Leviticus 26:27

(27) And if he will not for all this hearken unto me.—Better, And if, notwithstanding these, ye will not hearken unto me, that is, if in spite of these awful punishments they persist in rebellion against God. With this reiterated formula the fifth warning is introduced (Lev_26:27-33), which threatens the total destruction of the land and the people in the midst of the most appalling horrors.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lev 26:27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;

Ver. 27. But walk contrary unto me.] Or, At all adventures with me.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lev_26:27-39

Then I will walk contrary unto you.

Gods determination to punish sinners

I. As affecting supposition stated. If ye will not, &c. The Lord here supposes that His people may commit three grievous sins:

1. The sin of disobedience. If ye will not hearken unto Me. Hence observe--

(1) That the Lord in His Word speaks to us (Heb_8:12).

(2) That whatever the Lord says in His Word it is our bounden duty to hear (Heb_3:7; 1Th_5:20; Jam_1:19).

(3) That we are too apt to turn a deaf ear to Him (Exo_5:2; Psa_12:4).

2. The sin of incorrigibleness. If for all this ye will not hearken. Note here--

(1) That afflictions sometimes have the nature of punishments (Jer_13:21).

(2) That punishment is the natural and necessary consequence of transgression.

(3) That in the punishment which God inflicts He seeks our reformation (2Ch_18:22).

(4) That our depravity in too many cases frustrates His designs (Zep_3:2).

3. The sin of perverseness. If ye walk contrary to Me. Observe again--

(1) That the Lords pleasure is, we should walk with Him (Mic_6:8).

(2) That we walk with the Lord when we walk in His way (2Ki_20:3; Ecc_12:13).

(3) That walking otherwise than He has commanded is to show a perverse and untoward heart.

II. An awful consequence declared. I will walk contrary also to you in fury. Thus we see that--

1. Conformable to our character will be our end. If God should deal thus with us

(1) We shall lose the blessing which He imparts to> His obedient followers (Lev_26:4-12).

(2) Our expectations will issue in disappointment and vexation (Hos_8:7); and

(3) Like chaff before the wind we shall speedily be carried to destruction (Psa_1:4-5).

2. Enforcement of these considerations: we see--

(1) That a religion consisting of mere notions will never saw a man.

(2) That men are not at liberty, as some suppose, to live as they please.

(3) That God takes notice of the ways of all.

(4) That if He displays His anger we should be anxious to find out the cause; and

(5) That if any one perish he will have no one to blame for it but himself (Isa_3:11). (Wm. Sleigh.)

Desolation threatened to Israel

I. How horrifying the miseries which may befall a privileged people. The miseries of penury and siege (Lev_26:29); of captivity and slaughter (Lev_26:33); of anguish and derision (Lev_26:36); of pitiless misery and disaster (Lev_26:39).

1. None are so secure in grace and privilege that they can disregard the possibility of a fall.

2. None are so rich in sacred favours as to be beyond danger of their total loss.

3. None are so honoured by Gods selecting and distinguishing grace but they may lapse into alienation and desolation.

II. How amazing the disasters which may devastate a beautiful country. Canaan was a wealthy land, a scene of loveliness, abundance, and delight. Yet on it came the disasters of depopulation (Lev_26:31), sterility (Lev_26:32), desertion (Lev_26:35)--even enemies abandoning it.

1. National plenty and prosperity are conditional upon national righteousness and piety.

2. National greatness and glory have been withered by the anger of an insulted God.

3. National strength and safety are only guaranteed as religion is fostered by the laws of a country, and in the habits and lives of its people.

III. How piteous the profanation which may despoil a nations sanctities! Canaan was the scene of Jehovahs sanctuary: the Temple rose on Zion; and the land sent up her tribes to the celebration of sacred feasts and to the holy worship of God. Yet all her sanctuaries were brought unto desolation (Lev_26:31), all the fragrance of her sacrifices became loathsome to Jehovah (Lev_26:31), and her desecrated Sabbaths were avenged in the bleak silence and loneliness which fell on hallowed scenes (Lev_26:34).

1. Religious favours, if abused, may be utterly withdrawn from us.

2. God loathes the offerings once delightful to Him, when the offerers love is estranged.

3. Holy scenes and holy days become a barren mockery if a trifling spirit alienate the sacred Presence: Ichabod! (W. H. Jellie.)

Verse 40-45. If they shall confess their iniquity.

Gods promises to penitents

I. What is that repentance which God requires?

1. That we acknowledge our guilt. Our fathers sins as well as our own are first grounds of national humiliation. Our own sins are the chief burden of personal contrition. But sin should be viewed in its true light, as walking contrary to God (Psa_51:4).

