We are learning to view the world through the lens of God’s covenants. When we are covenant keepers God pours blessing upon our lives and breaking covenant brings the negative results of punishment, discipline, and God’s resistance.
What’s the Big Deal?
1. God is the Big Deal. He is everywhere present, everything knowing, everyway powerful. 2. God’s covenants are the big deal. God chose to relate to humans through covenants. 3. Harkening and observing are the big deal in God’s covenants.
God’s Covenant Partners Are Blessed When They Keep the Covenant
1. The Covenant blessings of Leviticus 26:3-13 are extensive.
2. Notice there is a harkening and observing in verse 3. Hebrews 3:15
3. The blessing includes, rain, harvest, removal of danger, victory over enemies, fruitful people, covenant confirmation, and most importantly, God’s presence.
God’s Covenant Partners Are Cursed When They Break the Covenant
1. The Covenant curses of Leviticus 26:14-39 are detailed and serious.
2. Notice the curses are the result of not harkening and not observing God’s covenant.
3. Interestingly, the curses or disciplinary measures are progressive in nature.
a. Level One Disciplinary Actions Leviticus 26:16-20
b. Level Two Disciplinary Actions Leviticus 26:21-22
c. Level Three Disciplinary Action Leviticus 26:23-26
d. Level Four Disciplinary Action Leviticus 26:27-33
God is Quick to Forgive Truly Repentant Covenant Partners
1. In essence, if the covenant partners harken and observe how much they have failed to keep the covenant, God is quick to remember the covenant blessings. Leviticus 26:40-44
2. This harkening and observing that leads to repentance and restoration of covenant allows God to be the covenant keeper’s God again. Leviticus 26:45.
The New Covenant Has Greater Blessings and More Severe Curses!!!
1. Hebrews 10:26-31 reveals the weight of the New Covenant.
2. Verse 29 shows us that the New Covenant is written in the blood of God’s Son and breaking covenant carries a much worse punishment.
3. To know God’s New Covenant stipulations and to knowingly break them is to do three things:
a. Trample underfoot the Son of God. Vs. 29
b. Profane the blood of the covenant. vs. 29
c. Outrage the Spirit of grace. Vs. 29
4. God will take action! Vs. 30
1 John 1:9 Shows God is Quick, In The New Covenant, to Forgive Too!