Leviticus 26:2

_YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS, AND REVERENCE MY SANCTUARY: I AM THE LORD._ Ye shall keep my sabbaths. Very frequently, in this book of the law, the Sabbath and the sanctuary are mentioned as antidotes to idolatry....

1-13 This chapter contains a general enforcement of all the laws given by Moses; by promises of reward in case of obedience, on the one hand; and threatenings of punishment for disobedience, on the other. While Israel maintained a national regard to God's worship, sabbaths, and sanctuary, and did not turn aside to idolatry, the Lord engaged to continue to them temporal mercies and religious advantages. These great and precious promises, though they relate chiefly to the life which now is, were typical of the spiritual blessings made sure by the covenant of grace to all believers, through Christ. 1. Plenty and abundance of the fruits of the earth. Every good and perfect gift must be expected from above, from the Father of lights. 2. Peace under the Divine protection. Those dwell in safety, that dwell in God. 3. Victory and success in their wars. It is all one with the Lord to save by man...

PART V. CONCLUDING EXHORTATION. EXPOSITION THE first two verses of this chapter contain a prohibition of idolatry, and a command to observe the sabbath and to reverence God's sanctuary; that is, they repeat in summary the substance of the Israelites, religious duty, negative and positive, as comprised in the first table of the Decalogue. They form, therefore, a prologue to the remainder of the chapter, which solemnly announces: 1. The blessings. which should result from obedience (Leviticus 26:3). 2. The curses which should follow disobedience (Leviticus 26:14-3). 3. The gracious treatment which would ensue on repentance ...

YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS,.... The seventh day sabbaths, and the seventh year sabbaths; especially the former are meant, in which religious worship was given to the one true and living God, and therefore the observance of them is strictly enjoined; and hence this law follows closely upon the former, though Aben Ezra restrains it to the sabbatical years, or seventh year sabbaths, as he applies the sanctuary in the following clause to the jubilee year, which is said to be holy, Leviticus 26:12; supposing that this refers unto and stands in strict connection with the laws of the preceding chapter, concerning the sabbatical, Leviticus 25:1, and jubilee years, Leviticus 25:8: and reverence my sanctuary

5. THE BLESSING, THE CURSE AND ISRAEL'S HISTORY CHAPTER 26 _ 1. Obedience and the blessings (Leviticus 26:1)_ 2. Disobedience and the curse (Leviticus 26:14) 3. The restoration (Leviticus 26:40) This great chapter is very fitting for the close of this book. We have no types here, but direct utterances of Jehovah. Israel's history and their future restoration is here predicted. He reminds them that He brought them out of the land of Egypt; they are His people. Therefore He wants obedience. If this is yielded blessings would be the results. These promised blessings consisted in abundance of rain, great fruitfulness of their land, peace in the land, deliverance from wi

LEVITICUS 26:1 F. Idols forbidden (_cf. Leviticus 19:4_, Exodus 20:4 *). Images of both stone and metal are forbidden, as well as pillars (_masseboth_ pp. 98f.)....

These two _vv._contain only repetitions of the precepts already given (Leviticus 19:3-4; Leviticus 19:30); in fact, the direction to observe the sabbath appears here for the third time. The redactor of H attached great importance to these _vv._, and accordingly closed his legislation with them. Their position, however, at the commencement of this ch. is unsuitable and may be owing to accident. Still their importance, as corresponding to the first four Commandments, may account for their insertion....

D. CONCLUSION: PROMISES AND WARNINGS 26:1-46 1. THE NECESSITY OF RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS TO GOD 26:1, 2 TEXT 26:1, 2 1 Ye shall make you no idols, neither shall ye rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am Jehovah your God. 2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am Jehovah. THOUGHT QUESTIONS 26:1, 2 628. Some commentators feel these two verses should be a part of chapter twenty-five. Why would they think this? Do you see any connection? 629. Please consider carefully and separately the following words: (1) idols; (2) graven image; (3) pillar; (4) figured (or painted) stone. Define them in your own words. 630. What are the two safeguards against idolatry according to verse two? Discuss. PARAPHRASE 26:1, 2 You must have no idols: you must never worship carved images, obe

CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS Similar exhortations are found at the conelusion of other codes of laws, as in Exodus 23:20,; and frequently in Deuteronomy, e.g. in Leviticus 28. The leading ideas and phraseology are the same in all. There is the same insistence on the holy character of Jehovah, the same demand for holiness on the part of His people, the same promises on condition of obedience, and the same warnings against being led astray by the evil example of the idolatrous nations among whom they dwell. 1, 2. These two vv. have no connexion with what follows, except that they form the fundamental principles of the Hebrew religion, and on them rests the entire body of the Levitical legislation: see on Exodus 24:4; Exo

LEVITICUS *WORSHIP THE *LORD IN THE BEAUTY OF *HOLINESS LEVITICUS _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ This commentary HAS BEEN through Advanced Checking. Words in boxes are from the Bible, except for the words in brackets (…). CHAPTER 26 MORE COMMANDS, PROMISES AND PUNISHMENTS V1 ‘You must not make *idols for yourselves in the land (the country called *Canaan). You must not make an image (of a false god) or a column that you *worship. You must not get down onto your knees in front of a stone with a special shape. (Remember), I am the *LORD your God. V2 Always remember (to rest and to *worship me on) my *Sabbath days. Give honour to my house. I am the *LORD....