Greetings in Christ,
A blessing or a curse, which would you choose to give to someone? Many would say a blessing would be better to give to someone because they would like to see someone prosper. It is the tendency to give something good, so they pass on something worthwhile for the person receiving the blessing to enjoy or build on in life. What if a curse was to the answer needed for the right results to be achieved for the result to occur? Would someone be willing to curse someone for their betterment?
In Numbers, God has given Moses instructions for Aaron and his sons to give people of Israel in the form of a blessing. These are the words given to Moses, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.” Aaron and his sons were the high priests for the Israelites, and they were to pass on this blessing to all the people of Israel. It was to be the sign of God’s blessing on their lives and reassure them God was on their side.
This blessing was to be something which helped build the kingdom of God on earth. It was to give hope and security to the people knowing God was always on their side. It was something which was good in their lives as they looked to God for their sustenance. It was also to be a reminder for all those who gave and received the blessing who God really was and how important He was in their lives. Unfortunately, the blessing fell by the wayside and was forgotten to be said and passed on.
The other side of a blessing is a curse. We do not see people receiving a curse as often, but it does happen. In Acts, Paul gives a curse to Bar-Jesus in the form of blindness. Bar-Jesus is a magician who strongly opposes anything Paul and Barnabas is doing in the way of ministry. Obviously, Bar-Jesus does not want Paul and Barnabas to trample on his territory, but Paul has other plans. Paul gives a curse of blindness to Bar-Jesus. In no time at all Bar-Jesus is asking people to give him a hand to navigate the city for he cannot see to move around the streets of the city.
In this case a curse is more appropriate for the end results to take place. This curse was needed for the people of that city to see Bar-Jesus was not as powerful as he thought he was, and the God Paul and Barnabas was preaching and teaching certainly had more clout and deserved more attention. The goal was to get the attention of the people to see just who God was, and for them to see God was still on the throne. Needless to say, it worked and the people began to believe the words of Paul and Barnabas.
A blessing or a curse. Which one would you give? A blessing is easier to give because it does not have any backlash because it brings the favor of God on a person. The blessing is to be something the giver and the receiver can reflect on and give God the praise for His goodness, and it passes on the love of God for all to receive, but there are times a curse must be given.
I am sure Paul did not give the curse he did flippantly. The Holy Spirit had to prompt him to pass on the curse so the people would see Bar-Jesus was just a man nothing more. It was to point to God who is really in charge and has the final word. The curse had its place, and it worked for the intended purposes for which it was given, and in this case it had to be given.
A blessing passes on the love of God. If the people giving and receiving realize where the blessing really comes from, it serves the better purpose for all concerned. The scripture tells us to bless those who persecute you for it is love which will conquer in the end.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.” Numbers 7:24-26
“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” Psalm 34:15-22
Lord may we pass on Your blessing to people in our lives so Your love will triumph over evil. Amen
Blessings,