Cursing the LORD’S Name

We have previously mentioned Genesis 4:26, when he people began to call negatively on the name of the LORD. The result was the flood. We have a few more examples in the Bible in which people use the LORD’S name inappropriately.

First, let’s go to the book of Leviticus. In Leviticus chapter 24, the Israelites are in the wilderness. They have fled from Pharaoh and the Egyptians. They have received the 10 commandments at Mount Sinai. A dispute arises between two people in the Israelite camp.

Now the son of an Israelite woman—his father was an Egyptian—went out among the sons of Israel; and the Israelite woman’s son and an Israelite man had a fight within the camp. 11 And the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name and cursed. So they brought him to Moses.

(Now his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 12 Then they put him in custody, waiting for Moses to give them a clear decision in accordance with the command of the Lord.

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 14 “Bring the one who has cursed outside the camp, and have all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then have all the congregation stone him. 15 You shall also speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone curses his God, then he will bear the responsibility for his sin. 16 Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The stranger as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:10-16)

We see from this incident, anyone who blasphemes the Name (notice Scripture says the Name and does not use the tetragrammaton in the sentence), he is put to death. A few things to note. He was an Israelite living in the camp and was part of the covenant. Living in the camp meant he knew the rules (the instructions God had given) and knew he had to abide by them. If he wanted to act in his own way, he could have left the camp at any time. Would there have been punishment for this man’s actions if he was not part of the Israelite camp? The answer is probably no. The man is punished when he was brought before Moses. If the man was out in the world, he would not have been under Moses’ jurisdiction. No punishment would probably have been rendered.

We see this in today’s world. If a teenager is living in your home, he has to live by your rules. He may not be allowed to curse or use foul language. Parents can only enforce their rules as long as the child is in the house. As soon as the teenager moves out, the parents’ rules no longer apply to the person while living in his own accommodations. He can curse and do anything he pleases in his own home without receiving punishment from his parents.

New Testament Example:
In the New Testament, Jesus tells Peter He knows Peter will betray Him and tells Peter what will happen to him.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you men like wheat; 32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail; and you, when you have turned back [to Me], strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!” 34 But He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

As the text continues, Jesus is arrested and taken into custody. Peter follows at a distance. He is able to go into the High Priest’s house to observe the trial.

Now they arrested Him and led Him away, and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. 55 After they kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. 56 And a slave woman, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, and staring at him, said, “This man was with Him as well.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “I do not know Him, woman!” 58 And a little later, another person saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 And after about an hour had passed, some other man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he, too, is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” And immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 And then the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)

In verse 60, it states Peter said, “Man, I am not!” In the original language, it states the way Peter responded to the accusations was by uttering a curse. Not only did Peter deny his knowledge of Jesus, but he upheld it by swearing by a curse (which mostly likely included God’s name in it). The penalty for Peter’s behavior was separation from the disciples.

In Mark’s Gospel, we have the story of the women going to the tomb with spices. They see angels and are given the following instructions:

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb for us?” 4 And looking up, they *noticed that the stone had been rolled away; for it was extremely large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 But he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; see, here is the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8)

It seems strange; the angels say to tell the disciples and Peter. Perhaps it is looking too far into the text, but one could view the exclusion of Peter from the Disciples as his punishment for denying Jesus. Peter may have been cut off from the disciples as a form of punishment for denying Jesus and taking an oath invoking God’s name.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus talks to Peter privately. He asks him Peter three times if he loves Jesus.

Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

18 Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.” 19 Now He said this, indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!” (John 21:15-19)
 

Many see this conversation as Jesus restoring Peter back to being a disciple.

Lastly, we have the story of Job. Job has everything taken away form him--his livestock, his children and his health. Job's wife tells Job to curse die. If Job curses God, Job will die. This will free his wife from the marriage and allow her to remarry. As long as Job is alive, his wife cannot abandon Job. She must remained married to Job. 

 Despite Job's wife's advice, Job does not curse God. Instead he remains faithful. Job is blessed for his obedience by receiving double all hiss possessions.

10The LORD also restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased double all that Job had. 11Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they sympathized with him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him. And each one gave him a [c]piece of money, and each a ring of gold. 12The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. 13He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15In all the land no women were found as beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritances among their brothers. 16After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. 17And Job died, an old man and full of days. (Job 42:10-17)