Genesis 3b Commentary
Never mind eating fruit from the Tree of Life, merely touching the tree in the middle of the Garden was fatal! Verse 3. Yes, touching the tree would result in death! The rule was strict!
Never talk to strangers; every boy and girl learns simple and foundational life lessons from their mothers. Eve spoke to a serpent!
The LORD God institutes investigations immediately. Adam blames Eve. Eve blames the serpent. The serpent is not asked. Probably needless. Regardless, they are all guilty.
The serpent is punished. A legless life means the serpent is crippled. It’s a further demotion.
Then Eve punished. Punishments follow the order of investigations. Humanity enjoys the “blame game” but it never works for God. The deceiver and the deceived are both punished.
Look at Eve’s punishment closely and see how her punishment reverses the blessing of multiplication! Her womb is a factory of life. But this factory will have troubles. “Difficulties in childbearing” has everything to do with life itself.
Chapter 3 mirrors the critical role of a woman in creation. She is a mother; she mothers life. Her womb is a man’s most comfortable home for 9 months. She feeds the baby at her breasts. Even when boys have grown, mothers ensure they eat and are healthy. She also mothers a fully-grown man she calls “my husband”.
Childbearing has to do with birthing life and sustaining it. Women concerns are life concerns!
The LORD speaks to humanity when He speaks to Eve; entire humanity is within her womb. She will not rule anymore; humanity won’t rule. Dominion is lost. Dominion comes with the rules or the rule of God but Adam’s poor decision means the rule of God is gone.
Eve obeys the serpent. The serpent becomes a rule – loosely translated as a husband. Her desire shall be in that direction. Obedience is the highest level of worship. Disobedience shifts worship to whatever you have obeyed. Trouble reigns. Sin becomes the default.
The mention of a “husband” prepares our thoughts for the real husband for the bride – the saint or the Body of Christ. Our desire should be for this Husband.
Of course, Eve hasn’t physically died – the punishment or consequence we all expected! But death has occurred. It is spiritual death. It would appear there is less interest in the physical container that hosts the human spirit. That would not be correct. The LORD provides clothing for the physical body but it has lost immortality.
These are important symbols. Humanity shouldn’t treat them as cartoon objects. We can understand more when we look at other parallels in the New Testament. The “Living water” and the “Bread of life” would be equivalents that humanity can access to live. But we know it isn’t meant to immortalize the body. It is all about the spirit.
More resources visit http://www.lovingscripture.com
LOVING SCRIPTURE 