The Curse of the Law and What the Bible Says About it

The curse of the law is one of the focal points of discusion amongst christians. The genral concensus is that the Curse of the law was taken away when the the Messiah was crucified indefinitely.

The understanding goes something like this….

The Messiah was crucified which means that we no longer need to keep the law but we only have to believe in the Messiah through faith.

This is a basic understanding of what Paul says in

Galatians 3:10-14

10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Lets look at this interepreatation more thoroughly ….

Here are some questions that need to be answered, so that we can get a clear undersanding of what the curse of the law means:

What law was a curse?

Did the Messiah get rid of the law?

What is the law?

Often it is said that the Messiah got rid of all the law (moral law) and, so all we have to do is have faith in the Messiah and we are saved. Let us read what the Messiah himself said about the the Law…

Matthew 5:17

17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

We see the Messiah saying that he did not come to “Destroy” the Law but to FULLFIL it. So if we say that we no longer need to keep the Laws does that constitute destruction?

As the Messiah has said he came to fullfil the law we have to get an understanding of what this fullfilment is. To find this out we have to look at scriptures that wer e fullfilled by the Messiah when he was sacrificed and raised back to life.

If we look at hat was prophesied by the the Prophet Daniel we can get understanding of what the Messiah was talking about in Matthew 5.

Daniel 9:26-27

26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

If we read the books of Matthew and Daniel we can see what the fulfilment was that the Messiah was talking about,

“… in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”

We see that the Messiah was to be cut off (Sacrificed) and that he would cause the Sacrifice and Oblation (offering) to cease (stop). If you are familiar with the laws given to the Israelites you will know that they were given a Law of sacrifice and offering, which they used to atone (cleanse) for their sins.

This was basically the sacrifice of specific animals to make atonment of their sins committed against YHWH, which had to be done, yearly, (note: this proves that sacrifices could never really get rid of sins).

This scripture should now give you a clearer understanding of what fullfilment the Messiah came to do, he got rid of the laws of sacrifice and oblations, as he became the FINAL AND LAST SACRIFICE.

Now on reflection of reading this we now have a clearer understanding of what the curse of the law was, and which laws Paul was talking about in the book of Galatians.

So lets answer the questions I originally posed:

What law was a curse?

THE LAW OF SACRIFICE AND OBLATIONS

Did the Messiah get rid of the law?

YES, HE GOT RID OF THE LAW OF SACRIFICE AND OBLATIONS

Now we can see that, now these material parts of the law are fullfilled all nations of people are no longer under its curse, which now means believing the Messiah came and died for YOUR sins and resurrected is our FAITH and the atonement of our SINS and not the killing of animals,

Galatians 3:13-14

13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

So we see that Faith in what the Messiah did, will cause us to inherit the Set apart (holy) Spirit, and have the same faith in YHWH Abraham did, without actually having to sacrifice animals, this all points to sincere belief and desire to do good (keep the moral law).

this does not mean that we can eat whatever we like (What is the biblical law? <===== Find out here) or break the moral laws of YHWH, neither should we break the keeping of the Sabbath.

The term the curse of the law, is used because of the accursed in hebrew which is made reference to in

Deuteronomy 21:23

23His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

and by Paul here:

Galatians 3:11

11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Accursed just means to be condemned, which was so before the Messiah died for us, if we have faith in his death and resurrection, this means we are living by faith.

con·demned, con·demn·ing, con·demns
1. To express strong disapproval of: condemned the needless waste of food.
2. To pronounce judgment against; sentence: condemned the felons to prison.
3. To judge or declare to be unfit for use or consumption, usually by official order:

As you can see there are multiple meaniings and they can all be used in comtext here

It is true to say that YHWH never really wanted us to sacrifice animals to him

Hebrews 10:1-10

1For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Again here we see clearly what the Messiah laid down his life for

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away” sins.

“burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure”

If you are in this race for the long haul you should know that a walk with the Messiah without the Moral laws, or any knowledge of what we should be doing, to not offend YHWH would be a hard hard long walk.

We see in the churches today the acceptance of behaviour that YHWH will never accept in his kingdom to come, such as Homosexuality and gender role reveresal, let us walk diligently to the end, to ensure the curse of the law doesn’t enter our lives. It is important that we know how to interpret the bible

Peace and Shalom.

More reding
Hebrews Chapter 10
Micah Chapter 6