Mitzvah
34
A teaching by Edri (Gregory)
34.
Not to curse any other Israelite (Lev. 19:14)
The scriptures are replete with a particular theme. that theme is that of blessing and cursing. Before we talk about what it means to "curse" someone, we need to learn something about our Creator Yahuwah/YHWH. First we need to know that we serve a Mighty Creator who is orderly. (1Cor:14:33: For YHWH is not the author of confusion, but of Shalom), He is also not a respecter of persons. (2Chron:19:7: Wherefore now let the fear of YHWH be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no lawlessness with YHWH our Elohim, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts..... Rom:2:11: For there is no respect of persons with YHWH.) Our Elohim operates on a principle of blessings and cursings. To those in his covenant,, and who maintain their covenantal relationship with Him, there are blessings. To those not in covenant with Him, there are cursings in operation simply because they do not have the FAVOUR of the Almighty.
We see this illustrated in Deuteronomy during the time when Yah brought out the seed of Jacob, by a mighty hand, and to the mountain where the Torah/law was given. They entered into "covenant" with the Creator there, and the Creator promised, that "if" they obeyed him, in keeping His commands, he would bless them abundantly with many comforts, safety, and health blessings. After they agreed to abide by the terms of the "marriage contract" / covenant, there is this statement made by the Prophet Moses -
Deut:30:19: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Cursing is a theme written throughout the scriptures. We can see that it is used time and again by the Almighty to pronounce a judgment or something bad on to someone else, or a group of people.
This background information is only meant to give us an idea about what it means to "curse" someone.
Webster's says of cursing:
Main Entry: 1curse
Pronunciation: 'k&rs
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English curs, from Old English
1 : a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one :
IMPRECATION
(Function: noun
1 : CURSE
2 : the act of imprecating)
2 : something that is cursed or accursed
3 : evil or misfortune that comes as if in response to imprecation
or as retribution
4 : a cause of great harm or misfortune :
Cursing is something that is designed to incur "divine" wrath upon someone else. It is a spiritual act. It is anything we say that might be in any way designed to "wish for" or "hope for" somethng bad to happen to someone else.
The problem we are going to talk about today, is not so much "cursing" itself, but rather how a "curse" is used.
People everyday say things out of their mouths that resemble a curse - "oh drop dead!" "I hate you, and wish you would die!" "I hope they get a ticket next time, and not me!" "I hate you!" "I wish you were never born!" "I hope they get cancer" and on and on...
The scriptures teach us how dangerous it is to "curse" someone -
Leviticus 19: 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, ....... but shalt fear thy Elohim: I am YHWH.
Mt:5:44: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
This theme of refraining from cursing people for no reason whatsoever , or to curse idly, with no thought of what comes out of our mouths is reinforced not only in the TaNaKh, but also in the Messianic scriptures as well. The Messiah says that we are not to curse our enemies, or those who use us wrongly. We are instead to pray for them as well. the Law/Torah says that we ought not to curse the deaf (or any other person we find not living up to our expectations or who are getting in our way). Why does the bible warn us so severely about cursing? What is it about our "words" that we can get into so much trouble? You see, our words are determined on a "spiritual" level. Everything that comes out of our mouth will decide "for us" or "against us." The apostle James says that our "tongue" is like a rudder on a ship, guiding our lives either to good, or to bad. (Jms:3:4: Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.) We must be so very careful about what comes out of our mouths. In fact, both the Messiah talked about this and so did Peter, the Apostle (1Pt:3:10: For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil,... Mk:7:20: And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.)
What are these scriptures teaching us? They are teaching us that what comes out of our mouths has "power" either to bring good things into our lives, or bad things. We see this reinforced again in proverbs - Prov:18:21: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. We know that the Almighty "spoke" life into existence. He also speaks "curses" on those in disobedience to Him. His words have power. We also have a type of this power, in the very words we speak since we are created in His image. James makes it clear that what comes out of our mouths determines where our "lives" i.e. "ships" go. Again, our words can also carry a type of power, either for us, or against us.
This is why the scriptures are so stern about guarding what comes out of our mouths! We ought not to "curse" people, or use idle talk that takes the form of "cursing." (The only exception to cursing, is that which the almighty judges through a true prophet, or gives Himself as a judgment.) Aside from this very narrow scope, cursing can create havoc in our lives. Ecclesiastes (10:20) says- Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Our words do indeed guide our lives for good or for bad. What we say to
others also guides our lives either to god or bad, because what we say to others
either creates "life" or "death" in the hearts of others,
and even to ourselves. The Messiah was very serious about the power of words
when he said - Mt:12:36: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
If such is the case with "everything" we say, we ought to be VERY
careful what we say, even those things spoken under our breath! Let us
speak "life" unto others, and not death. If we do this, the
promise is that we shall enjoy a good life, and shall be blessed ourselves--- 1Pt:3:10: For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil,