A cure for the curse
This week is on a couple different verses, which are linked to each other through Jesus. The first is Deuteronomy 27:26:
This verse shows up at the end of the part where Moses is reviewing the Old Testament law with the Israelites, and describes the blessing and curse associated with the law. The law was a series of things that God told Israel to do, in order to separate them as a holy people. Some of it is cultural, some of it is based on how to live cleanly and safely in bronze age Palestine, and some of it is spiritual and moral stuff that is timeless. It was like a set of house rules, but also a bit like the usage instructions you get with a bottle of medicine. There are lots and lots of warnings and instructions on what to do if this thing or that thing happens, but also basic common sense stuff you're surprised anyone would actually have to be told.
The problem is that people are broken. We're imperfect, and the imperfections of one person can affect the ability of others to get things right. If that weren't the case, there would be never have been any nuclear meltdowns, as it's probably the most meticulously regulated industry in the world. And yet even the Japanese, some of the most amazingly detail-oriented people in the world, still managed to have one. If even the Japanese can't get it right, nobody can! When Fukushima happened, it sent a chill across the planet as people realised the limits of human ability, and some countries began to look at decommissioning their nuclear power plants as a result.
In Moses' case, rather than meticulously following international regulations and best practices, the Jews were asked to follow God's regulations and best practices, tailor made for their character as a nation and the place in which they were living. And still, they managed to fail as a people time and time again. All it takes is one mistake at the wrong time, and you're under a curse. The power plant melts down, your neighbours suffer, and you are the object of eternal condemnation.
But now we have the other verses, which are Galatians 3:10-14:
Here Paul quotes the verse in Deuteronomy in order to explain the good news about Jesus. All of us have made mistakes of one kind or another that leave a sort of shadow hanging over our lives. Maybe they're big things that result in death, dismemberment, or scarred memories for people, but they could also be seemingly tiny things like not helping someone in need, being disrespectful to your parents or to God, or ignoring your family to focus on your career, or your sports team, or whatever. You can't go back in time and fix things. You may not even know what you've done wrong until you hear about it afterwards. No matter how many "good things" you do, you're still guilty. So what can you do? Nothing. You're stuck waiting for some kind of spiritual police to show up and haul you away for eternity over something you can't undo.
Or are you? Paul says there's a way out. If anyone would know, it's him, as he should have been locked away in jail for a long time for conspiracy to murder, if not for murder itself. He encountered Jesus, not like a prisoner finding religion, but more like a suspect caught in the act and tackled to the ground by the homeowner himself. In his case, the "homeowner" decided not to press charges. What Paul learned was that Jesus' death on the cross cancelled our sin. In other words, all of the curse for the mistakes we made fell on him when he was crucified unjustly. Anyone willing to acknowledge this fact is free of the curse in Deuteronomy. The lightning of divine wrath was grounded on the cross. We're safe.
Even if everyone else hates you, God still loves you. Paul still had problems with people who remembered what he did to Christians before he encountered Jesus. And he still had to be on trial for alleged crimes against the Roman state. So, if we committed crimes, we still have to serve our sentences here in the court and legal system. But eternally we're free, and that's the important part. With the removal of the curse, the eternal consequences of our failure go away with it. We can be sorry for what we did, but we are no longer cursed. Under the law, you eventually reach the point where you will never be an okay person again. Under the grace that comes from Jesus' crucifixion, the curse is taken from us and we are made okay once more.
Next time you have your quiet time with God, or take communion, or find yourself dwelling on mistakes of the past, meditate on these verses (not just the first one!) and accept the truth of what Jesus has done for us. Any guilty symptoms of the curse are curable, because the curse has been removed. Anything that you might think prevents you from going to heaven has been thrown out of court. The Holy Spirit is pleased to dwell within us because the notice of condemnation has been removed the dwelling and it passes inspection. If you can believe in guilt, you can believe in grace and understand the love of God for us.
“Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
This verse shows up at the end of the part where Moses is reviewing the Old Testament law with the Israelites, and describes the blessing and curse associated with the law. The law was a series of things that God told Israel to do, in order to separate them as a holy people. Some of it is cultural, some of it is based on how to live cleanly and safely in bronze age Palestine, and some of it is spiritual and moral stuff that is timeless. It was like a set of house rules, but also a bit like the usage instructions you get with a bottle of medicine. There are lots and lots of warnings and instructions on what to do if this thing or that thing happens, but also basic common sense stuff you're surprised anyone would actually have to be told.
The problem is that people are broken. We're imperfect, and the imperfections of one person can affect the ability of others to get things right. If that weren't the case, there would be never have been any nuclear meltdowns, as it's probably the most meticulously regulated industry in the world. And yet even the Japanese, some of the most amazingly detail-oriented people in the world, still managed to have one. If even the Japanese can't get it right, nobody can! When Fukushima happened, it sent a chill across the planet as people realised the limits of human ability, and some countries began to look at decommissioning their nuclear power plants as a result.
In Moses' case, rather than meticulously following international regulations and best practices, the Jews were asked to follow God's regulations and best practices, tailor made for their character as a nation and the place in which they were living. And still, they managed to fail as a people time and time again. All it takes is one mistake at the wrong time, and you're under a curse. The power plant melts down, your neighbours suffer, and you are the object of eternal condemnation.
But now we have the other verses, which are Galatians 3:10-14:
For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.” Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith. But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
Here Paul quotes the verse in Deuteronomy in order to explain the good news about Jesus. All of us have made mistakes of one kind or another that leave a sort of shadow hanging over our lives. Maybe they're big things that result in death, dismemberment, or scarred memories for people, but they could also be seemingly tiny things like not helping someone in need, being disrespectful to your parents or to God, or ignoring your family to focus on your career, or your sports team, or whatever. You can't go back in time and fix things. You may not even know what you've done wrong until you hear about it afterwards. No matter how many "good things" you do, you're still guilty. So what can you do? Nothing. You're stuck waiting for some kind of spiritual police to show up and haul you away for eternity over something you can't undo.
Or are you? Paul says there's a way out. If anyone would know, it's him, as he should have been locked away in jail for a long time for conspiracy to murder, if not for murder itself. He encountered Jesus, not like a prisoner finding religion, but more like a suspect caught in the act and tackled to the ground by the homeowner himself. In his case, the "homeowner" decided not to press charges. What Paul learned was that Jesus' death on the cross cancelled our sin. In other words, all of the curse for the mistakes we made fell on him when he was crucified unjustly. Anyone willing to acknowledge this fact is free of the curse in Deuteronomy. The lightning of divine wrath was grounded on the cross. We're safe.
Even if everyone else hates you, God still loves you. Paul still had problems with people who remembered what he did to Christians before he encountered Jesus. And he still had to be on trial for alleged crimes against the Roman state. So, if we committed crimes, we still have to serve our sentences here in the court and legal system. But eternally we're free, and that's the important part. With the removal of the curse, the eternal consequences of our failure go away with it. We can be sorry for what we did, but we are no longer cursed. Under the law, you eventually reach the point where you will never be an okay person again. Under the grace that comes from Jesus' crucifixion, the curse is taken from us and we are made okay once more.
Next time you have your quiet time with God, or take communion, or find yourself dwelling on mistakes of the past, meditate on these verses (not just the first one!) and accept the truth of what Jesus has done for us. Any guilty symptoms of the curse are curable, because the curse has been removed. Anything that you might think prevents you from going to heaven has been thrown out of court. The Holy Spirit is pleased to dwell within us because the notice of condemnation has been removed the dwelling and it passes inspection. If you can believe in guilt, you can believe in grace and understand the love of God for us.
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