When Israel made covenant with Yahweh at the foot of Mount Sinai, they entered into an extraordinary partnership. Yahweh gave them basic rules to live by and promised to bless them lavishly if they would obey them. The richness of that blessing is outlined in Leviticus 26:1-12. He warned that if they disregarded His rules He’d punish them, allowing all kinds of sickness to weaken them, inclement weather to affect their harvests and enemies to invade their lands. If they continued to live sinfully He’d send wild animals among them, which would rob them of their children [which, scandalously, they sacrificed to idols] and destroy their flocks. As the catalogue of disobedience grows, so does the intensity and horror of the punishment; check it out [26:13-39]. One verse I find really chilling reads, “And if in spite of this you do not obey me but act with hostility toward me…I will act with furious hostility toward you” [26:27, italics added].
I thought of this recently as I read Ezekiel. The opening chapters show an angry God, preparing to discipline His people for their outrageous behaviour and sin. As chapter 5 unfolds I find myself shuddering with horror, and I understand that my beloved and compassionate Father is here acting ‘with furious hostility’. It’s a terrible thing to fall into the hands of Yahweh when He’s angry! He’s so longsuffering and merciful we can quickly forget that actions have consequences! When Yahweh accepts us into His Family [John 1:12] through the power of Yahshua’s blood [a covenant transaction], we have an obligation of obedience. Love and grace don’t release us from this.
Obedience is something we must learn; the Holy Spirit will teach us. Yahweh is endlessly patient, lovingly forgiving us whenever we ask Him, but He does expect us to learn, even as Yahshua did [Hebrews 5:8]! We must walk humbly with Yahweh, love Him sincerely, “walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all (our) heart and all (our) soul,” [Joshua 22:5]. It’s behaviour expected of His Household, and will release an abundance of blessing.
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1 timothy 3:16 NIV - Beyond all question, the mystery from - Bible Gateway
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