March 6

Blessings and Curses

You have finished the book of Leviticus!!! Congratulations!!!

Principles for the blessing of a nation: If the Israelites obeyed God and followed his Word there would be peace in the land. If they disobeyed, disaster would follow. God used sin’s consequences to draw them to repentance, not to get back at them.

Here is a list of the blessings of a nation following God:
1. Rain for the crops
2. Abundant harvests
3. Peace and safety in the land
4. Chasing away of enemies
5. God walks with them
6. They walk with heads held high

Here is a list of the curses of a nation that refuses to follow God:
1. Fear of sudden terror
2. Disease drains away life
3. Enemies defeat them
4. No strength for life, live in fear
5. Poor harvests
6. Cities in ruin
7. The nation eventually perishes

There is hope in these verses... verses 40-42 “'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers ...... I will remember the land.”

When God’s people realize that God is in the disaster, and they humble themselves before him, then God will hear from heaven and heal the land. There is hope for every nation. Our hope lies in our relationship with God. Only 10 righteous people could have saved Sodom and Gomorrah. The greatest danger we face in the USA is that the people of God are not calling the nation to repentance. I do not expect our President to say to the nation, “It is time to pray.” I do expect that every Christian will say this. There is no hope for our nation coming from Washington. The hope for America lies in its churches.

2 Chron. 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

It is time to pray!!!