The Thread of Brokenness and Redemption

Introduction

I often wonder what it was like to be Adam and Eve. To just come into existence fully as adults. To experience a world in perfection and goodness free from sin and brokenness. To have full access to God in a purity that had no pollution of sin.

I often wonder how long they lived like that until the fall happened. Was it just a few days, months, or years? Even if just one day, what was that day like to experience all that Genesis 1 and 2 presents?

Because we live in a fallen world, post the introduction of sin; it is hard to imagine what life is like without it’s presence. Brokenness wraps our existence. We can’t escape it- sickness, disease, death, struggle, fighting, injustice, mistakes is ever present. Perhaps not 24-7 personally, but it’s reminders often come up.

It is hard to imagine what life is like without brokenness.

But to try makes the reality of all of Genesis 3 more heavy. Why would you give it all up? Yet, I know how easy I am tempted and fall. Perhaps they didn’t fully grasp what death might look like in their state prior to sinning. Death that was more than merely no longer living. Death that was creeping into all of life.

God warned man and woman that disobedience would come with a heavy price. Genesis 3:14-24 displays that heavy price. It also displays the thread of redemption that God begins to weave.

Contextual Background

Before we get into the themes of the text, I want to address a couple of contextual pieces to help us understand this text more.

Curses

We can often hear the word curse and think more along the lines of magic or incantations. Some scholars use the term oracles which convey the idea of a prophetic word, but the greater idea is to be banned from the place of blessing scripturally.

The disruption of sin disrupts the relationship of God to His creation. The fullness of blessing is now removed.

Thus, the curses given particularly to Adam and Eve move them from the place of blessing they were in to something less. The death as a consequence in Gen. 2:17 was literal just as much as it was in removal of blessing being like death.

Why? Because it brings rot and decay into the fabric of human life.

You Will Be Like God

The promise of you will be like God will be directly contrasted by these curses of God. As we will see, relationally, spiritually, and physically, the death that sin brings in its brokenness puts them further from being like God.

Again, this gives insight to us that the lie of sin does not fulfill what it promises.

The Curses of Genesis 3:14-24

I want to address each person’s curses first and then give the themes later that correlate with these curses to help us understand the text.

The Snake (v.14-15)

Satan’s curse is tied to the snake in that the snake now becomes cursed more than any other wild animal. What is happening here?

Scholars have various opinions. I land that God is relating the fact that sin caused a disruption in the created order. Some believe the snake moved and functioned differently in the Garden than it does now. Perhaps, this is so. But the curse falls to a part of creation in animals in general. Just as a curse comes to the ground in 3:17.

All I know is that for most of my life, snakes are to be feared and killed. It’s the devil and we can move on in it.

As for Satan representative in this snake, his curse is defeat. V. 15 speaks of his ultimate defeat. He attempted another coup and failed. Revelation tells us that his time will come. Thus, despite all he may do to fracture us further from God and disrupt the will of God, he is a defeated foe!

Woman (v.16)

Eve stands as representative of all women and now her decision brings forth a curse to all. The Lord does say he will intensify labor pains but also speaks that bearing children will be a painful effort. What does this mean?

Pain in Child Bearing

On a physical level there will be pain. I imagine God’s plan was not for it to be something painful and difficult, but something pleasant and representative of what He did with Adam and in bringing forth life.

However, several scholars noted that there is an emotional pain in sorrow too from the original language. One scholar noted the words used in this poetic language refers “to the anxiety that a woman will experience through the whole process from conception to birth.” He continues,

This includes anxiety about whether she will be able to conceive a child, anxiety that comes with all the physical discomfort of pregnancy, anxiety concerning health of the child in the womb, and anxiety about whether she and the baby will survive the birth process.”

Imagine living in a world where we don’t have the medical technology we do now. This anxiety would be even greater.

I want to be sensitive here as well because I know there has been loss, difficult pregnancies, and some who desire to have children and stuggle(d). Your sin didn’t cause those things. It is a result of sin, not your sin. It became a reality of life once the fullness of blessing was removed from God’s intended purposes for creation in Gen. 3.

I hate the fact that all three pregnancies were difficult for Jenny. I hate the fact we lost a child. I hate that I have seen people desperately want a child and struggle. But, I can say with certainty that whatever the outcomes were, God was faithful and good. He redeemed what was broken in His way and brought a deeper walk, faith, and trust in all of us. I remember in all these moments it takes time to see the hand and work of God.

Desire for her husband

We note that woman will have a desire for her husband, yet he will rule over her. Again, this is hard to understand but there are 3 ways to make sense of it all as a commentary noted:

Genesis D. Judgments of the Fall into Sin (3:14–19)

(1) A woman’s desire would not be her own. Her desire would be subject to her husband’s desire, for her husband would rule over her. (2) A woman, in spite of the pain that would be involved in bearing children, would develop an attraction, a longing, for her husband so that she would enter into relationships with him that would result in children. (3) A woman would desire to dominate the relationship with her husband, but God declared that the man would rule as head

Perhaps all three could be involved, but the same word used for desire is used in Gen. 4:7, Song of Solomon 7:10 based on context they carry different connotation. Song of Solomon is tied to attraction, sexual desire whereas Gen. 4:7 is about an antagonistic longing, a dominating desire tied to Cain’s temptation to kill his brother.

