II. KEEPING GOD’S SABBATH
“You shall keep My sabbaths” (v. 2a). Keeping God’s sabbath signifies that we should know that the work of God was done entirely by Himself that we might enjoy it, and that there is no need for us to do any work.
We need to learn to enjoy what God has achieved. This, however, is a hard lesson, for we have been taught to work and to do many things. This item teaches us not to work but to respect, enter into, and enjoy what God has done for us. Although Christ has accomplished everything for us, we may not be in the enjoyment of this achievement. Instead of enjoying what Christ has done, we may keep on laboring, setting Christ’s achievement aside. This is offensive to the Lord. Therefore, we need to learn to receive, regard, respect, and enjoy what God has done and not try to do something for ourselves.
III. REVERENCING GOD’S SANCTUARY
The people were also warned to reverence God’s sanctuary (v. 2b). The sabbath stands for a lot, and the sanctuary stands for even more. Reverencing God’s sanctuary signifies that we should regard with reverence all that God is and has accomplished in Christ as His dwelling, embodiment, and expression (John 1:14; Col. 2:9) and in the church as the enlargement of Christ for God’s dwelling and eternal manifestation (Eph. 2:22; Rev. 21:10).
The sanctuary in Leviticus 26:2 implies God’s dwelling, embodiment, and expression in Christ and God’s dwelling and eternal manifestation in the church. However, among Christians today these things are neglected, for many do not have the adequate knowledge of what God is in Christ as His embodiment and of what God has done in the church to make it the enlargement of Christ and the manifestation of God. Because neglecting these matters is against God’s economy, we need to be warned to regard them.
IV. THE OBEYING ONES TO BE BLESSED
If we take the first three points as the main aspects of the warning, we shall obey God’s warning. In 26:3-13 we see that the obeying ones will be blessed. This signifies that we, the New Testament believers, are blessed by walking according to the Spirit, with six issues. We shall now consider these issues.
A. Rains Given in Their Season
“If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, then I will give you rains in their season” (vv. 3-4a). Rains in their season signify that the Spirit, typified by rain, is given to the church or to the individual believers in due time.
In the Old Testament, God uses rain, called the early and latter rain (Deut. 11:14; Jer. 5:24; Joel 2:23) to signify the Spirit. If we obey God by taking care of the three foregoing matters, we shall enjoy the Spirit as rain upon us.
(Life-Study of Leviticus, Chapter 59, by Witness Lee)
