Title Curse
Contents
curse
Leviticus 26:14-46
Like Deuteronomy 28, Leviticus 26 also mentions curses rather than blessings in a much longer and more detailed way. The word about blessing is 10 verses from verses 4 to 13, whereas the word about curse is 24 verses from verses 16 to 39.
Why did God record blessings and curses so disproportionately? God has an educational purpose for us. So what is the educational purpose? The first thing I can think of is to realize that human beings are more inclined to do evil than to do good. Because realizing and acknowledging who you are can more effectively prevent your desire to do evil. Also, if you realize in detail what the consequences of sin are, you will be able to have less desires for sin than before.
Then, what are the consequences of sin, the curse, that God spoke of for educational purposes?
■ First, it was said that disease would come.
In Exodus 15:26, God calls you “the Lord who heals.” I'll read it.
“He said to them, Heed the word of the LORD your God, and do what is right in my sight, and listen to my commandments.
If you keep all my ordinances, I will not bring on you one of all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.”
God is a friendly person who heals all our ailments and pains. He is the true healer who frees us from not only physical disease, but also death and sin. But what if we do not obey God and do not obey His commands? He promised to bring a terrible disaster.
Verse 16 says that he will bring a wonderful calamity, which will cause blindness and weakness of life with pneumonia and fever. Lung disease and fever are incurable diseases that cannot be cured, and they live in despair and eventually die. Verse 25 says that he will send a plague among you. Plague is a terrifying epidemic that takes the lives of millions of people in an instant.
The Bible records that God disciplined the people of Israel by using the plague as a tool. In Numbers 16, 14,700 people died because of a plague caused by God's wrath while complaining. Also, in Numbers 25, it is recorded that 24,000 people died due to a plague caused by fornication in Siddim. 2 Samuel 24 records the incident in which 70,000 people were killed by God's plague, or plague, due to David's census.
We must not forget that God is a God who heals those who obey His Word, but He is a God who sends plagues to those who disobey.
■ Second, it was said that we would lose the war.
As it is now, in the ancient world, losing in war meant losing everything. Thousands of people were killed, those who survived were sold into slavery, and all their hard work was plundered. Verse 17 says that you will be defeated by your enemies by the strike of God. Please believe that victory or defeat in war does not depend on the strength or resourcefulness of the army, but on the sovereignty of God. Verse 25 says that God will bring a sword to you to avenge your transgressions. In other words, God will repay you with defeat in war for breaking the covenant of love you made with God.
In verse 29 and below, the tragic scenes caused by the war are recorded. Verse 29 says that Israel will eat the flesh of their children, verse 30 says that they will be slaughtered outright, and verse 31 says that cities and sanctuaries will be destroyed. Also, verse 33 says that in the end they will be scattered among the nations. Why are there unspeakable horrors and fears from war? Because they broke the promise they made with God.
Before Samuel was active, 34,000 people died in the war with the Philistines because of Israel's forsaking God and the ark of God was taken (1 Samuel 4:1-11). Northern Israel forsook God and worshiped idols, but was destroyed by Assyria, and all the people were scattered to the nations.
Southern Judah also lost the war against Babylon because of forsaking God, and the temple and city were destroyed, and thousands of people were killed or taken captive. This is because all of them remembered the words given in Leviticus 26 and did not use them as boundaries. Please remember deeply.
■ Third, it is said to cause drought.
Verse 19 says that God will make the heavens like iron and the earth like brass. This is a symbol of extreme drought. When a drought begins, as verse 20 says, the earth will not produce its crops even if people work hard. The tree will not bear its fruit either. The livestock will be killed by the wild beasts sent by God, and the children will also be killed. It will leave only utter poverty and lamentation.
Verse 4 says that God will give rain in due season to those who obey His word. However, disobedience to God will lead to such a severe drought. Drought is also a big pain. But the greater suffering is spiritual drought. In other words, being abandoned by the God of life and not enjoying eternal life is an indescribable suffering.
However, while God spoke of these curses, He revealed that these were disciplines at the educational level. This means that if you are disciplined, repent, and repent, you will be restored. This is God's earnest wish and important message to us today. - Amen -