Sermon #67 Leviticus Sermons

Title: The Old and The New

Text: Leviticus 26:1-14

Subject: God’s Promised Blessings of Grace to All Who Believe

Date: Sunday Morning – June 22, 2003

Tape # X-65a

Reading: Romans 4:16-5:11

Introduction:

Our God is ever gracious, ever merciful, constantly displaying himself as a God who, unlike all the imaginary gods men have invented, “delighteth in mercy.” He is a God ready to pardon. We see this even at MT. Sinai, when he gave Moses the tables of his holy law.

Given at Sinai

Remember, what we have before us are the commandments of God given at Mt. Sinai, at the very time God gave his law to Moses and to Israel. From chapter 1 through chapter 24, the laws and instructions are things given to the children of Israel while they were in the wilderness. They are commands spoken at the door of the tabernacle. But that which we read in chapters 25-27, we are specifically told, was given at Mt. Sinai (25:1; 26:46; 27:34).

(Leviticus 25:1-2) "And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, {2} Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD."

Then he gave us all that is revealed in this chapter about the sabbatical year to be observed every seven years, the year of jubilee to be observed every fifty years, and the kinsman redeemer.

In chapter 26 he declares both the blessing he promises to those who keep his statures and the curse that shall fall upon those who despise them. Be sure you keep this in its context. The Lord is talking here specifically about the statutes regarding the sabbath year, the year of jubilee and the kinsman redeemer—The Gospel of Christ! And he tells us that all that is written in this chapter was also given at Sinai (v. 46).

(Leviticus 26:46) "These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses."

Then, in chapter 27, we the Lord summarizes all the Levitical law, the law of God specifically pertaining to those typical aspects of Old Testament law relating to the priesthood, redemption, cleanness before and access to God. All these things portrayed our salvation by Christ. Though the specific commands (chapters 1-24) were not given until Israel was in the wilderness, the whole Levitical law was summarized at Sinai (v. 34).

(Leviticus 27:34) "These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai."

Mercy’s Voice

The voice of mercy sounds throughout the Book of Leviticus. What is mercy, but God’s remedy for woe? At the very foot of Mt. Sinai grace sweetly smiles. What is grace, but the recovery lost sinners? Even here, as God gives his holy law, the very law that condemns our race, the Gospel shines brightly. What is the Gospel, but God's scheme to save, while justice remains just, and truth continues true, and holiness appears more pure, and honor bends not from its highest throne? We see these things in the Book of Leviticus in a long parade of types, pictures of redemption and grace by Christ.

As we walk through the hallowed ground of these twenty-seven chapters, we see something of the depths of redemption. Here we drink from the cup of wisdom and see clearly that “Where sin abounded grace did much more abound.” Here we see grace reigning through righteousness by Jesus Christ our Lord. Here we see our God in his great glory as “a just God and a Savior.”

Sinai’s Message

So, at the very giving of his law in Sinai, before the children of Israel moved into the wilderness, the Lord God graciously impressed upon them not only the perfection and strictness of the law they had broken, but also the method of grace, salvation, and deliverance from its curse and condemnation. Even at Sinai’s fiery mount, the Lord God graciously set before hell-bent sinners the wonder and grace of redemption by Christ. He says to a fallen people, “I have found a ransom!”

Hear me, you who rush to hell.—If you go to hell, you go to hell, as it were, pushing the God of all grace out of your way, hardening your proud neck, setting your face like a flint, sticking your fingers in your ears, covering your eyes, and wilfully choosing death instead of life, wrath instead of mercy, perdition instead of pardon.

These last chapters of Leviticus are full of instruction for eternity bound sinners. Hear and heed the message of God in these chapters. May the pen of the Almighty now touch the tablets of your heart, for Christ’s sake.

Read with me the first fourteen verse of Leviticus 26. Here we are given the commands of God, the sovereign, holy Lord God against whom we have incessantly sinned from our youth up. Yet, they are given in the tender words and phrases of a tender, loving father’s counsel to his erring child.

Proposition: In these fourteen verses the Lord God shows us what great blessings of grace he will bestow on all who obey his Word, upon all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and what great temporal and eternal miseries shall befall the unbelieving rebel.

Emphatic pictures are drawn to deter rebellion and woo the rebel to reconciliation. Two signposts are here raised before our eye. The one points to peace and urges us to follow its way. The other warns of misery, wrath and everlasting woe, and cries, “Flee! Flee! Flee for your life!”

