LEVITICUS 25:18-22 ~ Promised Provision

Praise God, He has blessed us with a beautiful sunny, clear morning!  Bless His heart!  I hope you are enjoying the new mini series, Between-Meal Snacks.  I often find extra little nuggets of blessings, while doing my regular devotionals … I decided to put them out here for you to nibble on, too.  I’m actually not sure how to segue into this Morning’s Measure of Manna ... so ...

May I get personal, for just a minute?  We all know that the LORD wants us to believe Him and trust Him for literally everything, even the smallest of details, right?  For instance; I know, for an absolute fact, that the LORD is my Provision and my Provider, my Portion and the Supplier of all my needs.  But, do I always behave as if I believe it?  Do I relax and leave everything in His hands ... always?  Do you?  I sure don't intend to, but there are times that I get impatient and fret, or worse, move out on my own power!  We all know that never works!  The flesh does indeed war against the Spirit.

Which is why the LORD gives us the Old Testament ... to instruct us.

LEVITICUS 25:18-22

Wherefore you shall do My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety.  And the land shall yield her fruit, and you shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.  And if you shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year?  Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: Then I will command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.  And you shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in you shall eat of the old store.

:18 ~ Wherefore you shall do My statutes, and keep My judgments, and do them; and you shall dwell in the land in safety.

First, we need to look at the previous verse, in order to find out, what the “wherefore” is there for!   Leviticus. 25:17 ~ “for I AM the LORD your God."

A.  He reminded them of His authority and His power.
B.  He issued a three-fold command: (required actions)

1. Do My statutes:
2. Keep My judgments
3. Do My judgments

C.  He gave them a three-fold promise. (natural consequences or reactions)

In Science and Physics, we learn:  Newton's Third Law of Motion:  "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."  The reaction is a natural consequence of the action.  Biblical Laws were given by the same Creator whose Laws of Physics govern the entire Universe!

Certainly, we are no longer bound by Old Testament Laws.  Jesus completely fulfilled all the requirements of the Law.  Absolutely, we live under His mercy and grace.  We will not be judged nor punished for breaking these laws.  Through the Blood of our Savior, we are forgiven and protected!  Hallelujah!

In this case, the LORD promised that the consequence of being obedient to His three-fold command would be a life of safety in the Land of Promise.  NICE consequence!

 
:19 ~ And the land shall yield her fruit, and you shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.

Now, the LORD adds 2 more consequences of their obedience and re-emphasizes His promise of safety within the land.

1. The land shall yield her fruit. ~ There is something profound in the fact that the land yields her fruit, at His command!  Also, that even the land can be obedient ... hmmm ...
2. You shall eat your fill. ~ This is a collective you.  Absolutely, no lack ... no one would go hungry.  Loving that!  Here is the answer to ending world hunger ~ Lev. 25:18! 
3. And dwell in the land in safety. ~ Divine protection!!!  100% secure!  The LORD saw fit to mention this twice!  So, obviously it is particularly important to Him.  Notice the locator words within this command: "dwell in the land in safety."  Safety was inside ... not outside of the land of promise!  I never "saw" this before,  but we know that, over and over in the Scriptures, the LORD creates boundaries for our safety!  One more reason to stay in GOD's will ... His best blessings are in there!  NOTE: there is much more treasure to be found here!

:20 ~ And  if you shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year?  Behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase:

The LORD knew that the Israelites would question His program of allowing the land to rest every 7th year.  (a sound agricultural practice, still used today)  Why would they question God?  They had experienced His presence, power, and provision so many times!.  .    ... For the children of Israel, going a year without planting and harvesting, would again test their faith.  Not planting the 7th year meant that they would have nothing to eat at their usual harvest time!  Ha!  I just had an interesting thought, maybe they were afraid that they might get manna again!!  *snicker*

:21 ~ Then I will command My blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.

I find it interesting that God commanded His blessing on the Israelites, not the land, but it makes total sense.  He promised that His blessing would bring forth fruit for 3 years.  He commanded the land to yield the fruit of His blessing.  If He did not order them, there would be no fruit.  If anything grew, in the land, they would not have been able to harvest it.I   picture the Dust Bowl ... that desolate, dry ground.
Dust Bowl Farm: Photographer: Dorothea Lang: June 1938
 
OK, so to break it down:  (I have to do this often, to make sure I am understanding correctly)

1. The children of Israel were to follow the LORD's instructions
2. Then, the LORD promised to command His blessing upon them, in the 6th year.
3. They were to sow seed (from the 5th year) into the land.
4. Then, GOD's blessing would bring forth fruit in the land, enough for 3 years.
5. The land, in turn, would yield her fruit (that the blessing brought forth) for the people.
6. Then the people were to gather the yield from the land, eat their fill, and store up the extra.

:22 ~ And you shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in you shall eat of the old store.

Here, the children of Israel were to have rested during the Sabbatic (7th) year, still eating from the abundance of their 6th year.  Then the LORD commands the children of Israel to again sow seed in the 8th year.  And they were commanded to continue eating from the storehouse ... until the new fruit came forth.

Wow, what a picture of the Old Testament and the New Testament!!!  Is this not what happened between Testaments???!!

Not only agricultural principles are pictured here, but financial, Spiritual, and I don't even know what all!

The LORD continues to blow me away ... there is SO much in each sentence of His, each Word.  There is always something new, waiting to be revealed (oooo, waiting in the LORD's Storehouse?)  However, the Living Word is never old; it is always fresh and new!

The LORD says, basically, the same thing in Malachi 3:10, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the LORD of Hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing, until it overflows."  :11  And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD of hosts. :12  And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delight-some land, says the LORD of Hosts.

Which brings us right back to the core of what the LORD wants from us ... TRUST, which requires FAITH, which requires BELIEF.  And to the only place in Scripture where the LORD says to TEST Him!

I think this is a good place to camp ... The LORD has provided rich manna in these 5 verses ... we have much to digest.

May His Word nourish our bodies and our souls and be branded into our hearts!  May we apply the truths that He shows us in our lives.

Until the next time, Selamat jalan

I am blessed every day

with some new revelation of God's Word.

I will be sharing my measure of manna

with all who come to my "tent."

Please, let me know if you have been blessed

by the way it was prepared for you this day.

~Shalom~