Leviticus 26:44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
Would you love God with all your heart if He gave you a million dollars to do it? What if I told you that I just flew in on my Lear jet, and if you would love and serve God, you would have health, wealth, happiness, and no problems? What would you call that sort of message? You would probably accuse me of being a health and wealth prosperity preacher.
Well, Leviticus 26 sounds an awful lot like that. In Leviticus 26, God is speaking of His covenant with His people. He says, “I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.” Then, there is an “if, then” proposition as God is speaking of His relationship to Israel. “If ye walk in my statutes…then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase…” He goes on to talk about the wonderful peace and prosperity that would abound if Israel would walk in God’s statutes.
On the other hand, God continues, “If ye shall despise my statutes…” Well, then it is pretty much plague and misery in every aspect of life. There is a long list of terrible things that would happen. This was part of God’s covenant specifically for His people Israel.
Now, you are not Israel. Israel is Israel, you are you, and the church is the church. But most importantly God is still God. God’s character has not changed. So while this is about a specific piece of property and a specific nation of people, God is immutable and unchanging and His heart toward people is the same as ever it has been.
So what is the enduring principle of Leviticus 26? It is simply this: you are as close to God as you want to be. James 4:8 says it this way, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” If God seems distant, it is not His fault. You are as close to God as you want to be regardless of your past or your position.
In verse 23 God says, “And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me…” then things would only get worse. Verse 34 says, “Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.” God is saying, “Look, if you won’t obey Me, keep My Sabbaths, and give the land a rest, then I will have My way one way or the other. When you are captives of a foreign power, then the land will have to rest, and that is what it will do.”
On the other hand, in verses 40 and following God says, “If they shall confess their iniquity…that also they have walked contrary unto me…then will I remember my covenant with Jacob…and I will remember the land.” Then, I love what verse 44 says, “And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.”
Friend, that God is your God if you have put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When you are with Jesus Christ, you are in a covenant with God Almighty. That is a better covenant and a better way, but like Israel of old, you need to know that you are as close to God as you want to be. God judges those He loves, and that is a good reason to change our mind when we are going the wrong direction.
The greatest joy of fellowship with God is God Himself! It is not merely the other benefits we believe we can get from such a relationship. God may seem distant today. There might be an ebb and flow in your relationship with God, but always know that God wishes to have fellowship with mere mortals like us. You are as close to God as you want to be.