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Leviticus 26-27: Covenants & Vows

Covenant (Leviticus 26:1–13). God used the word covenant eight times in chapter 26. It reminded the people of their special relationship with Him and the responsibilities belonging to that relationship. If they obeyed the terms of the covenant, they would remain in the Promised Land and enjoy His blessings. God does not promise material success to His new covenant people today, but He does promise to be with us and meet our every need.

Chastening (Leviticus 26:14–39). God’s covenant included both blessing and chastening, for God will not share His goodness with rebellious children. Enjoying the gifts while insulting the Giver is both selfish and idolatrous. We should obey God, not to “deserve” His blessings or even to avoid His chastenings, but to show our love to Him and our desire to please His heart.

Confession (Leviticus 26:40–46). A gracious God always leaves the door open for restoration. That is one loving purpose of His chastening hand (Hebrews 12:1–13). The people may break their promises to God (Leviticus 26:15), but God will never break His promises to His people (Leviticus 26:44). God forgets our sins but remembers His covenant! This is not an excuse for sin, but it is an encouragement for sinners to repent and return to the Lord.

If you have ever found it difficult or impossible to fulfill a promise, the message of chapter 27 is for you. In a moment of extreme joy or trial, a Jew might make a vow to God, offering to give Him something valuable in return for His blessing. (See Judges 11:29–40; Jonah 2:9.) The vow might involve people (Leviticus 27:1–8 ), animals (Leviticus 27:9–13, 26–27), property (Leviticus 27:14–25), or produce (Leviticus 27:30–33).

If the person could not fulfill the vow, he was not permitted to back out, nor could he offer a cheaper substitute. He had to give the priest the equivalent in money, plus one-fifth more. This chapter tells the priest how to evaluate the gift so that the Lord would receive the right amount, for the money was used for the work of the sanctuary. The word valuation is used nineteen times.

Talk is not “cheap”; rash promises can be very expensive. It behooves us to be careful when we experience great joy or great sorrow, lest we make promises to God that we cannot keep. (See Proverbs 20:25; Ecclesiastes 5:4–5.) Yes, you can give God something else, but be sure it is equivalent to the original offer—and let Him do the evaluating.