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Leviticus Chapter Twenty-Five

(Outline continues from yesterday)

4. The Law of Redemption
   1. Property may be redeemed (Lev. 25:23-34), and people may be redeemed (Lev. 25:35-55).
   2. God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham, and to his descendants (Gen. 13:14,15), but the division of the land under Joshua was not the fulfillment of that covenant promise (Lev. 25:23a).
   3. Israel was to consider themselves as aliens and sojourners, even as Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob did (Lev. 25:23b; Heb. 11:13-16).
   4. If a Hebrew was forced to sell part of his inheritance, then it was the will of God for that land to be redeemed by a kinsman, or by himself (Lev. 25:25-27).
   5. If redemption was not possible through human methods, redemption would be provided by God in the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:28).
   6. Walled cities did not enjoy the redemption rights of unwalled villages and open fields (Lev. 25:29-31).
   7. The Levitical cities, however, did have redemption rights (Lev. 25:32-34).
   8. God reminded Israel that no interest was to be charged to any fellow Hebrew that needed a loan (Lev. 25:35-38; Ex. 22:25-27; Deut. 23:19,20).
   9. People, like the land, were to be redeemed, if a kinsman was able to do so.  When human ability cannot provide the redemption, God Himself provides for the redemption in the year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:39-55).
   10. The Book of Ruth is entirely centered on this beautiful doctrine.

Leviticus Chapter Twenty-Six

1. Chapter 19 dealt with daily personal life, and began with three Commandments (Lev. 19:3,4).  Chapter 26 deals with daily national life, and begins with two Commandments (Lev. 26:1,2).
2. The rule of thumb for blessings in daily national life: Commandments #2 & #4.  Keep clear of idolatry, and keep the Sabbath devotion to the Lord.
3. Israel was chosen as God’s holy nation in the midst of all gentile nations. 
   1. Lev. 26 presents principles for national blessing and national cursing.
   2. The promises to Israel apply only to Israel, in accordance with their covenant relationship to the Lord.
   3. The principles, though, can be applied by any gentile nation for Divine national blessing, or Divine national cursing.
4. Divine national blessings are contingent upon national obedience to the revealed Word of God (Lev. 26:3-13).
   1. For the covenant theocratic nation of Israel there are statutes and commandments to be carried out (v.3).
   2. For gentile nations functioning under analogous principles there are no statutes or commandments but three specific Divine expectations:
      1. Seeking Him, living in accountability to Him (Acts 17:26-31).
      2. Keeping land allotment undefiled by minimizing innocent bloodshed and fornication (Lev. 18:24-30; Num. 35:33,34; Ps. 106:38).
      3. Blessing Jewish people (Gen. 12:3).
5. Divine national discipline for the covenant theocratic nation of Israel is administered through increasingly intensive cycles of national declination (Lev. 26:14-33).
   1. Declination #1: Dread, disease, deficits, defeat (Lev. 26:16,17).
      1. Opportunity for repentance (Lev. 26:18a).
      2. 7 fold repetition of Declination #1 (Lev. 26:18b).
   2. Declination #2: Drought & depression (Lev. 26:19,20).
      1. Opportunity for repentance (Lev. 26:21a).
      2. 7 fold repetition of Declination #2 (Lev. 26:21b).
   3. Declination #3: Delinquency (juvenile, crime waves & gang activity) (Lev. 26:22).
      1. Opportunity for repentance (Lev. 26:23).
      2. 7 fold repetition of Declination #3 (Lev. 26:24).
   4. Declination #4: Defeat (on domestic soil), disease (epidemics), destitution (Lev. 26:25,26).
      1. Opportunity for repentance (Lev. 26:27).
      2. 7 fold repetition of Declination #4 (Lev. 26:28).
   5. Declination #5: Destruction & dispersion (Lev. 26:29-33).
6. Israel enjoys an unconditional covenant relationship with the Lord, and has a promise of national restoration following national destruction & dispersion (Lev. 26:34-46).
7. No gentile nation enjoys such an unconditional covenant relationship with the Lord, and no gentile nation has a promise of national restoration following national destruction & dispersion. Even so, God is merciful and does grant a time for repentance as He measures the completion of  a gentile nation’s iniquity (Gen. 15:16).