Commentary - Leviticus 26:46

Bird's-eye view

Leviticus 26:46 serves as a grand concluding summary, a colophon not just for the chapter of blessings and curses, but for the entire legal corpus delivered at Sinai. This verse is the official stamp, the authorized signature at the bottom of the covenant document. It establishes the origin, the nature, the parties, the location, and the mediator of the old covenant constitution. Yahweh is the sovereign Lawgiver, the sons of Israel are the covenant people, Moses is the appointed intermediary, and Mount Sinai is the place where heaven and earth met for this solemn transaction. This is not a collection of good ideas or helpful suggestions for spiritual improvement; it is the binding legal framework for a nation, given by God Himself. The verse carefully distinguishes between statutes, judgments, and laws, indicating the comprehensive nature of this covenant. It was a total way of life, governing every sphere, from the worship at the tabernacle to the administration of civil justice. This final sentence anchors everything that has been commanded in a concrete historical event, grounding God's covenantal dealings in real space and time.

In the broader sweep of redemptive history, this verse marks the formal establishment of the old covenant order, the very system that the Lord Jesus would come to fulfill and, in fulfilling, transform. The law given by the hand of Moses points forward to the grace and truth that would come by the hand of Jesus Christ. The statutes and judgments given at Sinai reveal the perfect righteousness of God, a standard which man in his sin could never meet, thereby demonstrating our desperate need for a Mediator who could not only deliver the law, but keep it perfectly on our behalf and bear its curse for our failures.

Outline

Context In Leviticus

This verse is the capstone of the entire central section of Leviticus. The book begins with the laws of sacrifice (Ch. 1-7), moves to the consecration of the priesthood (Ch. 8-10), then details the laws of purity and cleanliness (Ch. 11-15), centering on the Day of Atonement (Ch. 16). After this, we have the "Holiness Code" (Ch. 17-26), a collection of laws governing the daily life of Israel, calling them to be holy as Yahweh is holy. Chapter 26 is the pinnacle of this section, laying out the covenantal sanctions: glorious blessings for obedience and terrifying curses for disobedience. Verse 46 thus functions as the formal conclusion to this entire body of law. It looks back over everything from chapter 17, and arguably over the whole book, and says, "This is the deal. This is the covenant constitution that God established with you." It is the final word before the appendix on vows and tithes in chapter 27. Its placement is crucial; it reminds Israel that the blessings and curses are not arbitrary but are the sworn consequences of adhering to or violating this specific, historically given covenant.

Key Issues

The Covenant Constitution

We live in an anti-authoritarian age, and so when we come to a verse like this, our instinct is to treat it as a historical curiosity. We see it as the "terms and conditions" of an ancient religion, something to be scrolled past. But that is to fundamentally misunderstand what is happening. This is the formal conclusion to the founding constitution of the nation of Israel. God is not just giving them a religion; He is giving them a comprehensive social, political, and judicial order. He is establishing a theocracy, a nation under His direct rule.

The language here is legal and formal. This is a summary statement at the end of a treaty. And like any good treaty, it identifies the sovereign (Yahweh), the vassals (the sons of Israel), and the mediator who brokered the deal (Moses). The content of the treaty is described comprehensively as "statutes and judgments and laws." This is not an a la carte menu where Israel gets to pick and choose. This is a package deal. To be in covenant with Yahweh meant accepting His rule over every aspect of life. This is the foundation of a biblical worldview. God's authority is not limited to the "religious" sphere. His law speaks to everything, because He is Lord of everything. This verse is the summary of that claim for the nation of Israel at that point in redemptive history.

