The following scenario is literally as old as sin itself: two
people, groups, political parties, countries, organizations, etc. are caught in
a mess and immediately start to pass blame around so that they are not held
accountable. It is true, we are no different than our first parents. Here is
what takes place immediately after the fall of man in Genesis 3:8-13.
“They heard the sound of the Lord God walking
in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of
the garden. Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where
are you?’ He said, ‘I heard the sound of You in the
garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.’ And
He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which
I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman
whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I
ate.’ Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What
is this you have done?’ And the woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I
ate.’”
Chaos has ensued in the universe once again, leaving it up
to God to, for the second time, establish order. This He does by executing His
own brand of discipline. Now, as a parent, I always try to consider how I’m
disciplining my children, making sure that the punishment fits the crime. So,
this begs a question, “What consequences possibly fit the spoiling of Paradise
by disobeying God’s one and only command?” This we will find out as we look at two responses
to the fall from Genesis 3:14-21.
Response #1: Consequential
Curses-3:14-21
Following the blame game, God intervenes and begins to deal
with the problem in verse 14. First God decides to address the serpent saying “Because
you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every
beast of the field; on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the
days of your life,…”(3:14). Though originally the serpent held distinction as
one of God’s most impressive creatures, now he was consigned to crawling on his
belly. Also, though the serpent was craftier (arum) than all other animals, now
he would be the “most cursed” (arur). Because he tempted Eve to eat the
forbidden fruit, he would now be eating dust. These punishments are related to
the snake’s subsequent life of humiliation and subjugation in the natural
world. The proudest animal became the lowliest of creatures. “Eating dust”
conveys as much as the term is used both in the Scriptures and even to this day
to mock a loser. Not only that, but eating dust anticipates mankind’s end as
well. The serpent’s figurative diet –dust—will be a constant reminder of his
crime against humanity that returns to dust upon death.
The second element of God’s pronouncement against the snake
speaks outline his new struggle—“and I will put enmity between you and the
woman, and between your seed and her seed” (3:15a). In other words, from this
point on, humanity will struggle against evil and evil against humanity. “Enmity,”
in fact, possesses the connotative intensity of hostility witnessed in warfare
and the level of animosity that results in murder (see Ezek. 25:15; 35:5; Num.
25:1).
Though at first this struggle will be witnessed between
these two individual parties, “between you and the woman,” the conflict will
not die with them. Instead, the snake and the woman represent the many that
will come after them. In other words, Eve and her adversary are the progenitors
of a lifelong struggle that will persist for some time and continue to be
experienced “between your seed and her seed.”
However, the third element of the serpent’s curse is the
most compelling—“He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on
the heel” (3:15b). Here, the plural concept of “seed” returns once again to
singular representatives. Though “bruise” is used here, “crush” and “strike”
are perfectly appropriate translations of the word as it is used respectively.
Here, the location of the blow is telling. First, “He” will “crush you on the
head.” This indicates a death blow dealt one day to the serpent and all that he
represents. Second the serpent will “strike his heel”—indicating, by comparison,
a recoverable injury.
For centuries this verse has been referred to as the protevangelium –“the first good news” as
it is the first ever foreshadowing of Jesus’ total and complete victory over
sin. Jesus, who is described as “born of
a woman” in Gal. 4:4 and is identified as the “seed” in Gal. 3:16, is the “He”
of this verse who will one day crush the serpent’s head once and for all—putting
an end to all evil. Though Jesus would be struck down temporarily at His crucifixion,
He would recover in a most glorious way to achieve this victory in the end.
Revelation 20:10-“The Devil who deceived them was
thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet
are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
What amazing news given even the midst of a curse! While God
disciplines the responsible parties in this first-ever tragedy, he promises
victory for His people! What grace!
Ultimately, the serpent’s curse involves humiliation,
struggle, and total defeat. His curse, however, is mankind’s ultimate blessing!
However, discipline is not withheld from mankind for the
time being. God’s holiness demands that He deal with sin. This is why God turns
next to the woman and says, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth,
in pain you will bring forth children…” (3:16a). Notice, no reason is given
here for the curse the woman receives. This is due to the woman’s culpability
through deception, in contrast with the willful rebellion of the serpent and man
(Matthews, 248). In other words, Eve was tricked into sin, the serpent and the
man willfully and knowingly gave themselves to sin.
The first element involved in her punishment is painful
labor that she must endure in the bearing of children. However, Eve, upon
hearing this could take heart in at least two things. First, Eve would have
found some comfort in knowing that she would live to bear children one day.
Also, it would be through her offspring that final victory over sin would be
achieved. Therefore, the greatest joy—victory over sin and the bearing of
children—would come for Eve, but, would be experienced in pain. Painful
childbirth signals hope and the promise of life but also serves as a perpetual
reminder of sin and the woman’s part in it.
The second element involved in Eve’s punishment concerns her
relationship with her husband—“yet your desire will be for your husband, and he
will rule over you” (3:16b). To interpret this verse rightly one must understand
Genesis 4:7b in which “desire” and “rule” are found again in tandem: “Its
desire is for you, but you must master it.” Here, “sin” is compared to an
animal that when stirred up will assault Cain; it “desires” to overcome Cain,
but the challenge God puts to Cain is to exercise “rule” or “mastery” over that
unruly desire. Using this clearer passage to shine light on 3:16, one might understand
the “desire” of the woman as an attempt to control or “rule” over her husband.