Believe

The chapter begins by telling us that we must call upon the name of the Lord, we must worship God alone, acknowledging him as the Lord our God, finding rest in him (vv. 1-2).

(Leviticus 26:1-2) "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. {2} Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD."

(Matthew 11:28-30) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. {30} For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

(Romans 10:9-13) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. {11} For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {12} For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. {13} For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Promises of Grace

Now, listen to the Lord God himself, courting as it were, sinners, wooing rebels, calling us to himself, by promises of bounteous riches of goodness and grace in Christ (vv. 3-13).

(Leviticus 26:3-13) "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; {4} Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. {5} And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. {6} And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. {7} And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. {8} And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. {9} For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. {10} And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. {11} And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. {12} And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. {13} I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright."

Here, rich clusters of temporal good hang heavy. What a dazzling catalogue of goodness this is. “It is a picture, in which plenteousness abounds. The earth in season yields luxuriant crops. Scarceness and need are buried in deep graves. Peace waves her gentle scepter. Invading hosts scare not the quiet valleys. No ravening beasts watch for their prey. And if assailing armies make attack, they move to sure defeat. A little band puts multitudes to flight. A happy progeny rejoices in each house.”

(Henry Law)

These are spoken of as in the language of external, earthly things; but earthly language is used here only to convey spiritual blessedness, spiritual delights for our souls scattered by God’s infinite hand. These bounties of God are promised to all who walk in his statues and keep his commandments. That is to say, to all who believe on his Son. That is not a fanciful stretch. That is exactly what God says obedience to his law is (Rom. 3:31; 10:1-4; Gal. 3:19, 24; 1 John 3:23; 5:1-3).

(Romans 3:31) "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."

(Romans 10:1-4) "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. {2} For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. {3} For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. {4} For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

(Galatians 3:19) "Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."

(Galatians 3:24) "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

(1 John 3:23) "And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment."

(1 John 5:1-3) "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. {2} By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. {3} For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

1. He promises us that he will send his rain from heaven (symbolizing his Word, his Holy Spirit, and his grace) at the appointed season (v. 4).

2. Here the Lord God promises that his grace toward us will be constantly bounteous , constantly satisfying our souls (vv. 4-5).

(Leviticus 26:4-5) "Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. {5} And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full.

§ Hosea 2:18

§ Romans 8:28

(Isaiah 55:1-2) "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. {2} Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness."

§ “Lacked ye anything?”

3. Look at the last line of verse 5. “And dwell in your land safely." The Lord God promises safety and security to all who trust his Son.

(John 10:26-28) "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. {27} My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: {28} And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

4. Then, in verse 6 he promise us peace.

(Romans 5:1-5) "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: {2} By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. {3} And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; {4} And patience, experience; and experience, hope: {5} And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

5. Look at verses 7 and 8. Here the Lord promises that all who trust him shall prevail and triumph over their enemies, all of them.

(Leviticus 26:7-8) “And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. {8} And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.”

Ø Colossians 2:13-15

Ø Romans 8:28-39

§ Those Who Assail and Accuse You

§ Those Who Would Condemn You

§ Those Who Would Charge You With Evil

§ Those Who Would Separate You From His Love

§ Satan Himself (Rom. 16:20)

Read on…

(Leviticus 26:9) "For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you."

6. Here God promises to bless us with his favor.—“I will have respect unto you.”

I will look upon you with delight and pleasur,. My eye will be upon you to care for you, watching over you to do you good and protect you from all evil. I will turn myself from all others to you, having a distinct and particular regard for you. Cast all you care on me and I will care for you.

7. Look at the next line. The Lord promises to make you fruitful.—“I will have respect unto you and make you fruitful.”

(Galatians 5:22-23) "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

(Psalms 92:14) "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;"

(John 15:15-16) "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. {16} Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

8. Next, the Lord promises to multiply us.—“I will have respect unto you and make you fruitful, and multiply you.”

(Isaiah 54:1-5) "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. {2} Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; {3} For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. {4} Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. {5} For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called."

9. Then, he promises to establish his covenant with you.—“I will have respect unto you and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you” (Isa. 55:3; Jer. 31:31-34; 32:38-40).

(Isaiah 55:3) "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

§ An Everlasting Covent

§ Ordered in All Things and Sure

§ A New Heart

§ Forgiveness

§ Security

§ Adoption

(Jeremiah 31:31-34) "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: {32} Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: {33} But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. {34} And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

(Jeremiah 32:38-40) "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: {39} And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: {40} And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."

10. Now, look at verse 10. "And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new." What on earth does that mean? It means that the Lord here promises to every believing sinner a constant supply of grace.

