Our reading of the book of Leviticus today ends with a flourish.
What we expected when we started the book was listing of sacrifices and rituals in almost excruciating detail, and Moses did not disappoint us.
But in this book of pomp and ceremony, there is an also startling reminder of how seriously we need to take the holiness of God and His call for us to be a holy people.
The story of Nabab and Abihu is included following the catalog of sacrifices for a reason— we must treat what is holy as holy.
And that story provides the backdrop for the Day of Atonement ritual (Lev 16:1).
The book ends with God making some promises. He first promises peace and prosperity for those who follow his laws and keep his covenant (26:3-12). Rains will come, enemies will be defeated and wild beasts will be chased away. God will bless his faithful people. But in even more graphic language, God promises gloom, despair and agony on them if they fail to keep the covenant. Look at Leviticus 26:18-20--
If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit.
Things get worse if Israel continues to disobey God. The phrase “If after all this…” (v. 18) is repeated in verses 21, 23, 27 with the threats getting worse and worse. Just as God promises great blessings if Israel is faithful to the covenant, He is very clear what awaits them if they are not faithful.
Remember, this is Exodus language. God is preparing Israel to possess and live in the Promised Land. The promises of gentle rains and prosperity as a reward for faithfulness are not meant to be universal and timeless. Neither is the threat of national disaster a guarantee for all godless and disobedient nations. What nation in history has failed to be godless and disobedient? Israel was the people of the covenant, and they had a special responsibility to follow the commands of God.
Will God destroy faithless and godless nations? Eventually. If He wants to. And will God destroy the United States if we insist on being godless and rebellious? Maybe. Probably. Nations are but political constructs that God raises up and casts down at His pleasure. America is not and has never His covenant people any more than any other nation has been, although He has certainly blessed her “from the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam.” And He has used her for His purposes. But the covenant people that God holds accountable for keeping His laws and living His holiness is not America or any other nation. It is the church—you and me. Leviticus calls us to holiness and obedience. And we had better take it seriously.
1 comment:
If I understand you correctly, you are saying, America is not and never has been that. That is His covenant people.
While some in the nation are true to Him (the Lord of all) first and foremost they are Holy and complete in Him. The only way any can be in the church, is to know and obey Him. That can be done, that is we can know Him, know what he expects and demands. All of that can be found and learned as we study the books of the bible written guarded and passed down to our generation. We are made more complete and hole as His people in our nation, that will require less resources being directed towards us as we live what we have learned and live under the command of the spirit of the Lord. Giving and returning what we have been blessed with in His spirit of love. As we are filled by our father it flows over and become evident to and blesses even our nation with the love of our heavenly father.
Thanks for keeping our attention pointed in that direction.
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