Thursday, June 26, 2008

Curses

In Deuteronomy 27 the instructions for on crossing the Jordan are that 6 tribes are to go to one mountain and pronounce the blessings. The other 6 tribes are to go to a different mountain and pronounce the curses. I skidded to a halt here- that half the tribes are going to pronounce curses? That didn't sound very life giving. But it was. The 'curses' they refer to are really just their rules for living well in community.

2 comments:

jordin said...

what an interesting thought... that a curse is how to live... kinda like Jacob 'cursing' his sons, and then God used them for good. I guess we think of curse differently. when i looked it up in the dictionary, they compaired it to excummunication... so if you dont live by the 'rule' you are removed.

Aphra said...

Yes, the dictionary definition seems to fit what I read but the way that I saw the curses was more life giving. Like one of the things was do not have sexual relations with animals or you will be cursed. But I see that as life giving, as wanting you to do the best for you. Warning you what is wrong for you to do.