Far as the Curse is Found

The hope of the coming of Jesus Christ.

In the third stanza of one of my favorite hymns, there is a profound future hope sung exuberantly every Christmas:

“No more let sins and sorrows grow
nor thorns infest the ground;
he comes to make his blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.”

While our primary emphasis during the Christmas season is the incarnation of Jesus Christ, or the arrival of Jesus Christ as an infant — God in human flesh — we tend to underemphasize the meaning and significance of this third stanza. So it begs the question: what is the curse? and how far does it extend?

This is really thee predicament, thee problem, and thee reality of what we recognize — oddly enough, even more so during the Christmas/holiday season. While there is joy, happiness, gifts, and celebration…we often recognize that many suffer compounded grief with loss of loved ones, strained relationships, loneliness, and other ailments. It’s a conflicting experience no doubt. The former feels easy to highlight while the latter sits in the darkness with us like a never-disappearing companion. Why is it this way?

In the beginning — many have heard the [real] story — Adam and Eve lived in Paradise but committed cosmic treason by sinning against their holy Creator, God himself. Eve was tempted by the serpent and they both subsequently ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and committed the first sin on earth. God gave consequences…a curse. Take a look at a few verses describing the curse:

Genesis 3:14-15 “The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

God cursed the serpent (Satan).

Genesis 3:16 “To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

God cursed the woman (Eve).

Genesis 3:17-19 “And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

God cursed man (Adam) and the ground (earth).

This is why our daily work feel so burdensome, tiring, and difficult. This is why we have division among humanity. This is why death exists in the world. This is why we have separation between God and man — consequences of sin and the curse. There are many more issues of course, but we can trace it all back to the Garden of Eden.

Not only do we feel this as humans and groan, but earth feels it too. Romans 8:22 tells us that creation feels the weight and effects of this curse also.

Romans 8:22 - “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

So the curse is the consequence of the original sin of Adam and Eve, and it extends everywhere — in our lives as humans (spiritually, physically, and emotionally) and throughout all creation.

But there is hope! There is good news. Christ has come, is come, and will come again. That’s really the beauty of why we celebrate Christmas: Christ has come once to save us from the curse; is come for all peoples who would receive Him and His free gift of eternal life; will come again to make all things new. In other words: the curse will be reversed…as far as the curse is found…as far as the curse is found. That’s only possible because of God’s redemptive plan, His faithfulness and love and grace in sending Jesus Christ to save us from our sin, and also Jesus coming again one day once and for all. Here’s how he did it — read how Jesus bears the curse, redeems us from the curse, and ultimately will reverse the curse.

Galatians 3:10-14 “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

Jesus bore the curse — the penalty of our sin — for you and I. This is no accident and no fairytale. This is the intentional, sacrificial, loving, and hope-filled plan of God in Jesus Christ. He came as an infant, died as our substitute, was raised for our pardon, sits at the right hand of the Father as our King, and is coming back soon to finally reverse the curse as far as it is found — making His blessings flow: Himself and all his abundant good gifts. So as we ponder the light and the dark this season, consider the story of the Bible; consider the good news of Jesus and what He has done for us; how he is reconciling all things (creation and those who receive Jesus) unto Himself. Jesus implores you to come to Him; Jesus calls us to come to Him; to find life, hope, satisfaction, joy, peace, and light in darkness.

So as people celebrate, inquire, and gather with lights, trees, food, and tradition — remember the Savior who will reverse the curse that besets us daily. Remember Jesus: his free gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins through faith and repentance. Remember Jesus: who gives us hope for the present as we await His second coming where all things will be made new. That’s the reason to celebrate this season.

~Elliott