Blood-Curse

A blood-curse is a voluntary invitation of judgment. It always arises from the arrogance and violence of assumed righteousness. It precipitates into injury on the innocent. It is visible in the lament of Jesus over the blood of prophets (Matt 23: 37). It is cacaphonic in the cry of the persecuted (Rev 6: 9).

A classical example would be the trial of Jesus before Pilate. Pilate's wife tells him, "leave that innocent man alone. I suffered a terrible nightmare about him last night" (Matt 26: 19 NLT). Further into the trial when Pilate fails to mollify the rancid Jewish stampede he capitulates and remarks, "I am innocent of this man's blood. The responsibility is yours" (Matt 26: 24 NLT). The Jewish Sanhedrin, priests and people roar, "His blood be on us and our children" (Mat 26: 25 KJV). It is a blood-curse: a self-invitation of judgment. And the pogroms in history testify how many times it happened, from nation to nation.

A blood-curse happens when in self-righteousness, unjustified anger, vicious vengeance and warped morality we hedge an innocent person. We hound him. We leave him desolate (Jer 20: 1-2), when he was God-sent to heal and transform. It happens, when you reiterate your wrong as right and rabidly silence the innocent person.

A blood-curse is dangerous because it travels through generations. Never engage in a blood-curse.

There is, however, one possible way to overcome a blood-curse. One possible way to overcome the unnecessary bloodshed of the innocent. Read through 2 Samuel 21.

Curse-Free

Life is hard. It is replete with injuries, insults, violence, injustice and, worst of all, betrayals. The worst evils are those when the offender acts like the victim (even though no cost is paid). At such times it seems for those offended to shower curses and redress the wrong, but then it is never good to curse. Why should we not curse? Well, these are my reasons:

1. We retain our moral integrity, by refusing to curse.
2. When you curse, you let the devil into your life to dilute your obedience.
3. When you curse, you give the devil the opportunity to control your life thorough the curses others have made on you.
4. When you curse, it gives the devil a hook to amplify the curses through your ancestors.
5. To curse is not your responsibility but God's. Check Genesis 12.
6. If you curse man today, you might end up cursing God tomorrow. So, don't make cursing into a habit.
7. No curse can chase you, when you never curse anyone. So peace always dwells in the conscience even though all hell is unleashed.
8. Vengeance can never enter your heart, when you never curse.

However, there are many psalms of an imprecatory nature (Psalm 35, 69 and 109 are the most intense ). These are psalms of extreme anguish. They are framed culturally in an Old Testament context and theology - of expecting justice with a pure heart. It is the delirium of conscience produced by a famine of justice. As a result they have prophetic bent and for which reason they are placed in the canon of scripture. It would be pure arrogance to assume that they validate our whims to curse.

The branch with the heaviest fruits, always hangs low. Humility and fruitbearing go together. A humble person cannot think of cursing another. So, leave the method of justice to God and the timing of vindication to God.

Of course, the most effective way to remove a curse is death. No curse can lay a claim when you are dead. To die physically is indeed a beautiful solution, but what God wants for us is to die to the world and to die to the self.

Therefore, at some point, the hate must stop. The curses should vanish. The conscience clean, and God pleased.