant peace in the land… no one will
make you afraid… I will remove savage beasts… you will pursue
your enemies… a hundred will chase ten thousand… I will look on
you with favor and make you fruitful… I will walk among you and I
will be your God and you will be My people.”
There is an intimacy clearly understood between a personal God and
His own people. It is hard for some of us to understand God does not
just deal with us as a nation, or people, or church, He deals with us
each individually. He desires my worship and praise as I acknowledge
Him as My God.
Next,
God provides the consequences of disobedience. “But
if you do not listen to Me…reject My decrees and abhor My laws…
violate My covenant… I will bring unto you sudden terror…
disease… you will plant your seed in vain… I will set My face
against you… you will be defeated by your enemies… I Myself will
be hostile toward you and afflict you… you will eat but you will
not be satisfied. If in spite of all this you still do not listen to
Me, then My anger will be hostile toward you and I Myself will punish
you… I will turn your cities into ruin… I will take no delight in
your offerings… I will scatter you… your land will be laid
waste… those that are left, I will make their hearts fearful…
that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight.”
Some
of us have been in that place. Do you feel like God has set His face
against you? Have you ever felt fear for no good reason? Listen,
there is HOPE! “But
if they will confess their sins…hearts are humbled… I will
remember My covenant with Jacob Isaac and Abraham… I will not
reject them… I am the Lord their God.“
God
did not tell them they must get themselves right before He would love
them. He simply desired repentance, a change of heart, confessing
their rebellion and asking for forgiveness. He accepted them because
He made a promise and God always keeps His word. The nation would be
restored because of the covenant He made with Abraham.
There
were three parts to God’s promise to Abraham. God promised Abraham
would be the father of a great nation even though he and his wife
Sarah were elderly and childless. God promised Abraham a land for
His people. And God promised Abraham the Savior would be born from
his seed. We are told “Abraham
believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness”
(Romans 4:3). 450 years before the Law was given to Moses, God gave
Abraham a promise. Galatians 3:13 explains that as followers of
Christ, we, like Abraham, are accepted by God by faith. “Christ
redeemed us from the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is
written: ‘curses 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 by faith we might receive the
promise of the Spirit“.
God did not take away the consequences of my sins. No, Jesus took
my punishment to demonstrate that God keeps His word. All that is
required of me is to believe. How do you receive this wonderful
promise? Romans 10:9 declares, “If
you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe with your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved“.
Will you choose fear or freedom?