And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;
Leviticus 26:23 is a warning given for later generations to heed God's correction or lose His favor and suffer punishment. To refuse to be reformed is to reject His prior judgments, warnings and corrective dealings, and to walk contrary to Him is to disobey His requirements, oppose Him and continue in transgression of His holy law. To those who take that course God answers by walking contrary to them, opposing their course and withholding His covenant promises of blessing. The blessings forfeited are fruitful seasons, full provision, safe dwelling, victory over enemies, peace, and God dwelling among His people as their God, replaced by broken power, unfruitful land, strength spent in vain, and loss and hardship. This contrary dealing is remedial to bring acknowledgment of wrong, repentance and change of conduct, so the only safe course is to obey all His requirements at whatever cost, for by obedience heaven is gained and ruin is shunned.
Words and Warning
Leviticus 26:23 belongs to a chapter given through Moses as a warning for later generations, calling God's people to heed correction lest they lose His favor and face punishment. To not be reformed by these things is to refuse to be corrected by God's prior covenant judgments, warnings, and corrective dealings. That refusal persists when hardness of heart is cherished instead of resisted, and when the continued adversity by which God would bring a person to recognize His hand, acknowledge wrong, repent and change conduct is left without effect.
To walk contrary to God is to disobey His requirements, oppose Him, continue in sin and transgress His holy moral law. It is to keep truth from the citadel of the soul, to resist divine influence, and to fail to set the Lord ever before oneself. God's answer to such a course is to walk contrary to those who walk contrary to Him, opposing their course. He deals with them contrary to His covenant promises of blessing, letting His displeasure be felt until they are converted or are cut off from His people.
The warning shows that God means what He says, so disobedience certainly brings the threatened result.
Consequences and Call to Obey
To walk contrary forfeits the covenant blessings of rain in due season, fruitful land and trees, threshing reaching to the vintage and vintage to the sowing time, bread to the full, safe dwelling, defeat of enemies, peace and security, and God walking among His people as their God. In place of blessing comes broken pride of power, heaven as iron and earth as brass, strength spent in vain with no increase from land or trees, loss and hardship, and the scattering of means withheld from God's work.
This continued contrary dealing is remedial, to make people feel God's displeasure, recognize His hand, acknowledge wrong, repent, and change conduct. It continues until they are converted or are cut off from His people. Israel's wilderness experience proves the outcome, for those who rejected warning lost the promised blessings, while Caleb and Joshua who followed faithfully entered the promised land. The first parents' eating of the forbidden fruit, which opened the floodgates of woe to the whole world, proves the same certainty of result.
The only safe course is to obey all God's requirements at whatever cost, because they are founded in infinite love and wisdom. By obedience heaven is gained and perdition shunned. Those who want blessing and presence must do God's will rather than follow their own desires or the approval of those who do not seek God. The verse calls readers today to examine the past without self-justification, repent stubbornness, and submit the will, since the same choice between obedience and disobedience applies and greater light brings greater responsibility.
Heeding the chapter requires reform in the management of God's work, lest God's displeasure fall upon the workers. It requires resistance to hardness of heart, cherishing brotherly love and helping a brother become self-supporting. It requires yielding personal resistance by dying to self and following God's leading.
Leviticus 26:23 is a warning given for later generations to heed God's correction or lose His favor and suffer punishment. To refuse to be reformed is to reject His prior judgments, warnings and corrective dealings, and to walk contrary to Him is to disobey His requirements, oppose Him and continue in transgression of His holy law. To those who take that course God answers by walking contrary to them, opposing their course and withholding His covenant promises of blessing. The blessings forfeited are fruitful seasons, full provision, safe dwelling, victory over enemies, peace, and God dwelling among His people as their God, replaced by broken power, unfruitful land, strength spent in vain, and loss and hardship. This contrary dealing is remedial to bring acknowledgment of wrong, repentance and change of conduct, so the only safe course is to obey all His requirements at whatever cost, for by obedience heaven is gained and ruin is shunned.
Words and Warning
Leviticus 26:23 belongs to a chapter given through Moses as a warning for later generations, calling God's people to heed correction lest they lose His favor and face punishment. To not be reformed by these things is to refuse to be corrected by God's prior covenant judgments, warnings, and corrective dealings. That refusal persists when hardness of heart is cherished instead of resisted, and when the continued adversity by which God would bring a person to recognize His hand, acknowledge wrong, repent and change conduct is left without effect.
To walk contrary to God is to disobey His requirements, oppose Him, continue in sin and transgress His holy moral law. It is to keep truth from the citadel of the soul, to resist divine influence, and to fail to set the Lord ever before oneself. God's answer to such a course is to walk contrary to those who walk contrary to Him, opposing their course. He deals with them contrary to His covenant promises of blessing, letting His displeasure be felt until they are converted or are cut off from His people.
The warning shows that God means what He says, so disobedience certainly brings the threatened result.
Consequences and Call to Obey
To walk contrary forfeits the covenant blessings of rain in due season, fruitful land and trees, threshing reaching to the vintage and vintage to the sowing time, bread to the full, safe dwelling, defeat of enemies, peace and security, and God walking among His people as their God. In place of blessing comes broken pride of power, heaven as iron and earth as brass, strength spent in vain with no increase from land or trees, loss and hardship, and the scattering of means withheld from God's work.
This continued contrary dealing is remedial, to make people feel God's displeasure, recognize His hand, acknowledge wrong, repent, and change conduct. It continues until they are converted or are cut off from His people. Israel's wilderness experience proves the outcome, for those who rejected warning lost the promised blessings, while Caleb and Joshua who followed faithfully entered the promised land. The first parents' eating of the forbidden fruit, which opened the floodgates of woe to the whole world, proves the same certainty of result.
The only safe course is to obey all God's requirements at whatever cost, because they are founded in infinite love and wisdom. By obedience heaven is gained and perdition shunned. Those who want blessing and presence must do God's will rather than follow their own desires or the approval of those who do not seek God. The verse calls readers today to examine the past without self-justification, repent stubbornness, and submit the will, since the same choice between obedience and disobedience applies and greater light brings greater responsibility.
Heeding the chapter requires reform in the management of God's work, lest God's displeasure fall upon the workers. It requires resistance to hardness of heart, cherishing brotherly love and helping a brother become self-supporting. It requires yielding personal resistance by dying to self and following God's leading.