LEVITICUS 62


     We will begin this lesson in Leviticus 26:1 "Ye shall make you no
idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither
shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto
it: for I [am] the LORD your God."

     This is just another way of stating part of the Ten Commandments.
Idols, from the Scripture above, is translated from the word el-eel,
which means good for nothing or of no value. Another way of saying it
would be "nothings".  One of the best examples, in the Bible, about
how important it is not to bow to an idol, or a false god, is Daniel.
He even went to the lions' den rather than bow down. Another very good
example is Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-nego; who were thrown into the
fiery furnace, because they would not bow to an idol, or false god.
God protected them, because they made a stand for the one true God.
None of them were harmed. It is bad enough to make a false image, but
to bow down to it would be even worse.  Would you {at the threat of
death} still not bow down to a false god or idol?  In the end times,
many will be faced with just that problem.  One thing that I have said
so many times, that helps me so much is; we must worship the Creator
and not any of His or our creations. The Elohim God; God the Father,
God the Word, and God the Holy Spirit, who are all one in Spirit are
the only God to worship. All others are false. I John 5:7 "For there
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the
Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

     Leviticus 26:2  "Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my
sanctuary: I [am] the LORD."

     Notice first of all, who this all belongs to; God. It is His
sabbath. It is His sanctuary. Even we are His. To not obey His wishes
would be to disobey the very God that made us. It is so little for Him
to ask that we keep His sabbaths. Sabbath, for the physical house of
Israel, was Saturday. We Christians do not forget either, but we
practice first fruit remembrance on Sunday. To not reverence, then,
brought swift punishment.  The best example of that, being the fire
coming from the altar and killing Aaron's 2 sons.  We do not see this
type of manifestation of disapproval in our sanctuaries today from
God. Perhaps, it is because God has moved out of many of these
sanctuaries where He is not reverenced. The sanctuary should be a
place set aside where we can go and meet with God. Jesus opened the
way for all believers to come to God. Sanctuary means a consecrated
place.  Reverence means to hold in very high esteem. If this sanctuary
belongs to God, then the way we can please God in it, is to do what He
desires in this special place of His. Have we come to church to please
Him or to please ourselves?  Why do we go to church? Have we come to
humbly bow before our LORD?  Have we come to fellowship with Him, and
to be a sweet, sweet sound in His ear? Did you come to church to meet
with the LORD in His Word?  If you came to be entertained, or so the
neighbors could see you at church, or for any other fleshly reason,
you should have stayed at home. The Sanctuary should be a place set
aside 24 hours a day 365 days a year where you can go and fellowship
with God.  The sanctuary has one purpose, we should not use it for
worldly things. The sanctuary is holy.

     Leviticus 26:3  "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my
commandments, and do them;" Leviticus 26:4 "Then I will give you rain
in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of
the field shall yield their fruit."

     Everyone wants to receive the blessings of God, but few want to
admit that there is a part we each have to pay to receive these
blessings. The "if", in the verse above, hinges a great deal. You
might even say, that life and death hinge on that "if". Blessings if
you keep them, and curses if you do not. I can just hear some of you
saying right now, but we are not under the law. We are not, but after
we receive the gift of salvation through the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, we must walk in that state of being saved. We can not choose
to go back into the world. Notice, in the verse above, "walk in my
statutes". You see, the believers' life is a walk. Just as these of
the physical house of Israel must walk keeping God's statutes, we must
walk in the salvation we have received. We read so much today about
not having to keep the commandments of God to be saved. I believe we
must keep the commandments to stay saved. Look with me at a few New
Testament Scriptures, which all say that we must keep His
commandments. Matthew 19:17 "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me
good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt
enter into life, keep the commandments."  John 14:15 "If ye love me,
keep my commandments."  John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye
shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments,
and abide in his love."  I John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we
receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things
that are pleasing in his sight." I John 5:2 "By this we know that we
love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments."  There are many more, but I will give just one more.
Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they
that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."  Notice,
in the verse above from Leviticus, just what some of these blessings
are. It will rain at the right time and just the right amount. You
will have a bountiful harvest of not only the fields, but of fruit as
well.  Looking at that spiritually, shows me that the fruit of the
spirit, as well, will be abundant in your life.

     Leviticus 26:5 "And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage,
and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat
your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely."

