Genesis 2, 3 ~ The Surprising Effect of Adam’s Sin
Still looking for a solution to my fruitless life, my search for answers continues…
Several things about this story in Genesis had correlated with my own struggle. I’d seen that, like Eve, partaking of the knowledge of good and evil in me was not getting me closer to my goal of being like God. I had thought it would, seemingly just like she had, but I also had been deceived. There were even more similarities yet to be discovered that would shed further light on my situation, helping lead me out of the darkness of my despair and into the light of His liberty.
Continuing to read this account closely, I couldn’t help but notice the very first thing that changed after Adam and Eve’s disobedience. They became self-conscious. Previously, Adam and his wife were naked and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25). But immediately after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they saw their nakedness. They now had their eyes turned on themselves. They saw their state and took action to remedy it. Overcome with shame they proceeded to hide from God in fear (Genesis 3:7-8). I knew the feeling, for I myself was constantly looking at my self…my sin, my failure, my weakness and inconsistency. Yes, I was very familiar with this feeling of exposure, this shame, and ultimately this fear.
As I continued to look for clues as to why God’s spirit had led me from identifying with Paul in the book of Romans and then here to Genesis, I noticed another amazing “coincidence”. It was yet another way this story was shedding light on mine. I was familiar with the fact that Adam and Eve bore consequences for their disobedience, but suddenly my eyes were opened to the surprising nature of those consequences. At first glance these penalties seem fairly random in nature.
To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Genesis 3:16
And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; Genesis 3:17
But then I noticed something profound. Suddenly I saw how each of these were similar. Although seemingly unrelated they were totally the same, and they were completely related to my dilemma too. What did both of these pronouncements have in common? Both dealt with their ability to bear fruit! For the woman, the bringing forth of the fruit of the womb would now be with pain. For the man, the bringing forth of the fruit of the ground would now be with toil. The Bible uses the same Hebrew word in each instance. It is the word `itstsabown, which means pain, labour, hardship, sorrow, and toil, and is used only three times in the Old Testament….here in this story and in Genesis 5:29 referring to this story. So how did this penalty change things? How had it been before?
The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food. Genesis 2:8-9
Before their disobedience Adam was to dress and keep the garden, where God was causing the fruit to grow. Now he was to work cursed ground to try to get fruit to grow. Man now had to work to produce what previously God had caused to grow without man’s effort. And I was entirely the same. I was exerting an untold amount of effort to bear fruit. I felt like I’m sure they must have felt. I imagine they wanted things to go back to how they had been originally…back to the time when they were first created, back to a place of no shame, back before the knowledge of good and evil, back when bearing fruit was without effort, from un-cursed ground that God had planted and caused to be fruitful. Yes, I’m sure they wanted to go back to how it had been before the fall. And so did I.
Don’t miss the P.S. (“post” script) here
and My Story continues...here
Great stuff, Lisa. But, I wonder about this verse:
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
Are you sure you haven’t missed one of the points here? If one reads this carefully, it’s plain that part of Adam’s disobedience was that he “listened to the voice of his wife”, no? So, in effect, we see that there were two matters of disobedience: (1) listening to his wife, and (2) eating from the tree. Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.
Thank you, Bill! I am thrilled that you’re reading.
No doubt your observation IS another aspect of the story. Through this Genesis account God helped me by pointing out the fruit of their disobedience. This is not to say that He might not help someone else by pointing out the root of it.
Absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I’ve been looking for these same answers and to finally see the path that God has led you on is amazing. It is beyond helpful to us as reader.
After awhile of doing my own research, it can become mundane. I had gotten to a point where I wanted to throw my hands in the air and give up…….but I’m so thankful my husband’s Aunt Deb gave me your website last night. She was right on with how wonderful you truly are!
I can’t help but thank God for showing you the answers you needed and thanking God for you writing them 🙂
Lori, I am so glad you’re enjoying the site and that you’re being helped. It has been my heart’s cry for years to have the privilege of helping someone who might be struggling with what I did. Wow, do I know the feeling you describe…wanting to “give up”! I too am thankful beyond words that God eventually got through to me, revealing the truth in the Word that finally set me free. Thank you so much for your kind words. I am thrilled Deb invited you to sign on. Welcome to the “study”.
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! My eyes are being opened and I am beginning to see the pattern here! I, too, have exhausted myself in my quest to love God and be fruitful. I get it, I totally get it…NOW! Many thanks although words do not seem enough for the truths you have so generously offered to each of us. You, my dear, are one of the most important parts of my day:)
Yay, Amy! How great is it when we start to see glimpses of that truth that sets us free?…free from striving and endless effort that always comes up short. It finally sets us free to spend our lives loving God instead of laboring for Him.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful remarks. It’s my privilege to help as I’ve been helped.