2. That we justify God in His judgments. If we have dared to walk contrary to Him, is not He justified in walking contrary to us? Whatever inflictions He imposes we have reason to own it as less than our deserts (Ezr_9:13), and that His judgments are just (Rev_16:7).

3. That we be thankful for His dealings by which He has humbled our uncircumcised hearts. Only real contrition can produce this. It realises mercy in judgment, and love in affliction.

II. The connection between our repentance and Gods mercy. Repentance is void of merit. Even obedience is destitute of merit; when we have done all we could we are unprofitable servants. The acknowledgment of a debt is a very different thing from a discharge of that debt. A condemned criminal may be sorry for his offences, but that sorrow does not obliterate his crime, still less entitle him to rewards. Yet there is connection between repentance and pardon, and meekness in the exercise of mercy towards the penitent--

1. On Gods part. For repentance glorifies God (Jos_7:19).

2. On the part of the penitents. It incites to loathing of the sin, and to adoration of Divine grace. So God insists on the condition, If they be humbled, then will I pardon. For then God can do it consistently with His honour, and they will make a suitable improvement of the mercy vouchsafed them.

III. The ground and measure of that mercy which penitents may expect. Gods covenant with their ancestors was the basis and warrant of His mercy to Israel (Lev_26:42; Lev_26:44-45). His covenant with us in Christ is our hope and guarantee.

1. Be thankful that you are yet within reach of mercy.

2. Have especial respect unto the covenant of grace. It is to that God looks, and to that should we look also. It is the only basis on which mercy and redemption are possible. (C. Simeon, M. A.)

The bow in the cloud

I. That the way was left open for the rebellious to return.

1. It was the way of reflection.

2. It was the way of confession.

3. It was the way of humiliation.

They were not to return proudly, feeling they had not been rewarded according to their iniquities. The way is still open for the vilest to return; for, the New Testament teaches that these are the steps in the ladder of life, out of sin to holiness, from earth to heaven, from self to God, viz.: Repentance, conversion, consecration.

II. That if the rebellious returned to the lord in his own appointed way he would graciously receive them.

1. He would do so for the sake of their fathers. He would remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

2. He would do so for the sake of His name. For I am the Lord. He had purposed, as well as promised, to deal mercifully with them.

3. He would do so for the sake of the land. He had selected Canaan as the arena where He would specially display His glory to men, and He would not allow it to lie waste for ever.

4. He would do it for the sake of His covenant. I will remember My covenant. The Lord does not make a covenant and then tear it rashly to pieces; if broken by man He will speedily renew, nor allow the irregularities and irreligion of men to thwart His beneficent arrangements. Here, indeed, was a resplendent bow of many colours, beaming with the beautiful light of the mild and merciful countenance of the Most High. What encouragement for sinful men to return to the Lord, for He will have mercy upon them, and abundantly pardon. The Levitical law closes with offers of mercy, the last words of the law are words of entreaty and promise. (W. H. Jellie.)

Gains of a good ancestry

I will for their sake remember the covenant of their ancestors.

I. The vows and prayers of a goodly parentage exercise influence upon the divine plans. That covenant is thrice referred to as determining Gods arrangements (Lev_26:42; Lev_26:44-45). Note Jobs prayers for his children (Job_1:5; cf. with verse 10), Made a hedge about Job and about his house.

II. Over long intervals the influence of parental covenants extend. This covenant with Abraham was made 1900 years B.C. (Gen_15:13-14). It is now 1900 years A.D., yet the word stands, They are beloved for the fathers sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Rom_11:28-29). God is at work, though He seems to wait. In due season ye shall reap if ye faint not. Praying soul, anxious heart, clinging to the promises--Hope, and be undismayed; God hears thy cries, and counts thy tears, God shall lift up thy head.

III. How grand the link between a parents piety and the childrens destiny!

1. Live and pray for your descendants.

2. Value the sacred benefits even though as yet unrealised, of a godly ancestry.

3. Rest in the unfailing pledge of God to reward piety and prayer. (W. H. Jellie.)

The advantage of submission

It is recorded of Edward I., that, being angry with a servant of his in the sport of hawking, he threatened him sharply. The gentleman answered, It was well there was a river between them. Hereat the king, more incensed, spurred his horse into the depth of the river, not without extreme danger of his life, the water being deep and the banks too steep and high for his ascending, Yet, at last recovering land, with his sword drawn, he pursued the servant, who rode as fast from him. But finding himself too ill-horsed to outride the angry king, he reined, lighted, and, on his knees, exposed his neck to the blow of the kings sword. The king no sooner saw this but he put up his sword and would not touch him. A dangerous water could not withhold him from violence; yet his servants submission did soon pacify him. While man flies stubbornly from God, He that rides upon the wings of the wind posts after him with sword of vengeance drawn. But when in dust and ashes he humbles himself, and stands to His mercy, the wrath of God is soon appeased..

