“There Will Be Consequences”


BIBLE READING: Leviticus 24-27

                As the book of Leviticus draws to a close, God issues a stern warning to His people concerning disobedience.  "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins…” (Leviticus 26:14-18).
Why is God so harsh?  Is God somehow trying to scare them into believing and obeying Him?  Does He see us as a little child that just needs to be disciplined? Although God does consider us His children, He is by no means trying to threaten us into following His commandments.  If there is one reoccurring theme within the Bible, it is the love that God has for us.  Love was the only reason He created us in the first place.  Love is the reason He sent Jesus into the world to offer us a way to be saved (John 3.16).  In fact, the very essence of God is love (I John 4.7-21).  Then why does God seem so brutal to the children of Israel?  Maybe a better way of viewing this is not as a threat, but as a warning.   God loves the nation of Israel, if He didn’t, He never would have brought them out of Egypt.  God also knows what is best for the nation of Israel as well, He has the unique perspective of knowing what can help or harm them.  One thing that stands out when you read these commandments is that they are specific.  They are specific, because God knows what will happen to them if they disobey them.  For instance, if they chose to not obey the laws concerning dealing with leprosy, the whole nation is at risk of an epidemic.  These laws were not just created for God’s pleasure, but rather our necessity of understanding His will when it is made known to us in the New Testament.  Each one of these commandments contain a deeper meaning.  Although they may not fully understand their purpose, today we are able to see exactly why He put them into place.  So instead of understanding this portion of Scripture as a threat, maybe we should see it more as a warning. God wants them to know that if they refuse to heed His words, there will be consequences.   God knows what is best for His people, even when we might not be able to see it ourselves.  

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