Explore the Bible: November 16

Covenant Relationship • Deuteronomy 28:1-6,15-19

By Ralph Henson

Blessings Gone Wrong

From the beginning God and humans have been on the opposite sides of blessings and curses. God gave the blessings, while humans received the curses. God’s plan to bless began with creation and extended to humanity.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (Genesis 1:27–28 KJV). 

God also blessed His relationship with humans, intending for communion and worship. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made (Genesis 2:3 KJV). He commanded, Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee (Deuteronomy 5:12 KJV).

But Adam and Eve sinned, choosing disobedience over blessings. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life (Genesis 3:17 KJV). God removed Adam and Eve from the garden, lest they eat of the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24). Cain also received the curse on the ground due to his sin of killing his brother Abel (Genesis 4:11-12).

This curse extended everywhere because of humanity’s spread of sin to all the earth. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate (Isaiah 24:6a KJV). While God does not curse people, the consequences of disobedience lead to curses. Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field (Deuteronomy 28:16 KJV). Our lesson today encouraged the results of obedience (blessings) and warned of the results of disobedience (curses) for the Israelites as they prepared to enter the promised land.

The Old Testament (English version) ends in Malachi with the danger of a curse. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:  and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse (Malachi 4:5–6 KJV). From the beginning of creation to the end of the Old Testament, humanity turned God’s blessings into curses by turning away from God’s promises and commandments.

Curses Turned Right

While humanity sinned, God prepared for salvation. When Elizabeth saw her cousin Mary she said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb (Luke 1:42 KJV). Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah predicted, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; For he hath visited and redeemed his people (Luke 1:68 KJV). God who is blessed sent a son who is blessed, so He could bless everyone (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

Jesus came to remove the curse caused by defeat at the hand of the evil one.…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8 KJV). His salvation changes curses into blessings. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it moreabundantly (John 10:10 KJV).

At the end of His ministry, Jesus blessed His followers. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven (Luke 24:50–51 KJV). When we follow the resurrected Jesus, we experience His blessings and distance ourselves from the curse.

God blessed Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), and promised that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. In Galatians, Paul tells us that promise is fulfilled in Jesus. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, …  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13–14 KJV).

Finally, God promised blessing in heaven, where we will be restored to the blessed life as was shared with God in the garden. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14 KJV).

Henson is pastor of Mt. View Church, Meridian.