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then I will walk contrary to you also in fury,.... As in Lev 26:24; with this addition, in fury; being greatly provoked, and highly incensed, that no regard was had to him, neither to his commands, nor to his corrections; and therefore would be determined to stir up his wrath, and pour out the fury of his indignation on them, which must be terrible:

and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins; add new and many more chastisements, and that in hot displeasure, for their sins; and the repetition or doubling of the phrase, "I, even I, will do it", denotes the certainty of it, and that he will do it himself, and his hand should be visible in it; and they should feel the weight of it, and be obliged to own that these were punishments inflicted by him for their sins.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Vers. 27-33. Punishment in the fifth degree. Ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. We find that this threat was fulfilled in Samaria, (2Ki_6:28) and in Jerusalem at the time both of the earlier siege by the Chaldaeans, and of the later siege by the Romans (see Lam_2:20 Lam_4:10; Josephus, "Bell. Jud:," 5:9, 3; and the terrible case of Mary daughter of Eleazar. Josephus, "Bell. Jud:" 6:3, 4). And I will destroy your high places. By high places is meant the tops of hills or eminences chosen for worship, whether of Jehovah, (see Jud_1:6:26 1Ki_3:2 2Ki_12:3 1Ch_21:26) or of false gods. The high places intended hero are the spots where the "sun-images" were erected (see 2Ch_14:5 Isa_17:8 Eze_6:4) and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols that is, they should roll in the dust together. And I will make your cities waste as Samaria and Jerusalemand bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, by the sanctuaries, which are to be desolated, is meant all the consecrated things: the holy of holies, the holy place, the court, the ark, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt sacrificeand I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours so in Jer_6:20, "To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet". (cf. Isa_1:11-15) And I will bring the land into desolation: (cf. Jer_9:11) and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it. (cf. Eze_5:15)

And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you. See Jer_9:16, "I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Fourth and severest stage. - If they should still persist in their opposition, God would chastise them with wrathful meeting, yea, punish them so severely in His wrath, that they would be compelled to eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, i.e., to slay their own children and eat them in the extremity of their hunger, - a fact which literally occurred in Samaria in the period of the Syrians (Kg2 6:28-29), and in Jerusalem in that of the Chaldeans (Lam 2:20; Lam 4:10), and in the Roman war of extermination under Titus (Josephus bell. jud. v. 10, 3) in the most appalling manner. Eating the flesh of their own children is mentioned first, as indicating the extremity of the misery and wretchedness in which the people would perish; and after this, the judgment, by which the nation would be brought to this extremity, is more minutely described in its four principal features: viz., (1) the destruction of all idolatrous abominations (Lev 26:30); (2) the overthrow of the towns and sanctuaries (Lev 26:31); (3) the devastation of the land, to the amazement of the enemies who dwelt therein (Lev 26:32); and (4) the dispersion of the people among the heathen (Lev 26:33). The "high places" are altars erected upon heights and mountains in the land, upon which sacrifices were offered both to Jehovah in an unlawful way and also to heathen deities. חמּנים, sun-pillars, are idols of the Canaanitish nature-worship, either simple pillars dedicated to Baal, or idolatrous statues of the sun-god (cf. Movers Phnizier i. pp. 343ff.). "And I give your carcases upon the carcases of your idols." גּלּלים, lit., clods, from גּלל to roll, a contemptuous expression for idols. With the idols the idolaters also were to perish, and defile with their corpses the images, which had also become corpses as it were, through their overthrow and destruction. For the further execution of this threat, see Eze 6:4. This will be your lot, for "My soul rejects you." By virtue of the inward character of His holy nature, Jehovah must abhor and reject the sinner.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

If you do not listen to me

Listening represents obeying what he has said. AT: "If you do not obey me" (See: Metonymy)

to walk against me

Walking represents behavior. Walking against someone represents opposing him or fighting against him. AT: "to oppose me" or "to fight against me" (See: Metaphor)

I will walk against you

Walking represents behavior. Walking against someone represents opposing him or fighting against him. AT: "I will oppose you" (See: Metaphor)

I will punish you even seven more times as much

Here "seven more times" is not literal. It means Yahweh will increase the severity of his punishment. (See: Idiom)

translationWords

walk

anger

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.