In this daily Bible reading is the account of the son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian man cursing using the name of God. God told Moses that this young man was to be stoned to death. He further said that any person in Israel that blasphemed the name of God was to be put to death.
God also said that if any person killed another, that person was to be put to death. Further, if a person injured another, that person was to be injured in like manner: eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Punishment for sinning was harsh, and it was visible for all to see. I am sure it served as a deterrent for transgressing against God, and it probably provided for a very orderly society.
Today, transgressing against God or sinning is not openly or harshly punished. However, the Bible says that punishment for sin will still occur. It may not be visible to others, but it will still happen.
For example, cursing God’s name happens frequently without apparent consequences. However, I personally witnessed one of my in-laws who was a staunch Catholic frequently cursing using God’s name. This person was afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. I cannot say with certainty that there was a linkage with his cursing God and getting Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is worth considering.
