Leviticus 26

Notes

Ver. 1-46. This chapter, which mostly corresponds with De. xxviii., is a summary of the oracles and providences of God relative to the Jewish nation. In the first part of it we have a summary of much of the contents of those promises already met with, and of the whole of those hereafter contained in the Bible, with respect to the Jewish nation. All the prosperity they met with in the days of Joshua, the judges, the kings, the deputies of the Persian, Grecian, or Roman powers, were but the fulfilment of these predictions. In the second part of it we have a summary of all the threatenings which relate to their nation, whether denounced by Moses, the prophets, Christ, or his apostles. All the miseries which that nation endured under the judges, kings, Chaldeans, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, for about fifteen hundred years—and all the miseries they have endured in their present dispersion among the Gentiles, which have already continued above eighteen hundred years, without any interruption—is but a literal accomplishment of them. The third part has been, in some measure, verified in some of their former deliverances; especially in the mercies which they received in their return from Babylon, and afterwards until the time of Christ. But we expect a more full accomplishment of it in the latter days, when the Jews shall be converted to the Christian faith, and replaced in their own land.

—[Ver. 5. Because God's temporal promises and threatenings were so many, some have thoughtlessly asserted that he urged not the doctrine of a future state; but they who assert this omission 'do err, not knowing the Scriptures;' for when we examine the wondrous catalogue of promises commencing ver. 4, we find at least twelve distinct temporal blessings; but, in addition to these, God promises, ver. 9, his covenant to be established. Now, that covenant was everlasting, not merely with successive generations, but with Abraham individually, personally, Ge. 17. 7, 9, 10. Now, if the covenant between God and Abraham was everlasting, Abraham therein inherited everlasting life; and Israel, in the establishment of that covenant, received the doctrine and the promise of immortality, as well as of the temporal blessings with which it was accompanied, see 1 Ti. 4. 8. Then, turning to the awful threatenings that follow, ver. 16, we find God declaring, ver. 30, 'I will cast your carcasses (dead bodies) upon the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you;' that is, you, still living—not them, the carcasses which are dead; a distinct announcement that, 'as it is appointed unto men once to die, so after that the judgment,' He. 9. 27.—Ver. 11. This was typically commenced when the tabernacle service was set up in the wilderness; really commenced when 'the Word became flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us,' Jn. 1. 14; and it will be completed in the 'new heavens and the new earth,' when the great voice shall proclaim, 'Behold the tabernacle of God is with men,' Re. 21. 1, 3.—Ver. 31. Sanctuary signifies a holy place: and though, after the time of David, Israel had but one divinely authorized temple, in Jerusalem, yet from the days of Moses till that time there had been several, which God sanctioned according to their unsettled circumstances, Jos. 18.1; 1 Sa. 1.3; 7.2; 21.1; 1 Ch. 6.31; 15.1; 16.1. These were, all in their turn, brought into that desolation in which they still remain, a warning to Christian churches to 'repent and do the first works, lest the Lord come unto them quickly, and fight against them with the sword of his mouth,' Re. 2.5, 16.—Ver. 35. The law of the Sabbath amongst the Jews was propounded upon the strongest of all reasons—the example and hallowing of God; was delivered with the utmost particularity of detail; was accompanied with the largest promises, Is. 56.2; 58.13, 14; was enforced by the heaviest penalties, Ne. 13.18; Eze. 20.13, 21, 33; and yet, as with their other laws, it was soon made void, Ne. 13.15, 21; Eze. 20.12, 13; 22.8; Am. 8.5. Now for this criminal violation of the divine ordinance, God sent the 'king of the Chaldees' 'to fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths,' 2 Ch. 36.21. Now Christian nations, upon sound warrant of Scripture, have adopted the weekly memorial of the resurrection of Christ to be their Sabbath; and since the new covenant is ordered, not only upon better promises, He. 8.6, but is fenced with-heavier penalties, He. 2.2, 3; 10.24-31, it deeply interests both rulers and people to contemplate the sabbatical judgments of Israel; and 'if' (on the very account of sabbath violation) 'God spared not the natural branches, let them take heed lest he also spare not them,' Ro. 11.21. C.—The present state of Palestine is a remarkable and melancholy commentary on this whole prophetic curse:—The 'high places' of Shiloh, Bethel, and Dan are utterly destroyed; the great cities of Samaria, Capernaum, Jericho, Cæsarea, and a host of others, are waste, without inhabitant; the richest and best portions of the land—Philistia, Sharon, Esdraelon, the valley of the Jordan, Bashan, &c.—are entirely desolate; the remnant of the Israelites themselves are homeless wanderers in the lands of their enemies, while their enemies, who now occupy that country which God gave to Abraham, are astonished at its desolation. P.—Ver. 38. A threatening wonderfully verified in the loss of the ten tribes, 2 Ki. 17.6, who have been sought for in vain both by Jews and Christians: the proofs in favour of the Affghauns and American Indians being very questionable, and, at best, accompanied with no approach to certainty: see Simon's Hope of Israel; Wolff's Journal, 1831-34; Rose's Scripture Researches; Cotton's Tour to the American Lakes, &c.—Ver. 41. As circumcision was the sign and seal of God's covenant with Abraham, Ge. 17.11; Ro. 4.11, an uncircumcised heart was on them that had not received the grace signified, 'the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh,' 1 Col. 2.11.—Ver. 45. That the threatenings against the Jews have been fulfilled to the uttermost, is a visible and undeniable fact; that the promises will likewise be fulfilled, God has pledged his covenant word; that Christians should feel more deeply, pray more fervently, and sacrifice more liberally than hitherto for the conversion of Israel to Jesus the Messiah, is acknowledged. From the sign of awakened and increasing interest in their behalf, there is reason to 'thank God and take courage.' C.]

Reflections.—How strict is the connection between holiness and happiness! Manifold are the blessings of those who, in a gospel manner, obey God's laws, and great is the favour of God towards them, and intimate his presence with them. His celestial influences produce spiritual gifts and holy dispositions, and the peace of God keeps their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Their enemies, sin, Satan, the world, and death, are vanquished in him, and the covenant of God stands fast with them for ever and ever. But how dreadful the punishment of such as are obstinate in wickedness! While they wickedly proceed from evil to worse, the judgments of God justly increase in their number and degree; and such as remain unhumbled under afflictions from God, and convictions from their own conscience, have nothing to expect but wrath to the uttermost. Such as dare to contend with their Maker will find the struggle most unequal. Disappointments, diseases, evil beasts, sword, famine, pestilences, captivity, and, in fine, death and hell, wait to overwhelm them. How dreadful then is the nature of sin! How certain the ruin of impenitent sinners! Aggravated is their guilt whom mercies cannot engage or corrections deter; and God will be just to give up those to despair, and death, in sin, who give up themselves to work wickedness with greediness. But behold how all who return to God, even though late, are graciously received by him! It is his grace, concurring with his afflictive providences, that softens the stupid and hardened heart, and humbles the sinner; that renders him patient under his troubles, but earnestly anxious to escape from his sins; renders him more solicitous to have the end of afflictions answered than to have the burden of them removed; and then marvellously God remembers mercy in the midst of judgments; and opens to the believing mind a firm foundation of hopes, and gracious source of blessings, in Jesus and his promise of grace! Amidst such fulness of merit, and freedom of promise, none need despair, relying thereon. Blessing God for my pious ancestors, and the benefits I enjoy through them, following in their steps, let me deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.