Anchor Scripture: Leviticus 26: 14-46

As we have emphasized in the previous installments, the Bible holds that the Old Testament were a shadow of the things to come. Every principle that God enacted in the Old Testament was in fact in preparation to be fully revealed in the new world of Christ’s reign. The OT in this sense was a reflection of heavenly things. For example, when God handed out the blueprint of the tent of testimony (Ex 25-31) to Moses, God opened his eyes to see the heavenly representation of it. Which was why Moses was instructed three times to attend to details in the scripture: “According to all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and all of its furniture, so you shall make it (Ex 25:9, 40; 26:30). As such, everything God does is for a purpose. This is why the law code of jubilee, as was handed down to the people of Israel, is to be fully appropriated at the eschatology.

In this post, we will focus on Leviticus 26:14-46, by looking at the blessings and punishments attendant to following or not following God’s instructions.  As we have also established earlier in the series, God is a God of judgment, righteousness, and loving kindness. In verse 14 of our anchor scripture, God expressly warned that if the children of Israel would not obey him, they would be punished. Subsequent verses went on to lay out associated cons.

Relating the above to eschatological events, we see how Jesus Christ fulfills Jubilee; for “then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:21-22, KJV). This was a direct reference to Leviticus 25:8, which we explored in an earlier part of this series. Peter’s curiosity leads to the exposure of a great mystery of scripture. Jesus’ prescription invokes the same 49 years periodic application of forgiveness to unresolved debts as instructed in the law of Moses. Jesus confirms the original intent of the OT law code, which is, that jubilee is repetitive. It circles around every 49 years, alluding to the person and character of God, whose mercy endures forever.

Moreover, in Mathew 12:43-45, Jesus remarked as follows:

“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (KJV).

Notice that the above scripture is a reference to Rev 20:14-15. It states that after judgment, death and the world of the dead will be thrown into the lake of fire together with those who do not have their names written in the book of life. This is the second death.

Hence, there is an orderliness to how God deals with situations when people are not able to redeem themselves because of their own limitations. The chapters before Leviticus 25, highlights to the nation of Israel, the guideline for dealing with delinquent debts. In chapter 25, when the jubilee was introduced, the instruction evolves to a seven sabbath year cycle for debt cancellation. No matter the gravity, debts are forgiven, with a full restoration of whatever was used as collateral. This instruction and guideline were in reference to the price of sin and the weight and pricelessness of the blood of Jesus Christ, which he shed on the cross for sinners – debtors. This is why no one can redeem himself. No one could pay for his or her own sins.

As mentioned earlier in the series, God does not make rules that he does not intend to comply with. Matthew 12:43-45 shows how God have purposed to arraign the judgment. The process must follow the phases prescribed in Lev 26:14-46. The first phase which is the first death is the experience of the unsaved in the world, who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. For the judgement, according to Revelation 20:13, their spirit must be released from the prison of death so they can appear before the holy God. Those found guilty will experience the second death, which is the 7-times multiplication of pain due to the increased separation between them and God. Jesus said in Mat 12:45 that their spirit would seek rest, but finding none, returns to their former prison – the hold of death from where they were given up for the judgement. This is the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14). Their later end, Jesus said, shall be worse than their former state; a 7-times multiplication of the contradictions of sin. God does not want anyone to experience the second death, because he is a God of mercy and loving kindness. For this reason, the gospel is being preached to all men to repent and turn from their wicked ways.

To this point we understand how that the world is predisposed to sin, representing the first death. The Bible makes us to know also that death itself is to be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:57). The saved in Christ, however, will escape the persecution of the second death. The remaining verses of Leviticus 26, not only shows the other phases of the persecution of sin but reveals the patience of God; always hoping that the sinner would retrace his steps back to God.

Now Biblical record supports the notion that man has only lived on planet earth for about 7,000 years up to the 21st century. Taking the scriptural claim that “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (Ps 90:4; 2 Pet 3:8) into account, one could begin to see that the seventh year in the Levitical prescription is imminent upon us. On account of Jesus’ declaration of the year of jubilee in Luke chapter 4, creation, no doubt, is inching towards experiencing the first judgment. Continue here.