Leviticus: Jesus Owns the Dirt

Jesus is King over every square inch of this terrestrial ball. Said another way: Jesus owns the dirt. All the dirt on Planet Earth belongs to Jesus.

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In one of the more fascinating chapters in one of the less fascinating books of the Bible, God displays his rule and reign over acres and plots of land.

In particular, God promises blessing for his people in Leviticus 26, if they obey his law and keep his statutes—do this and the Israelites will flourish in the land.

“If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 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.” (Lev. 26:3-4)

Conversely, in the same chapter, God warns his people of a coming doom if they break his commands—disobey and the Israelites will be swept off the land.

“But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins…And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.” (Lev. 26:27-28, 31-33)

In summary God set before his covenant people the blessing and the curse. And this blessing and curse largely involved dirt and trees and crops and fields. Do you see the Garden-like picture, with blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience? We’ve seen this story before—same song, different verse.

Sadly, the Israelites, like Adam, disobey God’s instruction.

In short order the people of God choose death by breaking God’s commands. Eventually, after repeated warnings, God dispels them from the land into exile. An important Old Testament date to remember is 586 BC. That’s when the Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar, invade Jerusalem. (Technically, 586 BC marks the third, albeit the most decisive, invasion within a 20-year span. The first Babylonian invasion took place in 605 BC. Recall that in the BC dating system the years go from bigger to smaller.)

Now what’s the point? Obviously for starters, God’s Word must be heeded, or else the consequences will be severe. But even beyond that central truth—and believe me, we’ll get to the glorious gospel in a moment—let’s never forget this one thing: God as King of the universe rules over places and spaces.

How is it that God is able to legislate—and then enforce—his laws with blessings and curses related to land and fields and trees and crops? The no-duh answer is simply: God possesses Planet Earth’s property rights. God is the ultimate landowner. He made the dirt and he decides who dwells on it.

Have you ever noticed in the book of Joshua—for the better part of the book, chapter 10 and onward—how God outlines the boundaries and borders for his people? You see, God draws up the lines of latitude and longitude—because all lands are under his sovereign lease and leash.

I love what King David says in Psalm 16.

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:5-6)

Hold on a second. If you flip over a few chapters, check out Psalm 37:11.

“But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”

God once again shows his sovereign authority over dirt distribution. Here the Lord promises to bless his covenant people with none other than “the land.” It is God who holds the prerogative to parcel out plots of land however he wishes—because he is Lord over all things, including the dust of the earth.

Incredibly, in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus—doubtless with Psalm 37 fresh on his mind—promises that the meek “shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).

And sure enough, that’s exactly what happens in the New Covenant. Let me explain. Remember back in Leviticus 26, God promises to be with his people.

“I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.” (Lev. 26:11-12)

But wait—that’s a promise for God’s covenant-keeping people. That’s Old Covenant. Don’t forget. Israel FAILED to keep the covenant. Hence why they were punished for their sins of disobedience. Hence why they were kicked out of the land. And hence why Adam was expelled from Eden before that.

That’s why I mention the New Covenant. Jesus came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

In John 1:14 we read that Christ came and “dwelt among us.” He pitched his tent in our midst. Jesus walked on the very dirt that he upheld by the word of his power (Heb. 1:3). And Jesus, through his perfect, law-abiding life and sacrificial death here on Earth, took the curse for us. Jesus died that we may live. And through Christ’s resurrection—and also his ascension—we now, by his Spirit, as God’s children, have gospel power to live as new creatures, right here, right now.

What is more, as we carry out Christ’s Great Commission to baptize “the nations” and teach them to obey all that Jesus commanded, rest assured the peoples will flow into the kingdom. The whole earth will surely be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the seas.

I absolutely love stanzas two and three of the all-year-round classic, “Joy to the World.”

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns,

Let men their Songs employ,

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

Indeed, Christ the King not only owns the dirt—he is lifting its curse, even as I type, as “far as the curse is found.”

Do you want to read hope-filled stories of how the curse is lifting, even now in China? My new book, Jesus in Beijing: A Missionary Memoir of Christ’s Victory in China, is available here.