Chase רָדַף

We are in chapter twenty-six of Leviticus with our word for today. רָדַף pursue, follow after, chase, persecute, put to fight. It is used 143 times in the Old Testament, 7 times in our chapter today. We see our word used in the sense to persecute, to cause to suffer, whether physically or emotionally. We see this a lot when David cries out to God for help against his enemies in Psalm 119. Psalm 119:84, 86, 157, 161 How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who בְרֹדְפַ֣יpersecute me? … All your commandments are sure; they רְדָפ֣וּנִיpersecute me with falsehood; help me! … Many are רֹדְפַ֣י my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies … Princes רְדָפ֣וּנִי persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. Our word is also used in the sense to pursue, to follow in or as if in pursuit. 1 Samuel 23:25-28 When Saul heard that, וַיִּרְדֹּ֥ף he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them,  a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.” So Saul returned מִרְדֹף֙from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. This is how our word is used 7 times in our chapter today. Leviticus 26:7-8, 17, 36-37 וּרְדַפְתֶּ֖ם You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you וְרָדְפוּ֙shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you יִרְדֹּ֑פוּshall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword … I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none רֹדֵ֥ף pursues you … And as for those of you who are left, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf וְרָדַ֣ף shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall when none רֹדֵֽף pursues. They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though none וְרֹדֵ֣ף pursues. And you shall have no power to stand before your enemies. Did you catch this? They will have no strength to stand before their enemies. In our chapter we see the contrast of obeying God and disobeying God. Both of these have consequences. Obedience brings confidence in God’s power at work for the benefit of his people. We see this throughout the Bible. David understood this. Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. We also see this in the New Testament. Romans 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us? Ephesians 1:19-20 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places. I’ll close with this great proverb that sums this up nicely. Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.