What is the meaning of Leviticus 26:40? But if they will confess their iniquity • God introduces a gracious “if,” showing that even after warnings of judgment (Leviticus 26:14-39), repentance opens the door to restoration (cf. 2 Chron 7:14, “if My people…will humble themselves…then I will hear”). • Confession means naming sin for what it is—no excuses, no blame-shifting (Proverbs 28:13, “He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy”). • The initiative rests with the people: “they will confess.” Repentance is a personal act that aligns with God’s constant readiness to forgive (1 John 1:9). and that of their fathers • Israel must acknowledge generational patterns of rebellion, not just individual acts (Nehemiah 9:2, “they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers”). • Recognizing ancestral sin is not about fatalism; it is about owning the corporate breach of covenant so it can be broken (Daniel 9:16-17). • This clause affirms Scripture’s teaching that sin’s consequences ripple through families, yet mercy “to a thousand generations” is available to those who love Him (Exodus 20:5-6). in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me • “Unfaithfulness” highlights covenant betrayal, comparable to marital infidelity (Hosea 2:2-8). • Sin is not merely a behavioral lapse; it is breach of relationship with the covenant God who redeemed Israel (Exodus 19:4-5). • The phrase “practiced against Me” personalizes offense: every sin is directed at God Himself (Psalm 51:4, “Against You, You only, have I sinned”). by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me— • Ongoing rebellion has produced a settled posture of “hostility,” making the people enemies of God (Romans 8:7, “the mind of the flesh is hostile to God”). • “Walked” points to a lifestyle, not a momentary lapse (Ephesians 2:1-2). • Confession must therefore address both acts and attitudes, turning from a hostile way of life to loyal obedience (James 4:4, “friendship with the world is hostility toward God”). summary Leviticus 26:40 teaches that restoration begins when God’s people honestly admit their personal and generational sins, acknowledging that these betray the covenant and foster hostility toward the Lord. Genuine confession dismantles that hostility, opening the way for God’s promised mercy and renewed fellowship. |
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