There is a curse that seems to be tied to my actions. It is a mysterious and haunting curse, one that plagues me wherever I go. No matter what good deeds I do or positive actions I take, it follows me relentlessly, clinging to my every move. It all started many years ago when I was merely a child. I had inadvertently hurt someone without intending to, and that incident seemed to unleash an unseen force that has shadowed me ever since. From that moment on, every step I take seems to be accompanied by misfortune.
If objects tied/strapped to one's body suddenly untied themselves and flew away or dragged the haunted oracle 10-ft in a random direction each time they were let go, imagine the never-ending comedy the poor oracle's life would be as he tries to get dressed in the morning:
If objects tied strapped to one s body suddenly untied themselves and flew away or dragged the haunted oracle 10-ft in a random direction each time they were let go, imagine the never-ending comedy the poor oracle s life would be as he tries to get dressed in the morning. If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray , and seek my face , and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land 2 Chron.
From that moment on, every step I take seems to be accompanied by misfortune. At first, I brushed off the incidents as mere coincidences. But as time went on, the pattern became impossible to ignore.
Curse tied to my actions
We can hardly turn on our TV, look at our phones, talk to a friend, or engage in any other forms of news or social media without someone talking about the pandemic caused by the coronavirus. I’m sure that you and I share concern for our neighbors, for our nation, and for the world community at large. Our hearts break to hear the stories of shortages within the health care systems and of lives being lost to this virus. I know that I am daily praying for the government leaders to have discernment, for the researchers to be given understanding, and for those present on the front lines to be granted grace. I’m confident that you are praying those same prayers. May God have mercy and give us Divine assistance during these difficult days.
By God’s design and by my training, I am a forever Bible student and teacher. Because of this ingrained disposition, I have been meditating upon God’s Word to consider what scripture has to say about a wide-spread pandemic. Pandemic is our currently-applied term. Scripture uses the word plague. Plagues are found throughout recorded biblical history including their causes and their cures. I decided to pen my thoughts. Hopefully, as I discuss God’s precepts, I can help us find a sound footing for our faith and our prayers as we ask God to deliver us from this plague.
Everything began in the condition of good. You remember the Genesis story. God made everything that was created and declared His creation to be “good.” The ground was good; the animals were good; man was good. All things remained in that state until Adam sinned. After man’s transgression, God returned to assess the situation and placed an evaluation upon the status that resulted because of man’s mishandling of that which was under his stewardship and man’s manipulation of the creation over which God had given him charge. Man changed the “good” condition, and God declared that the maltreatment caused things to be cursed. God, as judge, announced the resultant condition or the state of affairs. God’s announcement did not cause the curse. Man’s trespass caused the curse. Remember that Adam and Eve were naked. God did not strip them of their glory. Their actions negated their glory. Their flesh was already exposed. God evaluated and declared the results of man’s actions.God’s judgment enforced the sanctions that man’s actions merited.
From that first narrative, the scriptures proceed on the basic axiom that obeying God and working in the earth from the reality of God’s Word causes the earth to be “good” or blessed. Juxtaposed to that is the reality that Adam discovered: working in the earth from a reality contrary to God’s Word causes the earth to be damaged or cursed. This axiom is reinforced many places within the scriptures, including Proverbs 26:2, which states “the curse causeless shall not come.” That cause is man’s disregard of the operational manual, which is God’s Word. God created everything so God knows the nature, purpose, and design of all He made. God gave to man the information man would need to work with the created order without introducing disorder, abuse, and destruction. Probably one of the most well-known and often-quoted passages on the subject of blessing and cursing is found in Deuteronomy 28 where scripture makes clear that obedience to God’s word is distinctively connected to the releasing of “good” and blessings and that disobedience is specifically tied to discharging of the injurious and curses.
One of the curses outlined in the Deuteronomy 28:58-62 is the plague, describing a wide-spread disease or a contagious sickness that affects many people. The Hebrew word for plague is naga, which literally means to touch and can be translated smite, strike, or violently touch. The transmittable nature of a plague is communicated by the choice of the word naga. Several stories in scripture reveal how non-biblical actions were directly connected to the release of a plague.
One prominent story is found when Israel was crossing the dessert on her way to the Promised Land. Numbers 22-25 tell of a time when Balak, the king of Moab, hired a prophet named to Balaam to pronounce a curse upon Israel. This tale is famous for the talking donkey who tried to stop the prophet. Much to the anger of the king, the prophet was not able to curse. In Numbers 23:8, Balaam states, “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” Apart from actions done in contradiction to God’s Word, the “curse causeless shall not come.” Balaam’s word could not release the curse. Only Israel’s disobedience could.
When Balaam failed to merit the promised wage, he departed; but Israel pitched camp near the Moabites and “began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab” (25:1). Then “Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor; and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel” (25:3). A plague broke out among the people and 24,000 died of the plague. The curse of a plague was released thought the rebellious acts of the people. A priest named Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the high priest, took action in behalf of the people to make atonement for the sins.
Earlier in Israel’s history, the people rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Numbers 16 tells that story. The murmurings released a plague that took the lives of 14,700. In this story, Aaron arose and took a censer and fire from the altar and released incense. Verse 47 states that Arron made an atonement for the people. In the Balaam story and in this story, the plague was stopped because someone fulfilled a priestly duty to make atonement. We can see a pattern emerge.
