THE CURSE OF THE LAW
BY
ABIMBOLA. O. SALU
Galatians Chapter 3 verses 10 – 13 reads:
“10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit
A curse is a terrible thing. It effects can be instant or it can linger for years before it manifests. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines a curse as “an appeal to a supernatural power to inflict harm on someone or something, a cause of harm or misery “. From these definitions, it is clear that a curse is not something that is desirable. It brings harm, misery, pain and suffering. It is the opposite of a blessing which is more desirable. No one in his right mind will seek to be cursed. It is an instrument in the hands of enemies to destroy their opponent. It is, to use an old English expression, “an ill wind that brings no good”.
The Bible is full of examples of curses. The first living thing to receive a curse is the serpent. See Genesis 3v. 14. “So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. ” . Adam, the first man brought sin into the world because he listened to his wife and ate the forbidden fruit .The Lord told him in Genesis 3 v. 17 "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life”. The effect of these curses pronounced from the beginning of time is still very much in place up till today. The serpent still crawls on his belly and eats dust and man still toils to eat.
Some curses manifest immediately they are uttered. For example, when Elisha was jeered by some youths, the Bible records in 2 Kings 2 v. 24 that “He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.” Some curses do not manifest immediately but their effects can nevertheless be devastating. See Mark 11v. 21 which says” In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!
A whole nation can be cursed and such a curse can bring defeat. An example of this was when Balak hired Ballam to curse the nation of Israel. See Numbers Chapters 22 to 24. However, because God loved Israel, he turned the curse into a blessing See Deuteronomy 23 v. 5. Also, Exodus 21 v. 17 pronounces that "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.
According to Psalm 37 v. 22, “those the LORD blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.” Also, to Proverbs 3 v. 33, says “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous”. So the reward of a righteous person whom the Lord loves is a blessing and he will also inherit the land. Those the Lord curse are the wicked and they will be cut off.
Where there are no legal grounds for a curse, the undeserved curse will have no effect. See Proverbs 26 v. 2 which says” Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.”
Galatians 3 v. 10-13 talks about the curse of the law. In verse 10, it says” All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law. The book of law being referred to is the Pentateuch or the 5 Books of Moses. These are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These are basically the laws of God handed down to the children of Israel. In Deuteronomy 27 v. 15-26, 28v. 15-68, 29 v. 20-28 and 30 v. 7, the curses that will befall those who disobey God’s commandments are specifically spelt out.
The reason why the Apostle Paul referred to the curse of the law in his epistle to the Galatians is because some Jews, who were refereed to as “Judaizers “ were preaching that some ceremonial practices in the old testament was still binding on the new testament. Thus, they were relying heavily on the laws of Moses. They were still invoking the curses that will follow if the laws were not obeyed. Paul was saying in verse 13 of Galatians 3 that Christ came to redeem us all from the curse of the law. This he did by becoming a curse for us because according to the Old Testament teachings and beliefs, anyone who hangs on a tree is under God’s curse. See Deuteronomy 21v. 23 where the Bible says” you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse”. When Jesus Christ was crucified on a cross (tree), he became a curse for us. Thus, he alone took away the curse that could afflict anytime we break the law. He did this so that the blessings given to Abraham might come to the gentiles (i.e. non Jews) .Therefore, once we have faith in him, we will receive the promise of the spirit. Romans 4 v. 13 makes this even clearer. It says:
“13It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."] He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
When we have been justified through faith, what follows is peace and joy. See Romans 5 v. 1-11 “1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
We should be grateful and thankful everyday that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary has removed us from curses of the law. Therefore, let us come boldly before the throne of grace, with thanksgiving in our hearts, knowing that, as the redeemed, in Christ, we are free from the curse of the law!
