Gen 3:17-18 | KingComments | STEP | In His response to the defenses of Adam and Eve, God first addresses Himself to him who has been the instrument of temptation to sin. Without hearing the serpent God curses him. The serpent hears a direct verdict, without the possibility of a reply. Going on the belly indicates extreme humiliation and misery (cf. ; ). In the curse God also speaks of “the seed of the woman”. That is a clear reference to the Lord Jesus ( ). He will bruise satan on the head, while satan will bruise him on the heel. If the heel is bruised, it is impossible to walk. With the Lord Jesus this happens when people, led by satan, pierce His feet on the cross and kill Him. But just by the cross He obtains victory and bruises satan on the head ( ). After the curse of the serpent and the prospect of victory over the tempter, God also pronounces His verdict on man’s sin. He mentions the consequences of sin first for the woman and then for the man. They are not cursed. The consequences for them are an aggravation of the task God has given each of them. It is God’s purpose that the woman should bear children ( ). Apparently until then pregnancy and giving birth are painless in origin. That will no longer be the case. Pregnancy will cause many inconveniences and giving birth to children is a painful experience. Sin has weakened the woman physically, causing pregnancy and giving birth to be accompanied by difficulty. To this verdict is added the fact that her desire will go to her husband and that he will rule over her. This is the result of her self-willed action by independently entering into conversation with the serpent without involving Adam. She has also involved Adam into her sin by giving him the fruit. Instead of being a help to him, she has led him to commit sin. In this judgment God says that she will really depend on her husband and that he will tell her what to do. Therein lies her blessing at the same time. The verdict on Adam is twofold. The earth is cursed because of him, and he will return to dust, that is to say die the physical death. Adam, by listening to his wife, denied his position of being head over creation. As punishment for this, from now on nature will be in revolt against him. Creation also shares in the consequences of the Fall, for it is “subjected to futility” ( ). From that moment on, she also produces thorns and thistles. Adam will no longer be able to manage nature. For his livelihood, he will have to cultivate the ground with great effort. “The earth, from it comes food” ( ), which is so necessary for his sustenance ( ). That will be his part, as long as he lives. But the moment of physical death comes. By transgressing the Divine commandment, he has set God aside. By the verdict of returning to dust he must become aware of the vanity of his being ( ; ). The command to work is still valid. He who does not work while he can, disobeys God and does not deserve to eat: “When we were with you, we commanded you to do so: If anyone does not want to work, they will not eat either ( ). The Lord Jesus has worked ( ). He prophetically even said that he worked in vain: “But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity”” ( ).

‏ Genesis 3:17-18

The LORD God Gives Judgment

In His response to the defenses of Adam and Eve, God first addresses Himself to him who has been the instrument of temptation to sin. Without hearing the serpent God curses him. The serpent hears a direct verdict, without the possibility of a reply. Going on the belly indicates extreme humiliation and misery (cf. Mic 7:17a; Psa 44:25).

In the curse God also speaks of “the seed of the woman”. That is a clear reference to the Lord Jesus (Gal 4:4). He will bruise satan on the head, while satan will bruise him on the heel. If the heel is bruised, it is impossible to walk. With the Lord Jesus this happens when people, led by satan, pierce His feet on the cross and kill Him. But just by the cross He obtains victory and bruises satan on the head (Col 2:15).

After the curse of the serpent and the prospect of victory over the tempter, God also pronounces His verdict on man’s sin. He mentions the consequences of sin first for the woman and then for the man. They are not cursed. The consequences for them are an aggravation of the task God has given each of them.

It is God’s purpose that the woman should bear children (Gen 1:28). Apparently until then pregnancy and giving birth are painless in origin. That will no longer be the case. Pregnancy will cause many inconveniences and giving birth to children is a painful experience. Sin has weakened the woman physically, causing pregnancy and giving birth to be accompanied by difficulty.

To this verdict is added the fact that her desire will go to her husband and that he will rule over her. This is the result of her self-willed action by independently entering into conversation with the serpent without involving Adam. She has also involved Adam into her sin by giving him the fruit. Instead of being a help to him, she has led him to commit sin. In this judgment God says that she will really depend on her husband and that he will tell her what to do. Therein lies her blessing at the same time.

The verdict on Adam is twofold. The earth is cursed because of him, and he will return to dust, that is to say die the physical death. Adam, by listening to his wife, denied his position of being head over creation. As punishment for this, from now on nature will be in revolt against him. Creation also shares in the consequences of the Fall, for it is “subjected to futility” (Rom 8:20). From that moment on, she also produces thorns and thistles. Adam will no longer be able to manage nature.

For his livelihood, he will have to cultivate the ground with great effort. “The earth, from it comes food” (Job 28:5a), which is so necessary for his sustenance (Psa 104:14b). That will be his part, as long as he lives. But the moment of physical death comes. By transgressing the Divine commandment, he has set God aside. By the verdict of returning to dust he must become aware of the vanity of his being (Psa 104:29 ; Psa 103:14; Ecc 3:19-20 ; Ecc 12:7).

The command to work is still valid. He who does not work while he can, disobeys God and does not deserve to eat: “When we were with you, we commanded you to do so: If anyone does not want to work, they will not eat either (2Thes 3:10). The Lord Jesus has worked (Jn 5:17). He prophetically even said that he worked in vain: “But I said, “I have toiled in vain, I have spent My strength for nothing and vanity”” (Isa 49:4).