Talk on Leviticus 26: Fruitfulness of the Nation of Israel

Most of the text is a talk given at Main Street Community Church, Frodsham, UK, Sunday 19 September 2021, by Andrew Basden. A few items have been added, which are in smaller font.

Scripture Passage: Leviticus 26:3-17.

We are entering Big Green Week and, I understand, that is a reason I have been asked to preach on this passage today. It is the third in the series on fruitfulness. Two weeks ago, Paul spoke on Colossians 1:1-14, on our lives as representatives of Christ: Modelling Godly character; Christlike lifestyle, and so on. Last week, Moira spoke on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace and so on.

This week we are looking at the fruitfulness at the national level. But what I have found does, I think, apply at the level of individuals, households and organisations like businesses too.

I am speaking to the people here and on Zoom, but also it might be viewed on the Internet by people all over the world - in Sweden, Russia, China, Korea, Japan, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Bhutan, SriLanka, Antarctica (!), South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Libya, Italy, Greece, the rest of Europe, South America, North America - you are all welcome!

1. Blessings

• rains at the appropriate time for harvests,
• good harvests,
• plenty of food that is satisfying,
• freedom from fear,
• protection from wild animals,
• protection from enemies,
• success in overcoming those who come against them,
• plenty of offspring for animals and humans alike,
• plenty of resources for the whole year,
• God dwelling among the people,
• God loving the people,
• the people representing God,
• and dignity ("heads held high").

What a wonderful, fruitful national life! Who would not want this! There are many passages that give a similar promise.

I find, in Leviticus 26:3-13 an expression of the love of God, the God who desires to bless. Did not Jesus say, "give and it will be given to you - pressed down and overflowing." Giving is an attitude rather than an action.

God loves the entire Creation and wants it to work well, with humans 'shepherding' it as God's representatives, to bring more and more blessing. The laws God gave indicate the way God has designed Creation to work, in all its aspects, whether physical, biological, animal, and in the human aspects, whether social, technology, power, love and dignity.

But then from verse 14 we get the opposite. If the people "abhor" and reject the Lord and His laws, then a whole set of corresponding disasters will come upon the people. There are many passages giving a similar warning. For example Hosea 4:2-3 says "It is because of your sins that the animals are dying and the crops are failing." I won't go into the warnings here, because I want to emphasise something else.

2. One Yields Many

Students have to do many things to achieve one thing: they have attend many courses, submit many assignments and pass many exams, to get one thing, a degree or a set of A levels or GCSEs.

This passage is the opposite: one thing yields many blessings.

What is this one thing? It is what we may call attitude of heart. Being careful about the commands of God is an attitude.

This, if my scholarssip is correct, is where the emphasis lies in the Hebrew. The being-careful, the attitude of heart, comes first, and then comes "and-you-obey", almost as though obeying comes from attitude of heart. But remember when God told Samuel, about picking the youngest child, David, "Man looks on the outward appearance; God looks on the heart"? Remember when Jesus told us that "Out of the heart comes what we say and do"? And many similar passages.

We also find an emphasis on heart attitude in the negative direction: "abhoring" the Lord's ways and rejecting them. God made this attitude more concrete when he told the prophet Ezekiel (16:49) that the "sin" that got Sodom destroyed and Judah exiled was "affluence, arrogance, unconcern." It was out of this attitude that what they did came: mistreatment of the poor and other "despicable things".

3. What About Now?

I think we can see the positives being worked out in nations where the Gospel of Christ has held wide sway, throughout all sections of society, from lowest to highest. Examples:

• Think of Britain, which, because of the Gospel, took the courageous, self-sacrificing step of abandoning the slave trade, even though it was the foundation of both the economy and 'pleasant' life at the time. Look at the prosperity and technological innovation, and Britain's standing in the world, which emerged throughout the next 100 years.

