Leviticus 26 & 27 Bible Study - Conclusions, Rewards and Warnings

In this final video of our study of Leviticus, we cover both Leviticus 26 and 27. Chapter 26 is a warning from the Lord of the consequences if they follow his decrees and if they do not. If they DO follow his law, God promises blessings, but IF THEY DO NOT, he promises punishment (or better known as chastisement). We look at these warnings as well as examples of where we see both play out in the Old Testament history of Israel. We also cover Leviticus 27, in which we study the dedication and redemption value of items devoted to the Lord.

Outline:
01:29 - Conclusions, chapters 26 and 27 overview.

03:52 - Leviticus 26.1 - Do not make Idols. Bible verses mentioned:
Exo 20.3, Exo 20.4-5, Lev 26.1, Deut 16.22, Num 33.52, Col 3.5. What is an image or sacred stone? Matzebah (Hebrew: מַצֵּבָה.

10:44 - Leviticus 26.2 - Observe my sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary.
What are my sabbaths? - read Lev 23, “the sabbath” & the high-holy days, passover, Offering of First Fruits, Festival of Weeks (Pentecost), Festival of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), The Day of Atonement, and the Festival of Tabernacles. Watch or listen to the study on Lev 23 to learn about each of those: https://youtu.be/tZa4bwQQ1Vc

15:16 - Leviticus 26.3-13 - Reward for Obedience. Verses 3-5, your harvest will be blessed. Vv 6-8 - You will have peace in your borders. Vv 9-13 - you will be blessed. The highest blessing: read v11-12. God is with them, “tabernacles” with them. Bible verses in which we see these blessings come to be: Jos 6, Jos 21.44-45, Jdg 7, and 1 Kgs 4.25.

21:16 - Leviticus 26.14-39 - punishment (or chastisement) for disobedience.
Chastisement (noun) refers to the act of punishing or disciplining someone, typically with the intent to correct, reform, or improve their behavior. It carries a connotation of constructive correction rather than mere retribution, often implying severity tempered by love or moral purpose. Bible verses in which we see these chastisements play out (just a few of the many in the Bible): 2 Sam 24.15, 1 Kgs 17, 2 Kgs 6, 2 Kgs 17.5-6, and 2 Chr 36.15-21

33:15 - Leviticus 26.40-46 - a promise from the Lord
God promises that IF the generation that gets sent away into exile remembers Him, He will remember them. We see this play out in 2 Chr 36.22-23. At the end of his life Joshua gives a great summary of what will play out for Israel: Jos 23.14-16.

Israel was warned, and God followed through with his promises. That makes me so grateful, because when you follow the scarlet thread of redemption through the Bible God makes promises that He fulfilled in His son, coming down to earth to save us from our eternal judgment. As we warned about, and that we deserve. This book is full of promises some harsh, but the overall theme that resonates over and over is God loves you and has rescued you and wants what is best for you. We should love Him, and obey Him.

38:18 - The story of Israel is the story of us, we are the same. They were called to repent and at times they did, and at times they backslid into their old ways.

40:52 - Leviticus 27 outlines the value for people, animals (clean & unclean), houses, and land (inherited or purchased). It includes provisions for the cost for redemption.

54:43 Leviticus conclusions
Leviticus is a book of worship. It was a call for Israel to be Holy - set apart for the Lord. The people of Israel had been rescued from Egypt, brought through the red sea, and now they were before Mount Siania and are on their way to the promised land.

Love and Obey. That is what God calls us to do.
A good read: The cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In it Bonhoeffer makes this statement, “Only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” He also says, “discipleship is not a human achievement; it is bound solely to the person of Jesus Christ… The only thing that matters is obedience to his call.”

Rom 12.1-2 outlines for us perfectly how we today should respond to the Biblical text: Offer yourself as a living sacrifice - submit to God. Die to self, that He might live in you. Do not conform to the pattern of this world - Lev 18.1-5. Be Holy, set apart. Do not follow the world. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind - study God’s word. It will change you! Test and approve what God’s will is - when you study this book and really dig in deep to its breadth from cover to cover, God will reveal what it means to obey him.