Confess Your Sins To God

The Israelites often found themselves living in disobedience to God. What did He require for them to turn back to Him? First, they needed to admit their sins and then confess them to God.

Just like with the Israelites the Lord also wants us to walk in obedience to Him. So when we stray away from God we too must confess our sins to Him. 

But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me. Leviticus 26:40

Leviticus 26 is divided into two sections. The first one speaks about the Lord’s blessings for Israel’s obedience. And the other section talks about punishments for their disobedience.

Before He laid out these blessings and punishments, the Lord reminded them of two of the commandments. The first one dealt directly with their relationship with God.

Do not make idols or set up carved images, or sacred pillars, or sculptured stones in your land so you may worship them. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 26:1

The second one not only dealt with their reverence for God but for their own well-being as well.

You must keep my Sabbath days of rest and show reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord. Leviticus 26:2

Blessings for Obedience

Look what the Lord promised them if they followed His decrees and were careful to obey His commands. He said the following.

• I will send you the seasonal rains. The land will then yield its crops. Leviticus 26:4
• I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. Leviticus 26:6
• And I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. Leviticus 26:9

These practical needs went beyond them just living in the land. God’s people would also flourish and grow because of His blessings. But then God ended with the best blessing of all.

And I will fulfill my covenant with you. I will live among you, and I will not despise you.  Leviticus 26:9,11

This chapter contains 13 verses of blessings followed up by 32 verses of punishments.

Punishments for Disobedience

However, if you do not listen to me or obey all these commands. If you break my covenant by rejecting my decrees, treating my regulations with contempt, and refusing to obey my commands. I will punish you. Leviticus 26:14-16

As fantastic as their blessings were, the punishments for their disobedience were even greater. First He began by telling them that their crops would fail and their enemies would overtake them.

Then He said that wild animals would kill their children and livestock followed by another promise of punishment. But it didn’t stop there unless they would confess their sins to God.

The third time He warned them, He promised His punishment would become even more severe. He would send plagues to destroy them. He would also destroy their food supply.

God told them that if their acts of hostility continued He would multiply their punishment. In all three instances, He made a statement like the following one.

If in spite of all this you still refuse to listen and still remain hostile toward me, then I will give full vent to my hostility. I myself will punish you seven times over for your sins. Leviticus 26:27-28

The Israelites always seemed eager to agree to live in obedience to the Lord. But as time, along with their circumstances came upon them, so did their disobedience.

How About You, Obedience or Disobedience?

Maybe you’ve experienced that same type of thing. You know, when the Lord speaks to our hearts during a church service. Thus, willingly and eagerly we make commitments to Him.

Unlike the children of Israel in the Old Testament, God doesn’t reveal the full vent of His punishment to us now. He will, however, reveal it after a person passes into eternity.

It is God’s will for every person to join Him eternally in heaven. Every person belongs to Him, even those who believe there is no God. Look what the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah.

My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! Isaiah 66:2

This chapter in Isaiah gave us a picture of how God’s justice system works. The rest of verse one refers to those who love the Lord.

I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word. Isaiah 66:2

Written within the next couple of verses he also continued by talking about those who ignore God.

But those who choose their own ways—delighting in their detestable sins. I will send them great trouble—all the things they feared. They deliberately sinned before my very eyes and chose to do what they know I despise. Isaiah 66:3,4

God Expects Us to Confess Our Sins to Him

The Old Testament teaches us how serious God is about blessings and punishment. His blessings begin when we confess and repent of our sins to God through His Son Jesus.

I feel extremely bad for those who enter eternity without knowing Christ. Many of them rejected Jesus making themselves victims of God’s promise of eternal punishment.

I feel just as bad for those who have walked away from the Lord or those who think they are saved but aren’t. They will also receive that same promise. Look what Paul said in Romans.

It is written: As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God. Romans 11:23

Are You Ready to Confess Your Sins to God?

Every knee will bow before Him! Salvation is ours if we bow our knee to Jesus and confess our sins to God.  But only while we are still on this earth.

Those who enter eternity without the Lord will still bow their knee before Him. And they will probably do their best to confess their sins to God but it will be too late.

Dear God, again I confess my sins to you. I know a day doesn’t go by without me sinning in one way or another. Therefore I humbly come before you seeking your forgiveness.

Check out these other posts written on verses in Leviticus

• Unintentional Sin, What Happens When I Commit One?
• Focus Your Life On The Requirements Of God
• May The Blessings Of The Lord Be Upon You
• The Feast Of Unleavened Bread

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