This, she will fail to achieve because God has ordained that the man exercise
his leadership function—“and He will rule over you” (better is “but he will rule over you.”).
The meaning of “rule” depends on the context in which it is
found. In some places it speaks of governance while in others it refers to
exercising jurisdiction. In still others “rule” means to have dominion. However,
ancient Israel provided safeguards for protecting women from unscrupulous men
and the New Testament takes many steps in the same direction. Therefore, it is
not consistent biblically nor is it intended here for “rule” to mean “dominate.”
Instead, “rule” speaks of man’s leadership within the marriage. Man will remain
the leader though the woman will seek to supplant that leadership.
Ultimately, the woman is cursed with pain in childbirth and
strife within the leadership dynamics of the home. However, in spite of her
sin, woman is given the opportunity to have offspring—from which will come her
ultimate salvation—and a husband who will lead and take care of her.
Finally, Adam gets his due. He is cursed last, in part,
because he is ultimately responsible for what happened both to himself and to
his wife. His failure to speak up and lead, followed by his willful disobedience,
render him especially guilty-“’Because you have listened to the voice of your
wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying “You
shall not eat from it”’…” (3:17a). This is God’s way of telling Adam “you knew
better and still chose to listen to your wife’s voice instead of my own.”
Man’s curse is especially fitting as he is from the ground
and will now have to deal with that same ground on a whole new level—“Cursed is
the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your
life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the
plants of the field,…” (3:17b-18). In other words, the ground will be his enemy
instead of his servant. No longer would it be a pleasure to farm the land—it would
be a pain. A day’s work has now become a daily grind as thorns and thistles
emerge, representing obstacles that stand in mankind’s way of getting his work
accomplished. “Adam’s sin has spoiled his environment and it suffers along with
him since both are dust” (Matthews, 252).
“By the sweat of your
face you will eat bread” (3:19a). Though Adam’s curse is a cause for concern
and dread, that he lives to see work and eat bread is a blessing in and of
itself. Just as Eve is allowed the joy of having children and the hope that comes
with offspring, Adam is allowed to see achievement as a result of his labor. Both
deserved sudden death, but so far these curses reveal that death is a process.
This is further explained in the second part of verse 19
which says, “till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for
you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” In other words, the process of
death will inevitably lead to mankind returning to the ground from whence it
came. God’s greatest creation will end his earthly existence as the humblest of
elements—dust. The same humble substance that was used to bring glory will now
serve as a reminder of mankind’s humiliation due to sin.
Ultimately, Adam is cursed with toilsome labor. However, in
spite of his sin, Adam is given an opportunity to take care of himself and his
family for as long as he lives.
Response #2: Merciful
Blessing-3:20-21
Following God’s judgments on this couple are two blessings
that give the reader hope for the first couple and for the human race. First
Adam names his wife “Eve” which means “living,” because, as he says, “she was
the mother of all the living.” In naming her, Adam steps up to lead his wife—something
he had failed to do earlier while in the garden—and looks forward to all that
God has promised: offspring, accomplishments, and ultimate victory.
Here, the blessing is simple—post-sin life. In spite of
their sin, Adam and Eve are able to continue living and move one from their tragic
experience wiser than before. This is a powerful testimony of God’s undeserved goodness
and grace for these two and their family.
However, God doesn’t stop there. He continues by taking an
unprecedented step in verse 21—“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and
his wife, and clothed them…”. Here, God acts on behalf of this guilty and embarrassed
couple to cover their guilt and shame. Their new clothes accomplish at least
two things. First they confirm that they have sinned against God and that no
longer can they walk before deity in innocence. Second, they make Adam’s and
Eve’s life bearable as they cover their embarrassment.
The clothes made also communicates something else—God’s
willingness to cover sin by means of sacrifice. There, in the garden, an
innocent animal was slain/blood was spilled in an effort to bring about peace
in the lives of the guilty and render their sins covered. This, no doubt, is
the beginning of a type that would be witnessed again in sacrifices for sin found
in the Old Testament and most completely in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that
takes away the sins of the world.
What an amazing site to behold. In the face of egregious
sin, the loving grace of a perfect father who desires peace and life for his
kids is expressed. He is even willing to do something unprecedented—killing an
animal—to provide this! What a blessing!
So What?
And it is a blessing that we can know today by means of
Jesus Christ. In spite of our sin, our loving Father came down to earth, just
as he did in the garden, to make a way for us to have a life free from guilt
and shame. This involved something totally unprecedented—sacrificing his one and
only innocent Son on the cross. As a result of this sacrifice, not only are
sins covered, they are done away with, thereby allowing us to enter into a
relationship with the God who was once a long ways off because of our iniquity.
The principle of this passage for both its original audience
and for us today is simple: though God is holy and just to punish sin (see the
curses), He is gracious and loving to provide what is needed for life (see the
blessings). This would have proven to be a great encouragement for those
wandering in the wilderness—experiencing first-hand the implications of their
own fall. Though they were feeling the heavy weight of God’s judgment, they
could take heart in knowing that God was gracious to provide for their need as
He led them to the Promised Land. This same idea also proves to be a great
encouragement for believers who remain in this fallen world today. Even as God lists
the consequences of sin, He cannot help but also reveal the final victory that will
one day come—when sin will be vanquished, the enemy will be destroyed, and all
things will be made new! Take heart! The only thing bigger than the curse of
God is His promise of blessing for His own!
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