Biblical Curses

  Continuing with our curse theme of the week I have chosen curses of the Bible for the non-fiction page today.  I must tell you I started off thinking I’d just pick one out and focus on it… but there’s too many!  So I’ll just give some quick highlights and you can go to your Bible if you’d like more information.  If you don’t feel like leaving your computer I highly suggest http://www.blueletterbible.org. You can choose from a variety of different versions of the Bible, and it will jump straight to the verse you put in.

  The first one I’d like to point out is how curses can come back to bite you.  In Genesis 12:3 (NLV) the Lord tells Abraham:   “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you.”  And who knows who’s a descendant of Abraham?  If you wish to curse your enemy and they’re of that bloodline- watch out!

  Many of you might know the name Goliath.  Just before (roughly) a twelve-year-old David killed him with a stone to the forehead, Goliath yelled many curses at the young man.  1 Sam. 17:43 “Am I a dog that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. (NLT) Yeah, didn’t turn out so good for him. 

  There are also curses for those of us who are stingy- “The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessings will be on the head of one who sells it.” Prov. 11:26 (NKJ)  So share people!  The Bible doesn’t specify as to what exactly these curses will entail, but there are mention of all kinds- from death and disease, to boils and illness.  It’s all in there. 

The only place a “curse” is mentioned in the New Testament in the Gal. 3:13 (NLT), where it tells how curses have been (or can be) dealt with- “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law.  When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our path.”  So, the way out of a curse is through Christ.  And since I’m a christian I’d say that’s a pretty amazing deal!