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1. What did this text mean to the biblical audience?
The LORD God gave Moses many laws and standards of His expectations for His chosen people just prior to the setting up of the Tabernacle. His Presence would remain among them within the Tabernacle, as long as they followed His Will and Ways. To that end, these many laws were necessary to allow the people a way to know the requirements to maintain a righteous state before Him, and create guilt and fear when that state was violated.
The Hebrew people should have had no doubt of the ability for the LORD God to visit blessings or curses upon them for failure to adhere to His Commandments after their forty year journey in the Wilderness, and the miracles visited upon them in their escape from Egypt. However, their memories of the awesome powers of the LORD God were often fleeting, as they would revert back to their natural predispositions as a superstitious culture that would take a little bit of every belief of even pagan cultures to guarantee good luck.
It is these superstitious beliefs that the LORD God is addressing when He speaks of the idols and graven images. It is this same belief that is stated firmly in the Ten Commandments handed down to Moses upon Mt. Sinai (Exodus 20). In fact, we know through many places in Scripture, that the issue of worship of false gods and idols causes great jealousy in our LORD God, and is at the forefront of his standards expressing prohibition at worshiping falsely by His People.
This law addressed in Leviticus 26:1 promises blessings for adherence and promises of punishment for disobedience for the obeying of all His laws. It is a fair and just Lawgiver that not only gives His expectations of behavior, but also makes clear the resulting rewards or punishments to those who are under His laws. The Hebrews were taught not only the law of God concerning His prohibition to worship idols and graven images, but also were given to know the deep feelings of their God concerning this issue, and what would happen to them depending upon their choice to adhere to His Will.
When first revealed as one of the Ten Commandments, the Hebrews learned of the LORD God's requirements. As time and teachings continued, more understanding of His concerns were made known, and His instructions to Moses in Leviticus continues that teaching, with promises of great reward or great punishment to bring His message to deeper understanding, and prevent His people from falling into the traps of the Canaanite false religion that was often in their midst.
2. What are the differences between the biblical audience and us?
We have more knowledge and understanding concerning the LORD God's will through a historical progression of revelation by the LORD God about His Being, Works and Will through His covenanted Word. A good example of the increased teachings concerning His Things can be observed through this very chapter of Leviticus 26, by comparing the promised blessings of obedience to the penalties for disobedience to those same topics spoken about in Deuteronomy 28. The LORD God, in His ultimate giving Grace, delivers His teachings in stair-step instruction to allow His people to progressively grow to the places He Wills. By the time these teachings have reached us, we have been given to know so much more that the first audience would never have the capacity to understand, because the complete foundation had not yet been laid.
Further, our relationship with Jesus Christ brings these teachings to a more enlightened place. While many might argue with this point, I believe that those with a true relationship with Jesus Christ no longer have a need for blessings or curses to be focused upon to guide the behavior of Christians. When we have the ultimate blessings of receiving salvation through His shed blood, and becoming the adopted sons and daughters of the LORD God as a result, other promised blessings are just icing on the great cake of blessings given to us through His Son. While promised blessings to come are nice to think about, the blessing of receiving Christ should so overwhelm us with the greatest of joys, that the other promised rewards of God should not govern our obedience to Him. Our obedience should be sealed as a result of Christ's sacrifice for us.
3. What is the theological principle in this text?
Obey the LORD God and receive blessings; disobey Him and expect punishment. Also, we are made to know that idols stand in empowerment, lifting false worshippers up, and graven images cause a person to worship in bowing submission; they are equally disdained by our LORD God.
4. Does the New Testament teaching modify or qualify this principle?
Those of Old Testament times could not be in the presence of the LORD God in a disobedient and sinful state. Those of us in New Testament time cannot be in His presence in a sinful state either. However, while Old Testament people were constantly attempting to adjust their sinful nature to conform to the LORD God's teachings, the New Testament believers in Christ are freed from that sinful nature to allow His Laws to be obeyed naturally, without struggle, and without promise of reward or punishment.
Further, New Testament believers can apply the theological principle concerning idols into their vast knowledge that has been revealed to them in study of His Word, and apply it to their present lives.
5. How should individual Christians today apply this theological principle in their lives?
First, recognize that our LORD God has revealed that the control of idols and the worship of graven images anger Him greatly. If it angered Him in Old Testament times, it angers Him in New Testament times. He is a jealous God, and any New Testament believer that has not grasped that part of His nature, would be wise to learn it quickly.
Secondly, to honor the LORD God and have a relationship with Him requires a New Testament believer to approach Him on His terms. He has made one of those terms very, very clear: no idols or graven images should be anywhere near a Christian!
Thirdly, to prevent idols and graven images from empowering or causing worship by a Christian, we must recognize what the character and nature of idols are and how to avoid them. We must recognize that idols and graven images are anything that has value attached to it falsely, by giving it control over our lives or worship. If we are vainly controlled by "false things", or conceitfully worship "false things," we must understand that we are going to make our LORD God very angry, and it will affect our relationship with Him.
The wise Christian will take heed, and apply this knowledge to their walk in both the natural and spiritual realms.
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