Levítico 26

Levítico 26

Trapp commented that Lev 26:40 is "A special text touching the rejection and conversion of the Jews." Jeremiah gave a prophecy concerning Israel's future For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (Jeremiah 29:11; 12) Comment: Here in Leviticus Moses prophesies that Israel will call on God and pray to Him, confessing her sins and humbling her heart (Lev 26:41) in response to her brokenness and repentance would remember His covenant with Abraham (Lev 26:42, 45). Moses describes Israel's future restoration in Deuteronomy 30 (Context = Deuteronomy 28-30 = God's promises to Israel of blessing and cursing)... So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons (THIS "RETURN" HAS NOT YET OCCURRED BUT IS A FUTURE EVENT THAT WILL SURELY OCCUR IN ONE-THIRD OF THE JEWISH NATION IN THE LAST DAYS - SEE Zechariah 12:10-14-note, Zechariah 13:8-9-note, Romans 11:25-29-note) , 3 THEN (DON'T MISS THIS IMPORTANT WORD! See expressions of time - e.g. then and always consider the "5P's" - Pause to Ponder the Passage then Practice it in the Power of the Spirit) the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you. 4 If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. 5 The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed (LITERALLY GOD SAYS THAT REPENTANT REDEEMED REMNANT OF ISRAEL NOT THE CHURCH WILL RECEIVE THE LAND IN THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT - Ge 15:18-20-note), and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live (REAL LIFE IN CHRIST, ETERNAL LIFE WITH CHRIST!). (Deuteronomy 30:1-6-commentary) Comment: The phrase with all your heart and soul is not possible for an unregenerate, "uncircumcised" heart. This as an indication that at some time in the future (the text says when the Jews are scattered or dispersed "in all nations") God will spiritually circumcise their hard hearts. (See article on Circumcision of the Heart) Paul explains what this means writing that circumcision is not "that which is outward in the flesh" but is inward, "a circumcision...of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter (OBEYING THE LAW)" (Ro 2:28-29, cf Col 2:11) and only then will they be enabled to "love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul." While individual Jews have received "circumcision of their hearts," (and praise God that number is increasing in recent decades - see list of notable Hebrew Christians albeit difficult to discern if all truly had "heart circumcision") the nation of Israel as a whole is still, for the most part, composed of Jews with "uncircumcised hearts." This national heart surgery will occur when the "Great Physician" Yeshua (Jehovah saves/makes whole - see Hebrew verb yasha') returns and takes away their sin faithfully thereby fulfilling His unconditional covenant promises to Abraham and the fuller unconditional New Covenant promises (which does not abrogate or nullify the Abrahamic Covenant, but in a sense, "amplifies" it or "extends" it)(See Ro 11:26-29-note). See also the discussion of the relationship of the 3 major OT covenants = Abrahamic vs Old vs New. If they confess - This is a prophecy of what Israel will do in the future. They will confess at some point in time in the future. As the NET Bible Note explains "Many English versions take this to be a conditional clause (if...) though there is no conditional particle." The NLT paraphrase is more accurate = "But at last my people will confess their sins." The New Jerusalem Bible has "Then they shall admit their guilt." They confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers: As noted there will be some point when Israel sees it's sin against God and confesses. Below are some Scriptural examples of confession and the spiritual "fruit" associated with genuine heartfelt confession. Recall that the truth written centuries later by John is applicable to confession in both testaments... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9-note) In the OT parallel passage Solomon writes... He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. (Pr 28:13-note) Comment: Note that confession here is not just agreeing with God one has sinned against Him, but includes turning from that sin (repentance). The point is that confession with the lips devoid of change in the life, is hypocritical and unacceptable to God! When we confess our sins do we immediately go back and wallow in them? If so, we need to ponder the authenticity and acceptability of our confession to God! David agrees with John and Solomon declaring I acknowledged my sin to You (CONFESSION), And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. (Ps 32:5) Solomon wrote When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against Thee (LIKE THE JUDGMENTS DESCRIBED IN Lev 26:14-39), and they pray toward this place and confess Thy name and turn from their sin (THIS IS REPENTANCE) when Thou dost afflict them, 36 then hear Thou in heaven and forgive the sin of Thy servants and of Thy people Israel, indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Thy land, which Thou hast given Thy people for an inheritance. (1 Ki 8:35-36) In Romans Paul speaks of the importance of confession in the New Birth that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Ro 10:9-10-note) Note that Lev 26:40ff is difficult to interpret. See below for my interpretation below which should be read with a "Berean-like" attitude (Acts 17:11-note). Iniquity (05771)('avon from verb 'avah = to bend, twist, distort) describes the iniquity, evil, punishment or guilt which is associated with a twisting of the standard or deviation from it. Since there is a deliberate twisting or perverting, 'avon describes sin that is particularly evil. In their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me - We must remember our sin ultimately is always against God (Ge 39:9). Unfaithfulness which they committed (being or acting unfaithful) (04603)(maal) means to act unfaithfully, to trespass, to violate one's duty, to break faith, to commit a violation, to act. in a manner which is untrustworthy or unreliable in relation to an agreement or relationship. The idea of maal is that of a conscious act of treachery or unfaithfulness against the Lord. In Ezek 39:23 and Da 9:7 maal describes the sin which resulted in Judah's exile to Babylon! The Septuagint uses two Greek verbs to translate Israel's acting unfaithfully (maal) - (1) parabaino = to turn aside, transgress, overstep and (2) huperorao = to disregard as not worthy of one's notice and so to disdain or even despise! Both verbs are in the active voice indicating this was a volition choice of Israel, a choice of their will to turn aside and to despise God's covenant with then at Sinai. Also in their acting with hostility against Me - (NET - "walked in hostility against Me", ESV = "walking contrary to Me") Walking is a more accurate interpretation and depicts our life as a "walk," how we behave or "order our steps." The English translation of the Septuagint gives us a vivid picture of Israel's behavior writing "they walked sideways before Me!" The Greek word that translates "hostility" (qeri) is the adjective plagios, not found in the NT. It is used 18 times in the Septuagint most of the uses being literal and referring to beside or at the side of something. (side of Noah's ark - Ge 6:16, Ruth "sat beside" the reapers - Ru 2:14, etc). All seven uses in Leviticus 26 are figurative and describe one's behavior as in opposition to another -- (Lev. 26:21; Lev. 26:23; Lev. 26:24; Lev. 26:27; Lev. 26:28; Lev. 26:40; Lev. 26:41). Note that 3 of those uses refer to God acting with hostility toward Israel (Lev 26:24, 28, 41) but of course His actions represent a response to Israel's hostile attitude and actions. Warren