What I Noticed Today (Leviticus 26-27)
Two powerful chapters to close out the book of Leviticus!
Leviticus 26
Leviticus 26 is focused on God’s covenant with the people of Israel.
Note: God uses the word “covenant” eight times in this one chapter. This type of covenant is called a conditional covenant because God’s promise is conditioned on certain behavior from the Israelites.
In verses 1-2, God warns against making idols, setting up carved images, sacred pillars, or stone sculptures to worship. You must keep My Sabbaths and revere My sanctuary.
Note: The phrase “you must keep my Sabbaths” occurs three times in Leviticus (Leviticus 26:2, 19:3, 19:30) and once in Exodus (Exodus 31:13). It is a reference to the fourth commandment.
In verses 3-13, God says if they walk in his statutes and keep his commandments, then they will enjoy His blessings:
- They will have plentiful rain and good crops. They will have plenty of food and live securely.
- They will have peace. You will have nothing to be afraid of in the land.
- You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall before you.
- God promised to walk among them and make them fruitful and multiply in the land.
In verses 14-39, God says if the people do not do according to God’s laws, then He will withdraw His blessings and bring judgment upon the people:
- Verses 14-17. Illness, famine, and defeat.
- Verses 18-20. Drought and poor harvests.
- Verses 21-22. Wild animals will ravage your land.
- Verses 23-26. Pestilence (disease) and oppression from your enemies.
- Verses27-39. You will resort to cannibalism to survive. I will destroy your cities and your land. I will scatter you among the nations so your land will become desolate. The land will enjoy its Sabbath rests that it did not have while you lived there. You will not be able to stand before your enemies. You will perish among nations. Those who survive will waste away because of their sins.
Note: The phrase “If you will not listen to Me” begins each of the five sections (vv. 14, 18, 21, 23, 27). Each of these is followed by the phrase “I will,” indicating the judgment that their disobedience will bring.
In verses 40-45, God says if they repent of their sins, then He will remember His covenant with them (Abrahamic) and restore them:
- If their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled.
- If they will pay the penalty for their sin.
- I will not reject them even as they live in the land of their enemies.
- I will remember the covenant I made with their fathers when I brought them out of Egypt.
Note: They will struggle. If they continue to ignore Him, He will walk contrary to them. If they still ignore God, he will walk in fury against them. This increasing harsh punishment is designed to get the people to recognize their sin, turn away from it, and turn back to God. If they confess and repent of their sins against God, He promises to forgive them, restore them, and remember His covenant with them
Leviticus 27
Leviticus 27 involves the laws about vows, gifts, and tithes.
In verses 1-8, the Lord spoke to Moses and gave him instructions regarding special vows dedicating someone to the Lord’s service.
- A male 20-60 years old could be redeemed for 50 shekels of silver.
- A female could be redeemed for 30 shekels of silver.
- A male 5-20 years old could be redeemed for 20 shekels of silver, and a female for 10 shekels.
- A male one month to 5 years old could be redeemed for five shekels of silvers, and a female for 3 shekels.
- A male over 60 years old could be redeemed for 15 shekels of silver and a female for 10 shekels.
- If someone is too poor to pay the assessment, they can appear before the priest who will set a value based on what the person can afford.
Note: The 50-shekel price to redeem a male between 20-60 years old was about 50 months’ wages. A high price designed to discourage people from making rash vows.
In verses 9-13, vows regarding animals.
- An animal brought to the Lord as an offering in payment of a vow is holy and cannot be substituted. An animal not suitable for sacrifice could be redeemed by paying the redemption price assessed by the priest plus a 20% penalty.
In verses 14-15, the dedication of houses.
- A house dedicated to the Lord will be assessed by the priest. It may be redeemed at the assessed value, plus 20%.
In verses 16-25, the dedication of land.
- A piece of land dedicated to the Lord is to be valued based on the amount of seed needed to sow it at the rate of 50 shekels per five bushels of seed. If the field is dedicated in the year of Jubilee, its price will stand as assessed. If the field is dedicated after the Jubilee, the price will be reduced based on the number of years remaining until the next Jubilee. If the field is not redeemed, then it becomes holy to the Lord as part of the priest’s property. If the field is land the person has purchased and is not part of the person’s inheritance, then the land will revert to the original owner at the next Jubilee.
In verses 26-27, the dedication of the firstborn
- The firstborn of animals cannot be dedicated to the Lord because they already belong to the Lord.
- If the animal is unclean, then it can be redeemed by adding 20% to its value.
In verses 28-29, irrevocable gifts.
- Nothing a man permanently dedicates to the Lord, whether a person, animal, or land can be redeemed. It is especially holy to the Lord.
- No person set apart for destruction may be redeemed; they must be put to death.
In verses 30-33, tithes of the produce of the land.
- A tithe of all the produce of the land belongs to the Lord. If a person wishes to redeem any part of his tithe he must add 20% to the value.
- Tithes of animals are holy to the Lord. No substitutes are allowed, and they cannot be redeemed.
Note: In every case, the offering in fulfillment of the vow was to be brought to the priest, and the priest would value the item to confirm that it fulfilled the requirements of the vow. We see the implication of making a vow dedicating something to God in Mark 7:11-12.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- When I read passages like the covenant promise, I see God’s grace and mercy extended to a people who He knows will reject Him. Then I think of how my own sin is a rejection of God’s best, and am so thankful that Jesus bore my sins upon the cross at Calvary!
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
