Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 22
Today, we may use the word ‘curse’ simply to mean bad language. However, the original meaning was much more severe. A curse meant a serious promise that God (or a false god) would act against someone. A person only declared a curse if he wanted someone else to suffer a very terrible punishment. However, often that was just an angry reaction which people later regretted.
Curses are important in the Bible. It was God himself who spoke the first curses (Genesis 3:14-19; Genesis 4:10-12). These curses were acts of judgement because people had chosen to do evil things. However, at the same time, God also showed his kindness.
The first curse was against the devil, who persuaded the first people not to obey God (Genesis 3:14-15). God showed no kindness to him; he will certainly suffer his punishment (20:10).
God also declared a curse against the ground, because of people’s evil deeds (Genesis 3:17-19). The ground would produce weeds, so that people must work hard for their food. However, he also showed his kindness. Someone from the woman’s family would defeat the devil (Genesis 3:15); that person was Christ. He defeated the devil’s power by his death (Hebrews 2:14-15).
At his death, Christ suffered God’s curse, so that people could be free from the curse (Galatians 3:13-14). People must turn from their evil deeds and they must trust Christ (Galatians 3:22). Then, they will be God’s people, and they will receive the benefit of God’s promises (Galatians 3:29).
These promises are very wonderful. In the New Jerusalem, there will be no more curse. God’s people will live there always, and God will be with them there. He will establish his throne (his royal seat; the place of his government) among them. His rule will never end.
Next part: God’s people will see his face (Revelation 22:4)
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© 2016, Keith Simons.