Before going further to understand about God’s view on death since the time of the Risen Christ, (meaning after the resurrection, as opposed to the Old Testament days, and before Christ’s death and resurrection) let’s see what the Word itself have to say. Personally, I wholeheartedly believe that although much of the legalism of the Old Testament doesn't apply to us, in this time and age, the Word of God still reigns true—today, yesterday and forever. How God defines things still stand. For instance if the Bible says a particular passage or description is an imagery, then it’s an imagery. If the Word says this is what actually happened (meaning it’s history) then so it is.
When it comes to blessings, most of us, believers and unbelievers alike, can pretty much agree. Good health and peace of mind, for instance are certainly blessings. After all, do you know of anyone who truly enjoys living in anguish…and doesn't consider this a blessing?
But when it comes to what is a curse, it’s not so easy to define.
What is a curse, what is considered a curse?
As a Christian, I want to know what God defines as a curse and since His word remains true, yesterday, today and tomorrow, I’d like you to examine, God’s own definition of what a curse is as defined in the Bible.
Before you feel this is being simplistic, let me remind you that Jesus’ disciples for the most part were simple folks, fishermen, and villagers and they were not theologians. (In fact, Jesus often rebuked the theologians and religious experts of His day, if you recall.) Jesus himself said that salvation is so simple that even a child should be able to understand.
Deuteronomy 28 lists out what God considers a curse:
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:
29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.
31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.
32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long; and there shall be no might in thine hand.
33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:
34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.
36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.
40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.
41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.
42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.
43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
Before we go on, let's really prayerfully consider what each of these mean.
Take verse 22, for instance:
22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
I hope we can at least agree that "consumption" or tuberculosis, and illnesses that includes fevers and/or inflammations, etc (disease) are considered curses.. at least that what verse 22 says.
So, the question arise, would God curse us? Does God still judge us New Testament believers? Especially on those days we slip and fall short of even one of the commandments? (Bear in mind, even just ONE unholy thought is considered as falling short--for all have fallen short, the Bible says.) Would God still curse us and spew His wrath upon us--for those of us who have been paid for and purchased by the blood of Christ?
Psalm 103:12
New King James Version (NKJV)
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
And in Isaiah 54, God promises and swears by His name this:
9 “For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed,” saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
As a Believer living on the risen side of the cross, it appears from these scriptures that God has neither remembered our transgressions and neither will He curse us, all because of what His son did for us.
But what about death? Does God bring down death upon Believers? (God calls "death" the last enemy to be defeated.) God's view on death to learn more.
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