There shall be granted by God an unbroken continuity of grace to our souls forever, grace sufficient to meet our souls needs without fail.

His supplies of wisdom, love, joy, peace, and power, to our souls are always enough and more than enough for our needs. Whenever we complain of languishing in our hearts, or of a stinted supply of food for our souls, it is our own fault, not his. He means that there should be no parentheses of famine in our lives. It is not his doing if times of stupor alternate with seasons of quick energy and joyful fullness of life. So far as he is concerned the flow is uninterrupted, and if it comes to us in jets and spurts as from an intermittent well, it is because we have put some obstacle in the way, to choke the channel of mercy and quench his Spirit.

Our great God and Father, the God of all grace, is ever pouring forth his own self for us to take. There is no limit to our reception of his goodness, but our capacity and our desire. There is no reason for a moment’s break in our possession of his mercy, love and grace, of his peace and joy, except our own withdrawal of our souls from beneath the Niagara of his grace. As long as we keep our poor vessels below that constant downpour they will be full. It is all our own blame if they are empty.

Why should we have these dismal times of famine in our souls, these times of spiritual deadness, these parentheses of paralysis? In our Father’s house there is bread enough and to spare. He promises, “Ye shall eat of the old store, and bring forth of the old because of the new.”

(Psalms 31:19) "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!"

Still, there is more in the this tenth verse. We must not be satisfied with just the old store. Oh, yes, we rejoice in and feed upon past experiences of grace. Let us never look upon past goodness with contempt! But there is a sense in which we must forget those things that are behind. We must pull out the old grain to make room for the new. Let us constantly cast away old experiences and come to Christ with empty hearts to be filled anew with the bounty of heaven!

11. Then, in verses 11 and 12, the Lord God promises us his constant, abiding presence.

(Leviticus 26:11-12) "And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. {12} And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people."

12. And, in verse 13, he promises to grant to every believer the blessed assurance of redemption, grace and salvation.

(Leviticus 26:13) "I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright."

Oh, come to Christ and live! Come, taste and see that the Lord is good! Believe in Christ, and you are welcomed as God's child—God's heir. Your seat is at His table. Hear His assuring voice, "All things are yours—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's" (1 Cor. 3:21-23). At every moment you may draw near. You may tell out your every sorrow, and your every need. The ears of love receive. The hand of power relieves. Supplies of grace are largely given. The heavens come down in showers of goodness.

The gift of Christ leaves no gift withheld. "He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things."

Faith finds abundance in the land of grace. For every sin there is a fountain close. For all unrighteousness there is a glorious robe. "In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." For every burden a support is at hand. "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." Light, guidance, peace sparkle throughout the Gospel-page. When Satan terrifies, the cross is seen. When conscience trembles, the dying Savior shows His hands and side. When the law thunders, Calvary spreads its sheltering wings. When heart-corruptions vex, the Spirit comes with renovating grace. Surely that life is blessed, in which the citizenship is above, and all its hours are spent at heaven's gate. The past is one wide flood of mercy—the present is a stream of joy—the future is all glory's ocean.

But when the end is come, and the freed spirit wings its upward flight, who can conceive the rapture? Then our all-glorious Christ is revealed. No distance intervenes. No separation can again occur. If faith finds Him so dear, what, what will be the realizing sight!

And when the grave restores its prey—when this poor body puts on immortality's attire, and shines more brightly than a thousand suns—like Christ—like Christ—forever. What then? God then is fully known, and fully loved, and fully praised—while endless ages build the glory higher. Eternal love planned all this blessedness—the blood of Christ purchased—His promise seals—His Spirit fits—His power will soon confer the crown.

Terror, Nothing But Terror

It is sweet joy to linger on this scene. But God in faithfulness presents a contrast. The scene now changes. Beginning in verse 14, we see a scene of woe, nothing but woe!—Wrath, nothing but wrath!—Terror, nothing but terror to you who will not believe on the Son of God.

(Leviticus 26:14-20) "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; {15} And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: {16} I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. {17} And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. {18} And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. {19} And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: {20} And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits."

God's word is as fixed, as heaven's high throne. He speaks. Performance is at hand. You have madly scorned His rule. You have rashly followed your own heart's desire. Except you repent, nothing but judgment awaits you. The Gospel prized is all this everlasting joy. The Gospel scorned is all this everlasting woe. O Holy Spirit of God, grant that these who now hear my voice may hear the voice of the Son of God by your power and live!

(John 3:36) "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

Amen.