January 21

Day 313: Promises and Predictions

Leviticus 26 is the Promise and Prediction chapter. The Promises revolve around whether or not God's people will live and act like God's people. Or not.

On one hand, God says, "If you will walk in my statutes and observe my commandments," then...abundant blessings will follow.

On the other hand, God says, "If you will not listen to Me and will not do all these commandments, spurn my statutes, abhor my rules, but break My covenant," then...really bad stuff will happen.

It all sounds very transactional. Because it is. It's not so much threats as it is promises. Boil it all down, and it's about who or what the people will choose to fear, and who or what they will ultimately follow.

Would they adhere themselves to the covenant with God? Or would they make covenants with their perceived enemies?

You can read the very same chapter in Leviticus and alternatively see it as prediction. The rest of the Old Testament is the story of the gradual, eventual fail of the "Theocracy," (a government under and led by God.)

Take a look at the final few prophetic OT books and you'll see it's true. Leviticus 26 is an overview and synopsis of three-fourths of the Bible!

One interesting bit in these promises in response to their breaking the covenant is when God says, several times, that they will "flee when no one is pursuing." That's God's way of saying, "You will run away from what is not there, while not recognizing what you really should run away from."

The real enemy in their day was not the neighboring nations. In fact, God's people in many ways embraced and imitated them. They wanted victory over them, or detente with them. They saw their enemy in only horizontal terms.

Yesterday's Presidential transition may have convinced some to shout (and post) for joy. Others may have been tempted to wear (and post) black. Everyone encouraged to view someone else as the enemy.

We may be convinced to detest anyone not on our team, but the real enemy detests EVERY human on this planet, regardless of race, creed, or political affiliation.

Reading through the Old Testament, I find myself asking, "Why does God put up with us, when we continue to be so blind?"

He puts up with us, not because of us, not even in spite of us, but because of Who He is. The final verses in Leviticus 26 say as much.

"Yet for all that...I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD."

God is always true to His promises. Even when He knew what His people would eventually do. Even when He would eventually allow them to be carried off into captivity by those same nations they feared. He would be, and still is true to His promises.

Our God keeps His word. When we do not. He wants us to know the true enemy. And He wants us to know the true salvation.

Any institution established by man cannot bring true peace. No worldly allegiance cannot save us from that same enemy.

Only Jesus can bring real peace and eternal victory over the real enemy. As we together march toward the inevitable and pre-ordained conclusion to this world's story.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau