Leviticus 26:20, commentary and pictures

Disobedience to God's commands, failure to hearken to Him and to do all His commandments, makes human strength and labor come to nothing, with the land withholding its increase and the trees withholding their fruits. In its covenant setting this barrenness is a curse that replaces the promised blessing of productive land for obedience, so that it makes every difference to a people whether they are obedient or disobedient. Within the chapter it comes as increased punishment for continued impenitence, following terror, wasting disease, enemies consuming sown seed, defeat before enemies and rule by those who hate Israel, together with the breaking of the pride of power and heaven made as iron and earth as brass.

Disregarding God's direction in managing His work brings His displeasure under this warning. Withholding from God's work what belongs to Him can cause Him to scatter that wealth through losses such as ruined crops and livestock. When in selfishness and covetousness men claim the land as their own, feel able to manage it by their own wisdom without God, and refuse to give it its sabbath rest, the land loses its vigor and fails to produce, and dearth and sickness testify to the disobedience. By contrast, sensing entire dependence on God and looking to Him for instruction and power to till the soil lets men cooperate with Him in restoring diseased and cursed land to health and to a prosperous and beautiful condition, so that land managed with skill and earnestness yields its treasures just as a heart controlled by God reflects His character.

The chapter warns people living at the end of the world as well as ancient Israel, with prosperity withdrawn from those who persist in resisting God and its lessons calling for repentance rather than self-justification. Because God may bring people over the same ground, the warning gives reason to heed the chapter's call to faithful conduct.