Genesis 3:16

December 12, 2012 The serpent came into the garden and tricked the woman into eating fruit from the forbidden tree. As a result they both realize they were naked, and when they heard God calling out to them they hid because they were ashamed. When God questions them they confess to eating, and they blame the snake. God turns to him and curses him: thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life (3:15). The angel who only wanted to be higher than God is now humiliated and lower than everything on earth. Now were going to see what happens to the woman and her husband. Before we start in verse 16 Id like to remind you of the approach were taking in our interpretation. We believe that the entire Bible is a revelation of Jesus Christ and that He is the revelation of God. It should go without saying, then, that the Bible is primarily a theological book. What I mean is some people read this and find a lot of philosophical or sociological application. And, I suppose those things can have a place, but they certainly are not the main focus. Genesis 3 isnt a commentary on the plight of women in the world today or on the reason men hate their jobs. Sure, both those things can be tied back to this one instance, but they arent the spiritual truth being communicated through this story. You have to remember that all these stories serve a purpose in pointing us to Christ. This is why they call them types and shadows, and types and shadows are similar to the New Testament parables. We have these little stories that point us to some much bigger truth. Adam and Eves story is literally and historically true, but it serves a greater purpose. If youre wondering whether I might be reaching too far, look at Galatians 4:24-26 where Paul talks about Sarah and Hagar: Sarah was a free woman and Abrahams wife, but Hagar was a slave and Abrahams concubine. Paul says, these things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar, [] but Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. The story of those two women serve a spiritual purpose in revealing God and His covenant to us, and Adam and Eve do the same. So God comes into the garden and curses the serpent, and then:
16

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Now the first thing I want you to notice is that Adam and his wife are not cursed though they feel its effects. The serpent is cursed, and the ground is cursed (:17), but they are not. Why is this important? Look at Galatians 3:10-14: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. When Moses gave the law to all the people it came with a curse to those who disobeyed. The serpent is cursed, the ground is cursed, and everyone who breaks the Law of Moses is cursed. But Christ was made a curse for us. This is why the just shall live by faith: that the blessing of Abraham might come on us through Christ! Adam and Eve, by faith, had to believe the promise that was given in verse fifteen and which would be given again to Abraham (12:1-3). And to me, this speaks of the work finished before the foundation of the world. Adam and Eve couldnt be cursed because the Lamb was slain (Rev. 13:8). Being elect they were predestined to the blessings of obedience through Christ: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will (Eph. 1:3-11). Think again about Jude :1to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. What does it mean to be preserved? Are we not kept from the curse?

But were not kept from its effects: I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children. The bottom line is that she will have pain and toil in delivering a child into the world. Now, why is this the case? God humbled the serpent by making him crawl along the ground eating dust; why wouldnt He do something similar to the woman? Remember, all of this points us towards a greater spiritual truth. Romans 16:20 tells us that the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Is there a New Testament verse which helps us understand the womans pain? How about this one? A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world (Jn. 16:21). Does this verse not point us towards redemption? She remembers no more the anguish! And is it not interesting that she rejoices that a man is born into the world? I dont want to read too much into it, but why doesnt He say she rejoices because she has a baby? No; she rejoices because a man is born into the world, which makes me think that her pain and delivery is closely tied to the promise made to the serpent in the presence of Eve: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. They were looking for that one who would deliver them! The second effect she feels from the curse is in relation to her husband: thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Let me just list a few points: 1. This story is primarily theological and not sociological. This is not a commentary on marriage or spousal roles. 2. Adam and Eve are clearly a type of Christ and His Bride (Gen. 2:23-24; Eph. 5:30-32). 3. A literal word-for-word reading is to man of you impulse of you and he shall rule in you.1 4. The word thats translated as desire is only used two other times in the Old Testament: a. In Gen. 4:7 God tells Cain that sin desires to have him. b. In Sng. of Sol. 7:10 the woman says, I am my beloveds, and his desire is towards me. 5. When the Greeks translated the word for desire they used the word (apostrophe) which means to turn back or away or to seek refuge, and it was sometimes used to describe the bend in a stream. 2

1 2

http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/OTpdf/gen3.pdf http://stephanus.tlg.uci.edu/lsj/#eid=14236&context=lsj&action=from-search

If I take all of this into consideration without leaning on any presuppositions, I conclude that Eve (as a type of the church) was promised that she would have a strong inclination to seek shelter in Adam (who is a type of Christ), and she would find it. She had been deceived by the serpent, but she would be ruled by the one who loved herif thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Rom. 10:9). http://newgracebaptist.blogspot.com/