• Think of the USA, and its response to the Gospel in the 19th century, where a similar thing happened, so that it became the beacon to the world in the last half of the 20th century.

In both cases, the heart attitude of a large number of people was towards God and God's laws for living, especially those found in the Gospels. Historian Tom Holland recognises more widely the good the Gospel of Christ brought to the world. God's promise of Leviticus 26 still applied.

4. Today?

• 9/11 occurred 20 years ago.
• Then the financial crash in 2008.
• Then the rise or ISIL/ISIS in nations where the USA had meddled.
• Then the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
• Now the defeat in Afghanistan by the Taliban, after the USA and its followers poured in money, technology and training [Note: Taliban].

Does not that sound like Leviticus 26:17? "I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you and you will flee even when no-one is pursuing you."

What a contrast! What's the difference? What I see is a different attitude. Before, those nations were following God; now I see "affluence, arrogance, unconcern".

Can we not see arrogance and unconcern in Donald Trump's "America First!" affluence and unconcern in the financial sector, arrogance in the USA's military actions, affluence and unconcern in our Covid-spreading lifestyles, of which more below? [Note on Earlier Times]

Let me give just one example of how this attitude has led to disaster, which I heard just the other day.

It seems that, after they were defeated, the Taliban sent a letter to Hamed Khazi, the new president, offering to lay down its arms - a letter of surrender. Apparently, the USA did not want surrender, they wanted a "comprehensive defeat". They wanted revenge for 9/11. So they put pressure on Hamed Khazi to ignore the letter, and the Taliban went into hiding and kept their arms. An opportunity was lost. Then the USA and its allies went into Iraq - and stimulated the rise of ISIL. The West poured money, skills and training into Afghanistan for 20, and suddenly, a month ago, the Taliban were allowed an amazingly fast victory. This was an attitude that went against the Gospel - directly against Jesus' command "Love your enemies". [See other examples]

To me, it is no surprise that the West has failed.

I wonder whether those things are warnings allowed by God, calling the USA, UK and all the affluent nations of the world to repent of this attitude and all that it creates. 9/11 was perhaps the first warning. What was hit, but the symbols of affluence and unconcern (the World Trade Center) and military arrogance (the Pentagon)? But the USA refused to repent - even though Billy Graham and his wife had warned "If God does not judge America, He'll have to apologise to Sodom and Gomorrah." So other warnings came, each one resulting from "affluence, arrogance and unconcern".

What saddens me is that many Christians in America and over here went along with this lack of repentance.

Now let me give you one more example, which is relevant to Big Green Week that is just starting, and more closely to us as people.

5. Lifestyle and Climate and Environmental Responsibility

Instead, we are plundering the earth. The USA and UK ecological footprint is two-and-a-half to three Earths. Ecological footprint measures the demand we make on the planet if our lifestyle were to be extended equitably to all people on earth. We are damaging the earth much faster than it can replenish. This includes climate, biodiversity, habitats - all belonging to God, and for which God has given humans responsibility. The time (kairos) has come for us to take it seriously.

Ecological footprint has three main parts: transport, power consumed and other things, especially meat-eating. Three Earths: We must reduce each of these by two-thirds. We need to cut down.

• We must drive less - electric cars is just not going to solve the problem.
• We must use less power - renewables won't solve the problem.
• We must consume less - recycling won't solve the problem on its own.

Or else, we take the attitude that the rest of the world can starve, so that we can enjoy our pleasant lifestyles! That is unconcern writ large.

Attitude of heart is revealed in our reactions. Is our reaction to resist that message? To reject? To "abhor" it [Leviticus 26:15]? Do we want to hold on to, and defend, our pleasures of life, our conveniences? Unconcern.

What perplexes me is: Why do Christians in America, or here, go along with this attitude? Ezekiel 16:49 shows us that God judges the attitude of both Sodom, who did not worship Yahweh, and Judah, who did. Is God judging Western Christians today, and sending warnings to us all?