     We see in this, that the harvest will be so great, that they will
just have time to get in all the harvest, before it is time to plant
again. There will be a tremendous abundance of food. Look in Egypt,
when Joseph did exactly what God had told him to do, there was a
bountiful abundance of food in Egypt, when all the surrounding
countries were starving. Obedience to God, brings bountiful blessings
then or now. Notice the statement, "dwell in your land safely".
Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his
enemies to be at peace with him."
     Leviticus 26:6 "And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall
lie down, and none shall make [you] afraid: and I will rid evil beasts
out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land."

     This peace spoken of here, can only come from the King of Peace.
This peace, is freedom from fear of people or animals. There will be
no terror by night or day. Faith is the opposite of fear. If we have
faith in God and His Word, it brings perfect peace. When there is no
war, then men have more time for hunting wild beast. The world today
needs to see the last part of this come true. There will be no war.
Jesus said it the best in the next Scripture. John 14:27 "Peace I
leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid." The only real peace, then or now, is in God.

     Leviticus 26:7 "And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall
fall before you by the sword."  Leviticus 26:8 "And five of you shall
chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to
flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword."

     The enemy will run from them, because the enemy can not fight
them and God, too.  The enemy will be well aware that this type of
victory is from God. Psalms 91:7 "A thousand shall fall at thy side,
and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh
thee."   The protection here is supernatural. The enemy knows it
cannot win against God, so they run.

     Leviticus 26:9 "For I will have respect unto you, and make you
fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you."

     A covenant is more than just an agreement. A covenant is made by
passing through the opening between an animal cut in two. So a
covenant is sealed with blood. The "if", we spoke of earlier, has been
explained in detail. God will keep his side of the agreement, "if" the
people keep their side of the bargain. Blessings come from obedience,
to God.  One of the blessings they were to receive, was children. We
see above, they will have many children. We have mentioned in these
lessons before, that the Hebrews thought it to be a curse not to have
children.

     Leviticus 26:10 "And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the
old because of the new."  Leviticus 26:11 "And I will set my
tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you."

     In verse 10 above, God promised that before their food from the
last year is gone, they will have another bountiful harvest. God
promised, also, to tabernacle with them, if they would follow His
commandments. Revelation 21:3 "And I heard a great voice out of heaven
saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with
them, [and be] their God."

     God's desire, is to fellowship with mankind, but He is holy. If
we are to fellowship with Him, we must be holy too.
                             Questions 62

1.  What does verse 1 of Leviticus chapter 26 prohibit?
2.  What does the word mean that idol was translated from?
3.  Who faced the lions' den, because he would not bow down to an idol
    or false god?
4.  Who were the three men who faced the fiery furnace, rather than
    bow to a false god or idol?
5.  What happened to these brave men?
6.  What is worse than making a false god?
7.  What does the author keep reminding all of us that helps us
    understand this?
8.  Who are the three that bear record in heaven?
9.  "Ye shall keep my __________.
10. "And ____________ my sanctuary.
11. Who does the sabbath and the sanctuary belong to?
12. What is a good example of the swift punishment of those who did
    not reverence the sanctuary?
13. Wonder why there is not swift punishment in sanctuaries now for
    lack of reverence?
14. What does sanctuary mean?
15. What are some good reasons for coming to church?
16. What are some reasons for coming to church, that probably would
    not please God?
17. How many hours should the church sanctuary be set aside for God to
    meet with His people?
18. What does God promise to reward them with, if they walk in His
    statutes and keep His commandments and do them?
19. There are blessings, if you _____ ___ ___________.
20  There are curses, if you do not ____ ___ ___________.
21. The believers life is a ______.
22. Are Christians obligated to keep God's commandments?
23. "If ye love me, _____ my commandments.
24. What is meant by the threshing reaching unto the vintage?
25. What do we read in Proverbs chapter 16 verse 7 that brings the
    blessing of your enemies living at peace with you?
26. The peace spoken of in verse 6, can only come from whom?
27. How many shall five chase?
28. Quote Psalms chapter 91 verse 7.
29. How is a covenant made?
30. What seals the covenant?
31. What is meant by old store?
32. Where does Revelation chapter 21 verse 3 say that the tabernacle
    of God is?
33. How can we fellowship with holy God?