Two Promises

Read Leviticus 26-27
 
Leviticus 26:3-5 “If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit. 5 Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain. You will eat your fill and live securely in your own land.”
 
HERE’S the Good News of God’s blessings. When you obey his commands, you will have a good life in God’s love. To be sure, I’m not saying you are guaranteed prosperity when you obey God’s commands. But our Lord’s Word is a foundational way on how to work and rest, save money, spend and give it. God’s ways do supply what you need.
    Also, this physical blessing from God to Israel is a picture of a spiritual wealth. Paul writes of this in Colossians 3:12 “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.” Those in Christ live at peace with family and neighbors. And they make a good difference in their community. Christ-clothed lives secure their households, strengthen their churches and support good laws in their nation. Israel certainly would have rejoiced to hear God promise such abundant blessing to those who obey his commands.
    Then they should also have trembled at God’s second promise. He was very clear to warn of the profound curse of Israel’s destruction if they rejected him and his commands. What we must understand is that God consistently spoke this two-sided promise: curses in disobedience, blessing in obedience. Be sure to read Leviticus 26:14-46 and know these hard words became Israel’s sad reality. God warned, and he fulfilled his warning. Remember, God’s promises come true. When he promises destruction, this will occur. In Israel’s rebellion, God removed his blessing and ultimately destroyed their nation, to preserve only Judah and portions of Benjamin for the Christ to come.
    In our sin nature, it is our tendency to expect God’s blessings by “being good”. But we too often reject the reality of God’s curse from “being bad”. Today it’s your turn to decide. Will you fear God in the curse? Or will you worship him in the blessing?
 
Believe and know all of God’s Word is true.