To summarise Leviticus 26:

• Leviticus 26:3-13 applies so that national blessing occurs, when the people of a nation, by and large, follow God's ways - including, today, being careful to care for Creation.

• Leviticus 26:14 onwards applies so that national decline occurs, when the people of a nation, by and large, abhor and ignore God's ways - including, today, sacrificing God's Creation for the comforts and conveniences they enjoy.

"When people ask for hope and mean, by that, the continuation of the status quo, the time for that is over. The world of the future is here, and to hope that we can get over the finish line with all stuff and all our prior behaviours and beliefs, is ill-advised - impossible. However, despite how much pain and suffering cannot be avoided, on our way to the world of tomorrow, there will be a world and we will be in it. And there will be possibilities for meaningful and rewarding action there will be new kinds of cultural formations that make our continuing to that world possible." Richard Powers.

6. The Opportunity

In answer to Ezekiel 16:49 is Matthew 5, Jesus tells us where blessing - fruitfulness - comes from. Or, rather the type of people whom blessing follows:

• Instead of affluence, we have "Blessed are the poor, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs".

• Instead of arrogance, we have "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth".

• Instead of unconcern, we have "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; they shall be filled".

And so on, with all the Beattitudes.

These work, to produce real fruitfulness. That is what many have founf - those who "no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again" [II Corinthians 5:15]. I myself have discovered that when I boldly obey, and give up apparent claims to the comforts and conveniences of life, to getting my way, to being applauded, then I experience joy and peace, I find things 'work' in my life. I find the kind of blessing described in Leviticus 26:3-13. Maybe you have a similar testimony to give?

As Romans 8 tells us, Jesus came so that we can be changed in heart and mind, if we are willing. Dimension 1 of salvation for the entire Creation is to make us right with God through the atoning death of Christ, so that the Holy Spirit can dwell in us (Dimension 2 of salvation) and grow fruit in us, as Moira was telling us last week, to make us mature and become like Christ, so that (Dimension 3 of salvation) the mature people of God will, as God's representatives ("the Creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the [mature people] of God", Romans 8:19), who would treat Creation as their Heavenly Father would. And that is why Paul goes into a paeon of praise at the end of Romans 8. [Note: Romans 8 and Three Dimensions of Salvation]

The Beattitudes are part of that.

Let me finish with one little story.

Early in 1904 revival broke out in south Wales. People not only turned to Christ as their Saviour, but they took him and the Bible seriously. So alcoholics (as we call them today; drunkards then) just lost the desire for alcohol, violent men stopped beating their wives because they began to love them instead, thieves stopped stealing because they knew their new Heavenly Father would supply all they needed and stealing no longer held any thrill for them; Christ, and sharing Christ with others was what now thrilled them. Crime plummeted and the police and magistrates found they had nothing to do. No government action, nor any well-meaning efforts of preachers, had achieved anything like this before. People's attitudes of heart was changed - by the Spirit of God working in many people to change their deepest desires, aspirations and expectations of what is meaningful and good in life. Not everyone took part of course, but enough did for people's behaviour and the whole of society to be radically changed in just a couple of months.

We may sum it up by:

• If we treasure, and live to, our own comforts, conveniences and enjoyment, we will not be fruitful.

• If we treasure, and live to, the Lord Jesus and the laws of God, whatever comforts, conveniences or enjoyment we might or might not experience, then we will be fruitful.

These apply at both personal and national levels. Think of the parable of the soils and sower.

7. Hope for the Future

The young today are are terrified about the future. This is their hope.

So, Christians, all over the world, including in this place in Frodsham, take this hope and proclaim it. Don't harp back to what we learned at the Reformation, about the atoning death of Christ; don't harp back to what God sent into the world 150 years ago, the power of the Holy Spirit. God is doing a new thing. He's building on those - the atoning death of Christ and the Holy Spirit - so that His people will lead the world and preach Christ for the healing and care of Creation.