Another famous story is found in 2 Samuel 24 and is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 21. King David had disobeyed God’s Word. Again, a plague was released that resulted in the deaths of 10,000. The outbreak had spread from Dan to Beersheba and was at Jerusalem. Over the threshing floor of a man named Araunah, the Lord stopped the spread. King David was instructed by the prophet Gad to raise up an altar to the Lord at that spot. David bought the land from Araunah and bought the animals for the sacrifice. David made atonement. The land, which was on Mt. Moriah, became the site where Solomon later built his temple. Interestingly, the site was also the spot where Abraham was willing to offer his son in sacrifice. The altar of Abraham, the altar of David, and the altar of Solomon were altars of atonement.
The principle becomes apparent: atonement stops the spread of the plague. Remember Passover where the blood of the atoning lamb stayed the death angel. Recall when Moses lifted up the brazen serpent on the poll (Numbers 21) to stay the plague. Note that Jesus stated in John 3:14-15 that His destiny was to be the fulfillment of Moses’ actions. He was to be lifted up on a pole or on a cross to stay the plague of death, to atone for the sins of a people, to stand between life and death. The Apostle Paul confirms the effectiveness of Christ’s atoning work in Galatians 3:13, which states, “Christ redeemed us from the curse …”.
People sin. All people disobey God’s Word at one point or another. People groups sin. Nations disobey. Mishandling of the earth distorts it, destroys it, damages it. Application of other principles contrary to God’s “good” principles releases curses not blessings. Plagues testify that earth managers have failed in their assignment to release heaven’s reality into earthly labors. But there is an answer. When a man who will function in his priestly capacity is willing to activate the principle of atonement, the plague can be stayed. The ultimate priest is Christ, and the definitive atonement is the cross.
As New Testament believers, we are called to be a nation of priests (I Peter 2:9); and we have the authority to apply Christ’s atoning blood to stay the plague (Mt. 16:19). Therefore, we do acknowledge that our nation and all nations have sinned and released perversions and destructions into our earth. We recognize that sin releases the curse and results in death. We offer repentance as we identify with our land and the other inhabitants of our land. We proclaim that Christ’s atonement is sufficient to stay the plague. What Phinehas, Moses, and Aaron did in their day, we activate through Christ and His atoning sacrifice in our day. May the plague be turned back! May the hearts of men be turned to God! “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chron.7:14). Amen and amen!
I'm afraid I don't see an oracle's curse as the nigh insurmountable obstacle some seem to think it is. It's a handicap; one which, like many disabilities, could be overcome by reasonable precautions/measures. I don't believe the haunting spirits should be able to untie or wrench bound objects free.
Each time I attempted to do something good or make a positive impact, the curse would rear its ugly head, thwarting my every effort. It was as though the universe was conspiring against me. Every time I tried to help others, my actions would inadvertently bring harm or chaos. My best intentions were always met with disastrous consequences, leaving me feeling helpless and frustrated. I became wary of getting close to others, for fear that my curse would unintentionally bring harm upon them. I secluded myself, becoming a solitary figure plagued by regret and guilt. No matter how hard I tried to break free from this curse, it felt as if I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of misfortune. But amidst all the darkness, I also found a glimmer of hope. I realized that this curse, although overpowering, was not insurmountable. It was merely a reminder of the consequences of our actions, a lesson in humility and self-reflection. I began to examine my actions more closely, questioning the intentions behind them. I delved deep into my heart, searching for the root cause of this curse. I discovered that my actions were often driven by selfish motives, masked under the guise of kindness. This revelation was a pivotal moment. Armed with newfound self-awareness, I set out on a journey of self-improvement. I made a conscious effort to be more mindful of my actions, seeking to align them with genuine compassion and empathy. I learned to put others before myself, to consider the potential repercussions of my choices. Slowly but surely, the curse began to loosen its grip. The misfortune and chaos that once plagued my every step started to subside. It was as if my actions were finally in sync with the universe, no longer causing unintentional harm. While the curse may never fully dissipate, I've come to accept it as a reminder of my past mistakes and a catalyst for personal growth. It has taught me the importance of thinking before acting and considering the consequences of my actions. It serves as a constant reminder to be mindful of my intentions and strive for true selflessness. In the end, this curse tied to my actions has become a blessing in disguise. It has shaped me into a more thoughtful and compassionate individual, reminding me of the power we possess to both create and destroy. And as I continue on this journey, I pledge to use this newfound awareness to make a positive impact on the world around me, breaking free from the chains of the curse that once bound me..
Reviews for "Escaping the Curse: Finding Redemption for My Actions"
1. Emily - 2/5
The concept of "Curse tied to my actions" seemed intriguing at first, but I was thoroughly disappointed with the execution. The storyline lacked depth and felt overly simplistic. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked development, making it difficult to form any emotional connection with them. Additionally, the writing style was choppy and inconsistent, often leaving me confused about the events taking place. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to others unless they are looking for a quick and mindless read.
2. Benjamin - 1/5
"Curse tied to my actions" was a complete waste of time. The plot was predictable, clichéd, and lacked any surprises. The dialogue was stilted and unrealistic, making it hard to immerse myself in the story. Furthermore, the pacing was off, with the action dragging on unnecessarily and important moments feeling rushed. I found myself skimming through pages just to reach the end, hoping for some sort of redemption that unfortunately never came. This is definitely one book I regret picking up.
3. Jessica - 2/5
I had high hopes for "Curse tied to my actions" based on the promising synopsis, but it failed to deliver. The characters were poorly developed and lacked relatability, making it hard to care about their fates. The writing style felt amateurish and lacked polish, resulting in a disjointed narrative that was hard to follow. Additionally, the world-building was weak, leaving many aspects unexplained and confusing. Overall, I found myself struggling to finish this book and can't say I enjoyed the experience.