Leviticus 26:23
“And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the underlying assumption that discipline itself might not be corrective. The phrase "if by this discipline you are not turned to me" highlights that God's chastening isn't just punishment, but an invitation to change. It’s a profound reminder that even hardship is intended to draw us closer to Him, not drive us away.
This passage comes at the end of a long section where God lays out the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. After detailing escalating punishments for stubborn rebellion, God poses the scenario where, despite all these disciplinary actions, the people still refuse to turn back to Him. This sets the stage for the declaration that God Himself will then actively oppose them, escalating the conflict further.
God’s corrections are meant to draw us closer, not push us away. But what happens when we refuse to learn?
Leviticus 26:23 presents a critical turning point. God has already laid out a series of disciplines—from plagues to famine—designed to call His people back to Him.
A Stiff-Necked People
The verse states, “if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me…” This isn't a casual disregard; it's a deliberate turning away. The commentaries highlight that 'reformed' here means 'disciplined' or 'corrected.' It implies that God's actions are meant to be instructive, guiding His people back to the right path. When this discipline is met with continued opposition, it signifies a deeper problem: a refusal to acknowledge God's hand and a choice to actively oppose His ways.
The Choice to Resist
Walking 'contrary to me' isn't just passive disobedience; it's an active stance against God's will. This resistance hardens the heart and leads to a cycle of escalating consequences, as God warns of further, more severe judgments.
When we push against God, He doesn't simply let us drift away. He actively pushes back.
Leviticus 26:23-24 reveals a solemn truth: persistent rebellion against God’s discipline leads to God Himself walking contrary to the rebellious.
The Escalation of Conflict
The verse states, “if . . . you walk contrary to me; Then will I also walk contrary unto you…” This isn't about God being capricious; it's about His just response to unrepentant sin. When His people refuse to be “reformed” (or “disciplined”) by His chastisements, God escalates the conflict. He will no longer deal with them as a loving Father gently guiding, but as a righteous judge imposing His will.
A Covenant Fulfilled (in Judgment)
This counter-movement is also an affirmation of His covenant. He promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. By walking contrary to them, God is enacting the terms of the covenant. He will bring a sword, pestilence, and famine – judgments that directly oppose their desired security, health, and sustenance. This is God demonstrating that His covenant will be upheld, one way or another.
Understand the original words
musar · Hebrew Noun
Corrective punishment or training intended to produce repentance and holiness. It is not merely punitive but remedial, seeking to restore the relationship between God and His people.
This passage highlights God's persistent attempts to correct His people through discipline, only to be met with stubbornness and an unwillingness to learn, mirroring the refusal to be reformed in Leviticus.
Romans 2:4-5Paul speaks about the 'riches of God's kindness and forbearance and patience,' warning that people often 'spurn' this goodness and 'heap up wrath' by refusing to repent, which resonates with the escalating judgment for not responding to God's discipline.
Hebrews 12:5-11This passage directly addresses God's discipline as a sign of His fatherly love, intended to produce righteousness. It parallels Leviticus by showing that the refusal of this discipline leads to estrangement, while acceptance brings peace.
Psalm 32:9-10This psalm describes the danger of being like a horse or mule that needs restraint, contrasting the suffering of the wicked who resist God's ways with the joy of those who trust in His steadfast love, reflecting the consequence of walking contrary to God.
calvinLeviticus 26:14-45: "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;"
I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain; for your enemies shall eat it.
Etiam ego faciam hoc vobis: constituam super vos terrorem, tabem, et febrem, consumentia oculos, et dolore afficientia animam, seretisque frustra semen vestrum: nam co…
pooleLeviticus 26:23: "And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;"
No text from Poole on this verse.
What's easy to miss here is the underlying assumption that discipline itself might not be corrective. The phrase "if by this discipline you are not turned to me" highlights that God's chastening isn't just punishment, but an invitation to change. It’s a profound reminder that even hardship is intended to draw us closer to Him, not drive us away.
This passage comes at the end of a long section where God lays out the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. After detailing escalating punishments for stubborn rebellion, God poses the scenario where, despite all these disciplinary actions, the people still refuse to turn back to Him. This sets the stage for the declaration that God Himself will then actively oppose them, escalating the conflict further.
This passage comes at the end of a long section where God lays out the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. After detailing escalating punishments for stubborn rebellion, God poses the scenario where, despite all these disciplinary actions, the people still refuse to turn back to Him. This sets the stage for the declaration that God Himself will then actively oppose them, escalating the conflict further.
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"“And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me," — What's easy to miss here is the underlying assumption that discipline itself might not be corrective. The phrase "if by this discipline you are not turned to me" highlights that God's chastening is…
