Feb. 1, 2019

​THE WORD FOR TODAY
 
Leviticus 26-28
 
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: Leviticus 26-28
 
Leviticus 26:18  And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
 
I learned at an early age that if my Mama said, “One more time and I am going whip you.”, that she meant every word of it.  I probably am not the only one that has been on the receiving end of immediate punishment for disobedience.  Mama never said it twice and believe me there was never a third time.
 
In the closing chapters of Leviticus God is laying out what He will do should His people disobey Him.  In verses 16-17 of chapter 26 He makes if very clear that He will not tolerate their disobedience.  And then He says, “And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.”
 
I distinctly remember some of my whippings as a kid.  I remember some more vividly than others.  Like the one where I threw a live mouse on my sister.  I thought it was funny…my step dad felt differently.  The whippings that were really bad…I really deserved.  It seemed that they hurt the most because I had really blown it.  If that hurt…I wouldn’t want to see God’s punishment seven times over what I am already getting.
 
History shows us that Israel did not heed the voice of God.  The Father had to punish His children.  History also shows that punishment to be very, very severe.  Our sins deserve punishment.  God knew that when He inspired the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 53.
 
Isaiah 53:1-7
      1 Who has believed our report?
      And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
       2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
      And as a root out of dry ground.
      He has no form or comeliness;
      And when we see Him,
      There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
       3 He is despised and rejected by men,
      A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
      And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
      He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
       4 Surely He has borne our griefs
      And carried our sorrows;
      Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
      Smitten by God, and afflicted.
       5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
      He was bruised for our iniquities;
      The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
      And by His stripes we are healed.
       6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
      We have turned, every one, to his own way;
      And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
      He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
      Yet He opened not His mouth;
      He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
      And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
      So He opened not His mouth.
Pay attention to the bold print.  Jesus received the seven fold punishment for the sins of humanity.  I can only say, “Thank you Father.”
Father, when we needed punishment…you sent your Son…when needed a lashing…you sent your Son…when we were continually disobedient…you placed your only Son on the Cross…when we needed hope…you gave us hope through Jesus your Son…thank you Father…thank you…In Jesus Name…AMEN!!!
 
 
 
 
Blessings
Bro. William