“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.’” — Galatians 3:13 (ESV)
If you’ve ever truly paused to consider what it means to be blessed by God, you know it’s a wonder almost too great to grasp. Of course, there’s common grace that God extends to all, He causes the sun to rise and the rain to fall on both the righteous and the wicked (Matthew 5:45), but favor from God, personal, targeted, covenant blessing is something else entirely; It’s sacred and It’s felt. To know that you are in right standing with the Lord through faith in Jesus Christ is to know that your steps are ordered, your life is secure, and your eternity is sealed. That kind of favor is incomprehensible until you consider the opposite. Just as God’s favor is breathtaking, to be under God’s curse is equally unthinkable. To be cursed by God is to stand under His righteous wrath, cut off from His presence and peace.
That’s why a recent Bible study in Deuteronomy 21:22–23 gripped me so deeply. This passage outlines how a man who committed a crime worthy of death was to be hung on a tree, which was a public display of God’s judgment. The image was meant to deter sin and drive home the weight of disobedience. In the New Testament (Galatians 3:13), Paul talks about how Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, willingly became that cursed man for us. He didn’t just suffer physically; He absorbed the curse of the law, the wrath of God, the penalty we deserved. This is the heart of the Easter message; the cross was the place where the curse was broken forever.
The Curse: A Shadow of the Cross in Deuteronomy
In Deuteronomy 21:22–23, God gave a command concerning those guilty of a capital offense: “…you shall hang him on a tree. His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God.” In ancient Israel, public execution by hanging a body on a tree was a striking visual of God’s judgment. It was a grim reminder to the community that sin brings death, separation, and a curse. Anyone who walked by a cursed man hanging on a tree would say, “I don’t want that to be my fate. I want to remain in God’s favor. I want to obey His law.”
This sobering picture set the stage for what would one day become the most scandalous and stunning fulfillment of that law: Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, willingly taking on that curse in our place.
Jesus Took Our Place on the Tree
Fast forward to Calvary. The Son of God, perfect, blameless, and full of grace was nailed to a Roman cross, a “tree” in the eyes of Jewish law. The people looked upon Him and mocked, saying, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40). To them, His public suffering and humiliation could only mean one thing: God had cursed Him; and in a way, they were right but not for the reason they thought.
Jesus didn’t suffer for His own sin; He had none (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was not cursed because of wrongdoing, but because of ours. He became a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13)
All the shame, all the wrath, all the judgment that was meant for us was poured out on Him. As Isaiah prophesied, “We considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:4–5).
Creation itself couldn’t bear the weight of the moment: the sky turned black, the earth shook, and rocks split (Matthew 27:45, 51). Why? Because the Creator of the world was being cursed in our place.
The One Who Thirsted So You Never Would
On the cross, Jesus cried, “I thirst” (John 19:28). The One who created rivers and oceans, the fountain of living water, parched with thirst so that you and I would never thirst again (John 4:14). What kind of love is this?
He endured the full extent of physical pain, emotional shame, and spiritual abandonment so that we could be made whole, forgiven, and restored to the Father.
The Gift of the Gospel
Why did Jesus stay on that cross? He had the power to call down legions of angels. He could have silenced the mockers, crushed the Roman soldiers, and put an end to the suffering in a moment.
But He didn’t.
He endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2), the joy of seeing you and I redeemed, forgiven, and adopted into the family of God. The joy of turning mockers into worshippers, rebels into sons and daughters.
This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus became cursed so that you could be blessed. He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law so that you don’t have to strive to earn God’s favor. You receive it by faith.
Believe and Be Blessed
If you’ve been trying to earn your way to heaven, stop. You can’t. The law reveals our sin, but it cannot save us. Only Jesus can. It’s that simple: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Believe that His sacrifice was for you. Trust that the curse He bore on the cross broke the power of sin and death over your life, and give Him everything in return.
Say today: “Lord Jesus, I believe You became the curse for me. I believe You died in my place so that I can be blessed, forgiven, and free. I give You my life. I don’t want to live under the weight of sin. I want to walk in Your love and favor. Thank You for the cross.”
No Longer Cursed
The curse has been broken. The cross was not the end, it was the victory. Jesus rose from the grave, proving once and for all that sin and death no longer have the final word.
Take a moment to fully grasp what Christ did for you. You are no longer under a curse. You are no longer striving to earn God’s favor; because of Jesus, you are blessed. The One who was cursed on the tree now wears a crown of glory and invites us to share in His resurrection life. Will you say yes to Him today?
Leave a Comment