Verse by Verse Commentary

46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws

The verse begins with a comprehensive summary of the covenant's content. The use of three distinct terms is not mere repetition; it is meant to be exhaustive. Statutes (huqqot) often refers to engraved, permanent ordinances, the fixed principles of the covenant. Think of these as the foundational articles of the constitution. Judgments (mishpatim) typically refers to case laws, the application of God's principles to specific situations. This is the common law of Israel, showing them how to reason from the statutes to particular cases. And laws (torot, plural of torah) is the most general term, meaning "instructions" or "teachings." It encompasses the entire body of divine revelation given to guide the people. Together, these three words declare that the covenant God has given is comprehensive. It provides both the unchangeable principles and the practical guidance for applying them. It is a complete legal system, sufficient for the life of the nation. It covers their worship (ceremonial law), their civil life (judicial law), and their moral obligations (moral law).

which Yahweh has given to be between Himself and the sons of Israel

This clause establishes the two parties of the covenant. On one side is Yahweh, the self-existent, covenant-keeping God who brought them out of Egypt. He is the sovereign, the initiator of this relationship. The law is not something Israel came up with; it is something Yahweh has given. It is a product of His grace. On the other side are "the sons of Israel," the corporate body of the redeemed people. This is a national covenant. It is made with the people as a whole. The law is what stands "between" them. It is the constitution that defines their relationship. If they keep the terms, they enjoy fellowship with their King and the blessings of His presence. If they violate the terms, they come under the judgments and curses defined by those same laws. The law is the trellis upon which the relationship between God and His people was to grow.

by the hand of Moses

Here we have the mediator. The law was not dropped from the sky. It was not delivered in an impersonal way. God chose to use a man, Moses, as the intermediary. The phrase "by the hand of" signifies agency. Moses was God's appointed agent. This was necessary because the people were terrified of God's unmediated presence (Ex. 20:19). They needed a go-between. Moses' role here is a profound type of Christ. The old covenant was mediated by a faithful servant, Moses, who brought the law that revealed sin and led to death. The new covenant is mediated by a faithful Son, Jesus, who brings the grace that forgives sin and leads to life (Heb. 3:1-6). The law given through Moses was holy, just, and good, but it could not give life because of the weakness of our flesh. It required a better mediator who could not only deliver the terms of the covenant but also fulfill them for us.

at Mount Sinai.

Finally, the location is specified. This entire constitutional arrangement was established at a particular place and time. It is grounded in history. Mount Sinai was the place where God descended in fire and glory to meet with His people. It was the place of thunder, lightning, and the trumpet blast of God. By naming Sinai here at the end of the legal code, the Spirit is reminding Israel of the awesome and terrifying holiness of the Lawgiver. This was not a casual negotiation. This was a transaction between a holy God and a sinful people, and the memory of Sinai was meant to produce a holy fear and a sober respect for the covenant they had entered into. It was at Sinai that they said, "All that Yahweh has spoken we will do" (Ex. 24:7). This final phrase is God's stamp on the document, reminding them of where and when they signed it.

Application

This verse, while summarizing the old covenant, has profound implications for us as new covenant believers. First, it reminds us that God's relationship with His people is always covenantal. It is not a vague, sentimental spirituality. It has terms, promises, and obligations. Our relationship with God is defined by the new covenant, ratified in the blood of Jesus Christ. We are not under the statutes and judgments of the Mosaic administration, but we are under the law of Christ.

Second, it teaches us the necessity of mediation. We cannot approach a holy God on our own terms. The Israelites needed Moses; we need Jesus. He is the one who stands "between" us and the Father. Any attempt to approach God apart from the "hand of" Jesus is as foolish as an Israelite trying to bypass Moses and climb Sinai on his own. He is our prophet, priest, and king, the sole mediator of the new covenant.

Lastly, this verse reminds us of the comprehensive nature of God's authority. The law given at Sinai touched every area of life, and the lordship of Christ is no less sweeping. He is not just Lord of our "quiet times" or Sunday mornings. He is Lord of our finances, our politics, our families, our work, and our entertainment. The law of God, as fulfilled and taught by Christ, is our guide for all of life. Just as Israel was given statutes, judgments, and laws for their life as a nation, so we have been given the Scriptures to equip us for every good work, that we might live as a holy nation and a royal priesthood in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, all to the glory of God the Father.