Leviticus 26:40

_IF THEY SHALL CONFESS THEIR INIQUITY, AND THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS, WITH THEIR TRESPASS WHICH THEY TRESPASSED AGAINST ME, AND THAT ALSO THEY HAVE WALKED CONTRARY UNTO ME;_ If they shall confess ... This passage holds out the gracious promise of divine forgiveness and favour on their repentance, and their happy restoration to their own land, in memory of the covenant made with their fathers, (Romans 2:1.)...

40._If they shall confess their iniquity_. Although Moses has been discoursing of very severe and cruel punishments, still he declares that even in the midst of this awful severity God is to be appeased if only the people should repent, notwithstanding that they may have stripped themselves of all hope of pardon by their long-continued sins. For he does not address sinners in general, but those who by their obstinacy and brutal impetuosity have come nearer and nearer to the vengeance of God; and even these he encourages to a good hope, if only they be converted from their hearts. Let us be assured, then, that God’s mercy is offered to the worst of men, who have been plunged by their guilt in the depths of despair, as though it reached even to hell itself. Whence, too, it follows, that all punishments are like spurs to rouse the inert and hesitating to repentance, whilst the sorer plagues...

40-46 Among the Israelites, persons were not always prosperous or afflicted according to their obedience or disobedience. But national prosperity was the effect of national obedience, and national judgments were brought on by national wickedness. Israel was under a peculiar covenant. National wickedness will end in the ruin of any people, especially where the word of God and the light of the gospel are enjoyed. Sooner or later, sin will be the ruin, as well as the reproach, of every people. Oh that, being humbled for our sins, we might avert the rising storm before it bursts upon us! God grant that we may, in this our day, consider the things which belong to our eternal peace....

As “the book of the covenant” Exodus 20:22 concludes with promises and warnings Exodus 23:20, so does this collection of laws contained in the Book of Leviticus. But the former passage relates to the conquest of the land of promise, this one to the subsequent history of the nation. The longer similar passage in Deuteronomy Deut. 27–30 is marked by broader and deeper promises and denunciations having immediate reference not only to outward consequences, but to the spiritual death incurred by transgressing the divine will. Leviticus 26:4 RAIN IN DUE SEASON - The periodical rains, on which the fertility of the holy land so much depends, are here s

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 ...

IF THEY SHALL CONFESS THEIR INIQUITY, AND THE INIQUITY OF THEIR FATHERS,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, "in the time of their distress;'' which might serve to bring their sins to remembrance, and them to a confession of them, not only of their own sins, but of their fathers' also; acknowledging thereby that they had been guilty of sinning against God for a long course of years past; and that God had been long suffering towards them, and bore much with them before he brought his judgments on them, which were just, and what they righteously deserved; and such a confession Daniel made, Daniel 9:4; and the words may as well be rendered absolute as conditional, or better, and as a prediction of what would be done by them when in captivity and distress, "and they shall confess their iniquity" c; with shame and sorrow, with repentance for it, and abhorrence of it; or otherwise

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

CONFESSION AND RESTORATION. The order of thought is confession by the exiles of the sin of their own and of previous generations, Yahweh's memory of His ancient covenant, and His (implied) deliverance of His people. The order is simplified if Leviticus 26:41 is regarded as an insertion; if (Leviticus 26:41), which should be translated or, suggests this. The double mention of the covenant (note the order of the names in Leviticus 26:42), and the reference to the respite of the land (_cf. Leviticus 26:34_ f.), are arresting, but not related to the rest of the section. On confession, cf....

IF THEY SHALL CONFESS. This is the one abiding condition for national blessing and restoration. TRESPASS... TRESPASSED. Hebrew. _maal._ App-44....

_Repentance shall bring restoration_...