Deuteronomy 23:5

The curse turned into a blessing.

No enchantment, no curse of evil men, can prevail against the people of God. Contrariwise, God will turn the curse into a Messing. In Malachi, on the other hand, he threatens to "curse the blessings" of the wicked ( Malachi 2:2 ). How does God turn the curse into a blessing?

1. Directly, by substituting a blessing for a curse . The curse is not merely not allowed to take effect for harm, but God puts a blessing in its stead. A Divine law of compensation comes into operation. The wicked is punished, and the object of his unrighteous hatred consoled and rewarded, by the curse being read backward, and made a reason for conferring blessing. The very curses of the wicked are thus a means of enrichment to the good. Balaam's curses were thus changed into blessings ( Numbers 23:1-30 ; Numbers 24:1-25 .).

2. Providentially, by overruling the designs of evil men for their own confusion , and for his people ' s good . We have examples in the histories of Joseph ( Genesis 1:20 ), of Mordecai and the Jews (Esther 6-10.), of Daniel ( Daniel 6:1-28 .). The persecutions of the Church have thus been overruled for the extension of the gospel ( Acts 11:19 ). The highest example is the crucifixion of Christ ( Acts 3:13-19 ).

3. Spiritually, by turning outward afflictions into means of spiritual good .