在這章充滿美妙應許和可怕警告的經文中，上帝強調了兩項以色列人必須順服的基本重要的要求。首先是十誡中的第二誡，禁止他們立神像或雕刻的偶像。上帝是忌邪的上帝，必不將榮耀歸給假神（賽42：8）。其次，以色列人要留意遵守第四誡規定的安息日，也要守安息年和禧年（利廿五章），並要尊敬上帝的聖所。如果這些都照著上帝所要求的遵守了，那麼其他的誡命也就自然的遵守，結果會使得上帝賜下許多美好的祝福。但那些祝福都是有條件的；順服帶來祝福（26：3），而悖逆則帶來咒詛（26：14）。

        上帝說得很清楚：「你們若遵行我的律例，謹守我的誡命」（26：3），結果就會好得無比。上帝應許賜物質上的祝福，如時雨、豐收、飽足、生養眾多（26：4~5，9~10）、平安、穩妥、保障、戰勝敵人（26：6~8），以及最重要的，屬靈上的祝福──上帝要在他們中間，因為他們要作上帝的子民（26：11~12）。

        就像頒佈律法的經文一樣，在這些應許的經節之後，上帝也用一句莊嚴的話提醒以色列人，他們與上帝所立的約，及順服上帝的義務：「我是耶和華你們的上帝」（26：13）。

        以色列人若是悖逆，就會得到與祝福截然相反的結果：咒詛。上帝再次清楚、生動的說：「你們若厭惡我的典章、不遵行我的一切的誡命、背棄我的約」（26：15），那麼上帝就要降下可怕的災禍。如果開頭的幾個懲罰（26：16~17）不能使他們悔改、順服上帝，那麼上帝說，且重覆四次的說：「我就要為你們的罪加七倍懲罰你們」（26：18、21、24、28）。上帝的懲罰會一次比一次嚴厲。這是由於上帝的大愛，他希望看到以色列人悔改。上帝前四次的懲罰還只是疾病、戰敗、和饑荒；最後的警告，也是最糟的刑罰則將是：被分散在外邦中為奴，許多人要滅亡，他們的土地也要成為荒場（26：29~35）。我們發現，這些事一一發生在以色列的歷史中（結14：21），因為，可悲的是，他們並沒有遵守與上帝所立的約。隨著立約特權而來的是責任和義務。這些嚴厲的懲罰也是由於上帝聖潔、公正的屬性；祂不能容忍罪，也不能姑息悖逆，特別是與祂有約之民的悖逆和罪。當以色列人順服上帝時，上帝就在他們中間；但因為祂不能與罪同住，祂就必須向悖逆的以色列人變臉（26：17）。我們發現這章談到的咒詛多過祝福，因為以色列民要充分瞭解上帝的命令和盡義務的重要性。

        不過，上帝也應許，以色列人若謙卑的承認他們的罪，祂就要記念與他們祖宗所立的約（26：40、42；參代下7：14）。請注意，理由不是因為他們，而是因為上帝與亞伯拉罕所立的永約；上帝的話永不改變。西乃山之約是有條件的，但與亞伯拉罕所立的是恩典之約，永遠不會失效。所以，上帝以祂的慈愛和憐憫說，祂不會將以色列人盡行滅絕，而會存留少數忠信的餘民。願我們都作那群忠信的子民，遵守上帝的道，並且接受我們不配得的，上帝藉著耶穌基督所應許的祝福。

        施恩的上帝，求您幫助我們能盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力的愛您，並且愛人如己，因為遵守了這兩件就是守全了律法。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        In this chapter of magnificent promises and terrible warnings, the Lord God stresses two basic and important requirements that demanded obedience. Firstly, the second commandment is written, forbidding the making and worshipping of idols, or any carve images. The Lord God is a jealous God and will not share His Glory (Isa.42:8). Secondly, they were to be careful to observe the fourth commandment of keeping the Sabbath holy, meaning not only the day, but the Sabbath year, and the Sabbath Jubilee (Lev.25), as well as honoring and showing reverence for God’s holy sanctuary. If these were kept as God required, the other commandments would flow naturally, resulting in His granting the many beautiful blessings. But all these are conditional; the blessings for obedience (26:3), and the curses for disobedience (26:14).

        The Lord God spoke clearly: “If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them: (26:3), then the results would be wonderful. He promised material blessings of rain, abundant harvests, much food, and much offspring (26:4-5, 9-10), peace, security, protection, victory over enemies (26:6-8), and, most importantly, spiritual blessings – His presence among them, for they would be His people (26:11-12).

        As with the passages of Law, these verses are followed by God’s solemn words which serve to remind them of their covenant and obligation of obedience to Him: “I am the Lord your God” (26:13).

        The total opposite of blessings, namely curses, would result if they were disobedient. Again the Lord speaks clearly and graphically: “If you despise My statutes” and “do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant” (26:15), then He would bring terrible calamities upon them. If these first few punishments (26:16-17) did not bring about repentance and obedience to Him, then four times God says, “U will punish you seven times more for your sins” (26:18, 21, 24, 28). After each time, the punishments would become successively more severe. This is because, in His Great love, God desired to see them come to repentance, but until then their punishment would be sickness, defeat and famine; then, after the fourth and final warning, the worst possible punishment would result: to be scattered among the heathen nations in captivity where many would perish, and their land would lie desolater (26:29-35). We find that all these things happened in the course of Israel’s history (eg. Ezek.14:21), for sadly, they did not keep the covenant with their God. Along with the privileges of the covenant came responsibility and duty. These severe punishments were a result of the holy and just character of God, who cannot stand sin nor tolerate disobedience, especially among His covenant people. In times of obedience to God, His holy presence dwelt among them, but because He could not dwell with sinfulness, He would have to turn His face from them (26:17). We find in this chapter more spoken of curses than blessings, for the people were to fully understand the seriousness of God’s commands and their covenant obligations.

        However, the Lord promised that if the Israelites would confess their iniquity with humble hearts, He would remember the covenant with their forefathers (26:40, 42; key verse; c.f. 2 Chron.7:14). Notice the reason given is not because of them, but because of the eternal covenant with Abraham, and God’s word does not change. The covenant of Sinai was conditional, but the covenant with Abraham was one of grace, never to be nullified. Therefore God, in His love and mercy, said He would not totally destroy them all, but would leave a remnant, those few faithful ones. May we today be those faithful ones who follow in the ways of the lord and, though undeserving, receive His promised blessings provided through Jesus Christ.

        Grant today, O God of Grace, that we will be enabled to love You with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strengths, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us mightily because in keeping these, we also keep the whole Law.