Are the blessing & the curse mentioned in the Law of Moses still valid today?
This week’s Torah Portion begins with this proclamation of the blessing and the curse (Deut. 11:26), the blessing if the children of Israel listen to the voice of the LORD (Adonai) and the curse if they turn away from His voice and the commandments (Deut. 11:27). Are the blessing and curse still valid?
It is fascinating to me that when Moses continues to explain to the children of Israel the details of what God requires of them, the central command regards the Land. Moses told the sons of Israel that God has commanded them to utterly and completely destroy all the places where the peoples of the land worship their gods. They are to destroy all idols and objects of foreign worship and to burn with fire all of their Asherim (Deut. 12:1-3). All of this was to be done to obliterate the names of these foreign gods from the Land.
In contrast to the utter destruction they were to bring on the places of the foreign gods, they were not to act this way toward Yahweh, their God. They were to seek the LORD at the place which the LORD would choose for His name to dwell from all the tribes of Israel and they were to come to that place (Deut. 12:4-5).
They were to bring their sacrifices to this place and offer them to the LORD at the place God would choose for them. They were also instructed to eat before the LORD in that place with their family, servants, and the Levite. They were to be generous with others as God was generous with them and they were to rejoice before the LORD (Deut. 12:6-12). They were then reminded again to be careful to do this only at the place which God designates for them (Deut. 12:13-14)!
We know from the Bible that this “place” is Jerusalem (Ezekiel 5:5)! What is so special about this place? Are the blessing and the curse still valid today for Jerusalem?
When Jesus was having a conversation with “the woman at the well,” the woman made the comment that her people (the Samaritans) worship on a certain mountain in Samaria but the Jews say that Jerusalem is the place of worship. Jesus tells the woman that the Jews have the right focus but more importantly, the Father seeks worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:19-26). Was Jesus invalidating the spiritual significance of Jerusalem?
From a spiritual perspective we do not worship the ground or rocks. We worship God. He is the focus, not simply the location. However, at the same time God has chosen Jerusalem and placed His name there. God promises to return to Jerusalem as well.
At the end of the biblical scenario, Yahweh will be king over the earth – He will be the only one and His name one. Jerusalem will be raised up and the curse will be lifted and Jerusalem will dwell in security (Zechariah 14:9-11)!
In the end, Jerusalem will again be blessed under the reign of the Messiah.
Therefore, it seems clear from the Scriptures that God is not finished with Jerusalem and there is a future blessing awaiting her.
Today more than ever we need to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! – Psalm 122:6
Shabbat Shalom!
Return to Torah Portion Homepage
Would love to know, what is the curse of Jerusalem?
Hi Rani,
Thank you for your question. I believe that the curse of Jerusalem which is referred to in Zechariah 14:11, and is reversed at some point in the future, is speaking about two things; the Land (Jerusalem) and the Jewish people. These two are often equated in the Bible to show God’s glory on the earth and to be a witness to the nations of the God of heaven and earth. There is a blessing on the people and the Land while they obeyed God (Deut. 28:1-14) and a promised curse on the land and the people when they disobey the LORD (Deut. 28:15-68). Jerusalem is the place where God chose to place His Name and this place corporately represents the nation of Israel. The blessing and curse of Jerusalem is dependent of the dwelling of God’s people with God Himself in spiritual harmony. This will ultimately be fulfilled when the LORD Himself reigns as King in Jerusalem (Zech. 14:9).
I hope this helps.
Daniel