See Also

On 9/11 and Its Aftermath:

• 9/11 - Twenty Years On ...

• 'America' - a 'word' to the USA that arose in 2001 seven months before 9/11 occurred.

• 'Trying to Gain God's Perspective on 9/11 (September 11th 2001)' - a Biblical-theological analysis of 9/11
• 'Why Did God Allow 9/11?' (summary of the above)
• '9/11 - Ten Years On'

• Understanding the Covid-19 Pandemic - was it a warning from God and, if so, what for? and what are we doing about it?

  On What God is Doing, More Generally:

  • Jeremiah 45 - Is God Uprooting Today ?

  • What Is God Doing ? - in the world today

  • Full discussion of Climate Change and Global Economy from a Bible-believing Christian perspective.

  Thinking About This Theologically:

  • Representing God - the role of God's people in the earth, the higher standards of both protection and responsibility God sets for them.

  • How this is important in Salvation, see Three Dimenstional Salvation and Romans 8 - The Three Dimensions of Salvation.

  • A New View in Theology and Practice - what is central in God's heart?

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  Notes and References

  Note: Tom Holland's 2019 book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind traces the impact that Judaism and Christianity have had on the world. While he describes some horrible things, he also argues strongly that they have brought some unique good, especially love, forgiveness, care for the poor, and so on. The interesting thing is that Tom Holland is not known to be a believing Christian.

  Note on the Taliban. See discussion of their surprisingly fast victory in 9/11 - Twenty Years On ....

  Note on Flying: Only the most wealthy 20% of the world's population flies. Flying is the worst emitter of climate change emissions per person. The aviation industry wants to expand at 5% per year compound interest.

  Note on Earlier Times: Affluence, arrogance and unconcern did not, of course, begin 20 years ago! Look at the attitude of the Roman Catholic hierarchy during Middle Ages, for example (though was this perhaps curbed slightly by elements of the Gospel?). And of at least arrogance or unconcern in many other cultures. However, what I'm drawing attention to is the last 20 years.

  Reference: Richard Powers. Spoken on BBC Radio 4 Start The Week, 20 September 2021, at around 09:25 am.

  Note on Romans 8: Romans 8 shows three 'dimensions' of salvation: No condemnation because of Christ's atoning death (D1), experiencing God here and now through the Holy Spirit (D2), so that the mature 'sons' of God will treat Creation aright (D3). See Romans 8 and Three Dimensions of Salvation.

  Other Examples of USA's and the West's Attitude

  Here are some other examples of the attitude of "affluence, arrogance, unconcern" that I have noticed, and which I believe mean that the USA and its followers are being sidelined by God.
  • President Trump: "America first!" (arrogance, unconcern) should never have been said.

  • President Trump insulting China and President Biden continuing this (arrogance). Now China is no longer in mood to cooperate on e.g. climate change. Should not the USA should repent and apologise?

  • Did not Donald Trump pride himself on his ability to negotiate (arrogance)? What did his negotiations with the Taliban achieve?

  • Was the very style in which the USA left Afghanistan a failure (arrogance, unconcern)? Did it not undermine the dignity of the Afghans - so no wonder the morale of the Afghan forces was undermined. It is belief that gives the incentive to fight, rather than the imposition of a foreign culture.

  • USA and Western promotion of "democracy" in North-African states and other Muslim cultures - stimulating the rise of militant Islam. (Does democracy indirectly destroy the climate and biodiversity by turning politicians into reluctant cowards? Discuss.)

  • It was with some good intentions, perhaps, that the USA and Western allies did some of this - but founded in and contaminated with self-interest (arrogance, unconcern, affluence), which always ultimately fails in the long-term.

  • Shoring up the banks rather than the people, after the financial crash (affluence, unconcern). Instead, does economics needs to be rethought?

  • And, over the longer term, the promotion of selfish, promiscuous, affluent lifestyle ("I fancy it so I have a right to it!") (affluence, unconcern, arrogance) throughout the world via the media especially film and social media.

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  Comments

  Comments by Andy Sawyer, 13th October 2021

  "Not sure OT teaching about God's relationship with His people can be mapped onto the modern nation state? First thing to apply it to is God's people, now church (as in church in the West) I suppose? And I suspect the church needs to hear it. Doesn't invalidate your approach I think, in this context. 

  "Lot of valid points though:

  "God wants His creation to work well. Yep!

  "Attitude: Affluence, arrogance and unconcern. Yep!!!

  "Lessons from history: extremely difficult to demonstrate. I mean I'd like to agree, and do - I think - at a very high level, but the devil's in the detail, as they so rightly say ....

  "ME terrorism: yes yes, but cause and effect at work there: e.g. a previous head of UK intelligence said invading Iraq would just lead to more terrorists; Parliament concluded invasion of Libya an expensive, strategic failure; Afghanistan - see below. Or, as they say in the pub, if you go round the world bombing the rag-heads back the Stone Age, they get annoyed get ak47s and shoot back. And so would I in their shoes.

  "Taliban success: unexpected by _almost_ anyone. But NOT miraculous: USA turned the financial taps off; Afghan army lost air cover; then it was not paid, so it decided to go home; Afghan civic leaders did deals with the new regime to avoid grief; Afghan leaders threw the remaining money into their suitcases and legged it; Taliban stroll in. Nothing at all miraculous in any of that. Other factors (mostly stupid errors on the part of the West) played a role, all well documented now. 

  "The fact that nobody expected it is only because we willingly elect dopes and they live in a delusional world of group-think. The fact that it happened demonstrates how dopey they are. Nothing spiritual in any of that, IMHO. (I'm a bit of a dope myself, but I'm not setting myself up to run a country on behalf of, for example, the Smash & Grab gang now controlling the UK).

  "Forgiving the Taliban: Nations don't forgive. They don't have friends, or enemies. I don't think you can apply virtues to nations like that.  Nations only have interests. It was in the West's (ie, as usual, the USA's) interests, after it had clobbered AQ and duffed up the Taliban, to be helpful. And they weren't helpful. Big, expensive, horrific mistake.

  "On arrogance, there's some references to praising and appreciating God's work in the Bible, and not regarding His works is regarded as negative (especially in *'d refs).

  "1 Chronicles 16:12 1 Chronicles 16:24 Job 37:16 Psalm 28:5 Psalm 46:8 Psalm 78:7 Psalm 78:11* Psalm 105:5 Psalm 106:7* Psalm 106:13*

  "Causes of global warming:

  "travel; power; other (esp. meat eating). Yes to those, though I think there's meat-eating Western style (and all that goes with it) and other kinds of meat eating which are much less damaging. I'd have thought heating/cooling homes was also a big chunk of it?

  "Lev.26:1 - Idolatry. Bit surprised you didn't touch on that much. Still, you can't talk about everything!

  "God doing a new thing (in contrast to Reformation/Wesleyan revival etc.)  Good point.  And I really really really hope He is!

  "Not looking back - Yep! Best thing for Welsh Christians would be to forget the Revival (the term itself is so loaded with odd ideas now that I'm not sure 'revival' is a safe word to use)."

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  About This Page

  This page, URL= 'http://www.abxn.org/s/lv26.fruitful.nation.html', is on-going work in developing a 'New View' in theology that is appropriate to the days that are coming upon us. Comments, queries welcome.

  Compiled by Andrew Basden. Written on the Amiga with Protext in the style of Classic HTML.

  Created: 18 September 2021 Last updated: 20 September 2021 added some pieces that I actually said on the day, and a few others. 23 September 2021 added sum-up. 24 September 2021 other examples. 27 September 2021 youtube. 16 October 2021 Andy Sawyer comments.