Blessing for Obedience

3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely.

Reading through this portion of Leviticus, I was reminded of another “if” statement in scripture that is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. It states, “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” There seems to be a pretty basic principle at work here. That principle is one of obedience. If we are obedient to the things that He is asking of us, it seems to help set the stage for His blessings. I am not advocating some sort of prosperity gospel but rather a gentle reminder that obedience allows us to walk in whatever the Lord wills. That could even be a movement towards blessing through suffering.

So we see in 2 Chronicles the blessing of forgiveness and healing that comes with God’s people humbling themselves, praying, seeking His face, and turning from their wicked ways.

In verse 3 of Leviticus 26, we have another “if” statement. There is another promise or blessing that comes from our obedience. It states that if we walk in the statutes and commands of the Lord, He will give rains in their season, and the land will yield its increase, and the trees of the field will yield their fruit.

The Lord knows what we need and longs to provide those things to us, but oftentimes we have to go through the process. Just like the trees need rain to grow and yield their fruit, we too need our sustenance to be found in Him because He causes the growth.

Not only is He the one who causes growth and sustains us through the process- the blessings He gives are given in abundance. In verse 5 it talks about the harvest, the sowing, and the abundance of provision which lead to security. It is what He does. He creates safe spaces where He pours out his blessings.

The question for us is simple. Are we willing to be obedient to the things that He is asking of us? If we will walk in His statutes and commands, He says He will bring the rains.