As the Book of Leviticus begins to draw to a close, the Lord offers the Israelites two paths: obedience to His commands - or disobedience. Both roads have their own consequences.
If the Israelites practice God's laws and keep them faithfully, blessings will follow. Everything from crop production to national security to physical safety from wild animals will go their way. God promises to reward their obedience.
If, however, the nation spurns God's laws and breaks His commandments, disaster will come upon them. Everything that could have been theirs in blessing will turn against them in curse. Their crops will fail, they will be overrun with enemies, and wild animals will consume them. Scarcity and exile will be their lot. God promises to punish them severely, even sevenfold for their sins (vs. 18, 21, 23, 27).
Why the ultimatum? Because God knows that, in our humanness, we often need incentives for doing the right thing. Isn't it a matter of common sense that we try to structure our world to reward virtue and punish sin? That's why we give awards and citations. That's why we have a criminal justice system. That's why there is a carrot and a stick.
Yet incentives don't always work. Even with these extreme consequences that were dependent on their behavior, the Israelites (SPOILERS AHEAD) chose poorly. They did indeed, time and time again, take the path away from God's blessings and into the realm of His curse. Ultimately, their road went through the valley of strife, civil war, invasion, defeat, and exile. Ten tribes of Israel were lost. Everything that was written in verses 14-45 came to pass.
What path are you on today?
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