THE LORD SPOKE (February 21)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Leviticus 26-27

Tucked into what might appear to be an obscure little corner of a seemingly obscure book of the Bible, you might be surprised to find one of the grandest statements of the over-all themes of Scripture. But that’s exactly what it is.

I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD. These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the LORD established on Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses.

Leviticus 26:42-46 contains a brief but profound summary of the five basic themes of biblical theology that hold all the Scripture together:

1. PROMISE / COVENANT (vs. 42,45) - “I will remember my covenant”
2. PRESERVATION / REDEMPTION (vs. 45) - “whom I brought out of Egypt”
3. POSSESSION / LAND (vs. 42) - “I will remember the land”
4. PRINCE / MESSIAH (vs. 46) - “through Moses” (a type of the Messiah)
5. PEOPLE / ELECTION (vs. 44-45) - “covenant with Jacob...Isaac...Abraham”

This comes after one of the classic passages about rewards for obedience and punishment for disobedience (Lev. 26:1-41). It is a restatement of the grand sweep of biblical theology and is twice again founded on the simple declaration, “I am the LORD (Yahweh).” No other argument is needed. No other authority need be cited. No other reason has to be given to strengthen the statement. It’s simply, “I am the Lord”, and that settles it forever.


New Testament: Luke 8

Although the Parable of the Sower (Lk. 8:1-15) has a lot to say about good soil and bad, you must go a little farther into the chapter to find the main point. It has something to say about the sower, the seed, and the soils, but what it’s really talking about is the quality of our listening.

That comes out in the next paragraph when Jesus says, “consider carefully how you listen” (vs. 18). Right after that, to drive the point home, He identifies His mother and brothers as “those who hear God’s word and put it into practice” (vs. 21). Now, go back to the parable and notice the emphasis on hearing:

vs. 12 - The seed that fell “along the path” represents “the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts”. Because it’s buried so shallow, or not at all, it is easily pulled up or kicked aside. Satan hates it and grabs for it immediately. He wants to keep that soil hard and unproductive. They heard but it didn’t penetrate.

vs. 13 - The seed that fell “on the rock” speaks of those “who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root”. The thin soil over the rock won’t hold moisture well. Soon after the rain falls it evaporates and the seed fails to germinate and put down roots. They heard but it didn’t dig down to where they live.

vs. 14 - The seed that fell “among thorns” stands for “those who hear but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature”. Other things come up that choke out the seed, robbing if of nutrients, sucking out its moisture, and hiding it from the sun. They heard but they were distracted by all the other problems and activities around them.

vs. 15 - The seed that fell “on good soil” portrays those “who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop”. This group lets it sink in, send down roots, sprout every direction, and set out good fruit. They heard and it made a difference.

All four categories hear the word in some way - even with joy. But did they listen to it? Did they abide in it, as Jesus taught us is necessary in order to bear fruit (Jn. 15:4,7)? It involves much more than just memorizing God’s Word, though that is a good starting point. But it means living in it to the point that you think it continually. You’re so saturated by God’s Word that it influences your every thought pattern and comes out in godly attitudes and actions.

So, when Jesus says in the very next breath, “consider carefully how you listen” (vs. 18), He’s really saying the same thing as James did later, “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only.” (Jas. 1:22).