Leviticus 26

• God instructed Israel not to make idols or carved images to worship (see Exodus 20:4–6). Creating an image to worship would would insult God. It limited God to time and space and replaced the living God with a lifeless object.

• Early in Israel's history, people set up stones as memorials for various events (Genesis 28:18; Exodus 24:4). Yet, pillars and sculpted stones had connections to pagan worship (2 Kings 3:2; 10:26, 27). This was especially true when these stones held the carved image of a god. God clearly allowed for some sculptures (for example, 1 Kings 7:25). The focus here is on objects that the people would worship, thus making them into idols.

Treaties and covenants had conditions. Israel's blessings depended on the people's obedience to God's terms, to whom they had sworn obedience (Exodus 24:7; Joshua 24:21–22). But the covenant itself was unchangeable (Leviticus 26:44–45; see Romans 11:29). Israel could not cancel it. The people had two choices: obedience, which brought blessings; or rebellion, which brought curses.

These blessings and curses are similar to a key part of ancient Near Eastern treaties between a suzerain (a powerful king) and a vassal (a lesser king). In these treaties, the suzerain king promised to protect the vassal king and his land. In return, the vassal swore loyalty to the suzerain.

Blessings and curses followed, with curses usually being longer (compare Leviticus 26:3–13 with 26:14–39; see also Deuteronomy 27:15–28:68). These treaties often called upon gods as witnesses and enforcers. Yet, in God's covenant with Israel, God was one of the treaty parties, with Israel as the other. Since God could not swear by anyone greater, he swore by himself (see Hebrews 6:13; Genesis 22:16).

When Israel returned from captivity, God promised such a great harvest that it would last until the time of planting the next crops (see Amos 9:13; Joel 3:18).

Success in war would come from obeying God's commands (compare Leviticus 26:17, 36–37; Deuteronomy 28:6, 19).

establish My covenant: The fulfillment is in the "rest" mentioned in Hebrews (Hebrews 3:11–4:11). The promised land was meant to provide security and prosperity, a state of "rest," to the Israelites (Exodus 33:14; Deuteronomy 12:10; 25:19; Joshua 1:13, 15). Israel entered the promised land. But their rebellion prevented them from experiencing the covenant being fulfilled.

your God … My people: The covenant bound the two groups to one another, making each belong to the other.

the bars of your yoke: A yoke is a wooden frame that fits over a slave's shoulders and neck. It is used to carry heavy items like water pails. Compare with Romans 6:16–22.

God punishes his people to change their behavior and restore their relationship with him. He acts like a perfectly righteous and loving parent would with a disobedient child. The punishments, meant to stop rebellious behavior, gradually increase. This gives Israel a chance to repent at any time (Leviticus 26:18–28). Even when Israel faced exile from the land in 722 and 586 BC, God was working to restore them (see, for example, Isaiah 40–66; Jeremiah 29:10; Amos 9:11–15).

sevenfold: This phrase means many times (see also Leviticus 26:21, 24, 28; Genesis 4:15).

If God does not send rain, the ground will become hard and unproductive.

Starvation would become so severe in the land that when a child died of hunger, the family might eat the child’s body. This was a practice seen among pagan nations (Deuteronomy 28:53–57; see 2 Kings 6:24–31; Lamentations 2:20; compare 2 Kings 3:27).

• These pagan shrines mentioned here were the well-known high places built on hilltops (see 2 Kings 18:4). These shrines mixed elements from pre-Israelite religions into Israel's worship. They competed with the temple for religious authority.

• incense altars (Hebrew khamman): They used some of these altars in the worship of Baal (2 Chronicles 34:4).

With the people gone into captivity in a foreign land, there would be no one to work the land. It would at last have the “rest” of lying unworked that the people had denied it (see Leviticus 25:1–7).

Disastrous defeat and captivity later came upon both Israel and Judah (see study notes on Leviticus 18:28; 26:14–39).

The chapter ends with a hopeful message: Even after Israel broke the covenant and faced judgment, reconciliation and restoration were still possible if the people confessed and repented (see study note on Leviticus 4:20). God’s grace remained. God did not want to destroy his people; he would restore them if they humbled themselves and repented (see also 2 Chronicles 7:14).

Physical circumcision of males was the mark of God's covenant with Israel (Genesis 17:9–14; Exodus 4:25–26). Uncircumcised hearts are stubborn hearts that do not love God. The people show this through continual disobedience. God promised to "circumcise" Israel's uncircumcised hearts so the people could love Him (see also Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; Ezekiel 36:25–27).

God had begun his covenant with Abraham (then called Abram, Genesis 15:18). God continued it with Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 17:19; Exodus 2:24). Jacob’s twelve sons became the ancestors of Israel’s twelve tribes. Israel’s freedom from Egypt and settlement in Canaan had its basis in God’s promises to their ancestors, not on the Israelites’ own virtues (Deuteronomy 9:4–5).