What happens when God Himself seems to 'appoint' terrible things to happen to His people?
In Leviticus 26:16, God declares, 'I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague.' This isn't about God randomly causing suffering, but about His active judgment when His people repeatedly disobey His commands. The commentators highlight that 'terror' (behalah) signifies a sudden, overwhelming dread, and 'consumption' and 'burning ague' refer to debilitating diseases. This isn't a passive observation of suffering; it's a purposeful, appointed consequence of broken covenant. The enemies eating the sown seed further illustrates how the very fruit of their labor would be snatched away, a direct reversal of the promised blessings for obedience.