I land toward the word being a desire to take over the role of her husband. Meaning, no longer will her desire to be her husband’s helper in submission come naturally. Instead she will seek to dominate his role as leader.

I distinctly remember a conversation I had with female coworker who was struggling with her marriage. She couldn’t figure out why they were in such conflict. She is a strong personality and commands the presence of a room. A great quality for sure. However, her husband was in the process of trying to lead his wife well and take his role as a husband serious. He wasn’t being domineering, but leading. I explained to her this verse and how it was related to the Fall. She took it to heart, had a conversation with her husband, and a few weeks later told me how that was an issue for them. They took the proper steps to establish leadership and “helpership” with one another. To this day, they are thriving as far as I know.

The result of sin is a fracturing of relationship.

The Man (v.17-19)

It must be noted that God speaks towards Adam relinquishing his role as leader by listening to his wife and eating of the tree. The reality is the closet human relationship Adam had was listened to over God.

Not only did he disobey by eating, but he disobeyed by not providing the leadership he should have over Eve. Remember that Gen. 3:6 told us he was with her when the temptation and choice to disobey came forward.

One scholar said it this way,

Genesis D. Judgments of the Fall into Sin (3:14–19)

Adam was the head of the human race and had the responsibility and authority to act independently of his wife when she suggested disobedience. But he chose to listen and then to disobey

The Cursed Ground

Because of Adam the ground is cursed. No longer will it provide with the ease they once had it in the Garden. Instead what is needed in food will come from painful labor.

Farmers, you can blame Adam for all your struggle in trying to grow crops. When the rain doesn’t come, when the weeds seem to overcome, when the pests are numerous, and the sun scorches it is a result of the brokenness that sin brought into this world.

Work Becomes A Burden

Note in v. 9 that God says the bread you will eat is by the sweat of your brow. I believe this indicates that work as a part of man’s purpose to caretake the world was not meant to be a laborious, painful, and difficult task originally. It wasn’t to be a burden on man, but a fulfillment of life.

I also get a sense that a part of this curse is the feeling that we never have enough. Whether that is in provision for our families or just success in our jobs. I think pretty much every man can relate to what I am saying in that feeling.

There can be enjoyment and fulfillment, but it is not in the complete sense it was designed for.

Death is final

God tells Adam that for man this curse stays until his final breath. And capping off the curses, God speaks that physical death is now in the equation of human living. From the dust you came, to the dust you will return.

In fact, he will be the first to experience it when it comes in the form of a murder when his son Cain kills his brother Abel. What a horrible way to first experience the brokenness of death.

Themes of Genesis 3:14-24

The curses display the expansiveness of brokenness of sin. Yet, in the midst of it all grace and hope remain. We can look at these curses for what they are- struggle and pain in child bearing, broken order, hard work, pain in providing, death. We can also see the greater expression that these curses bring forth.

Relational Brokenness

The curses bring forth the fact that humanity will now experience relationship brokenness. Marriage will be a struggle, human relationship in general will carry brokenness.

Instead of reflecting the relational harmony that God carries in His Triune nature, we now take a step further from reflecting Him.

One day this will change. Revelation 7:9–10 “9 After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

No longer will we experience relational brokenness.

Physical Brokenness

There is a physical brokenness present in all of creation. God who is able to speak the world into existence, now man has to toil to make it work. Woman has to toil to bring forth life. This brokenness further reveals how we did not become more like God, but actually further from Him.

Romans 8:19–22 CSB

19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.

Tells us that creation itself awaits a day for the Lord to restore what is broken. One day the ground will no longer be cursed. One day the physical things of this world will be remade as it was intended.

Spiritual Brokenness

Genesis 3:15 and 3:23-24 display for us the spiritual brokenness of the world. Satan as a spiritual being will be active until his defeat. Hostility will exist between us and him. He will continue to perpetuate our spiritual brokenness.

Even more, the removal of Adam and Eve from the Garden signifies separation of mankind from God. The relationship that mankind once had with God seems to not be the same again.

The Bible never shies away from the reality of universal brokenness. Not everything in life is resolved to the perfection we desire. But, the Bible does present God meeting us in our brokenness; ultimately in Christ.

Christ Connection

Imagine being Adam and Eve and hearing these things being expressed. How hopeless it could have felt? To go from perfection and the epitome of goodness to what they will now face. Why carry on, especially after being removed from the Garden?

Head/Heel

“He will strike your head, and you will strike His heel.”

This is why. Hope endures and stands. The phrasing of v. 15 takes the offspring of Eve and puts it singular with that last phrase. It speaks of One who would overcome. This is of course the first gospel word of Jesus.

Galatians 4:3–5 CSB

3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world. 4 When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Paul writes this with reflection back to Genesis 3:15. When God was ready to complete His plan of redemption. To take the thread throughout history and humanity to this very point, He did so and brought our redemption in Jesus.

Adam names the woman Eve. Seems strange in the midst of this moment. Yet, it portrays that hope remains. She will continue life and from her spiritual life- life with God will be found from her offspring to come.

Adam naming Eve the specific name she has indicates he believes the promise to come from Genesis 3:15.

The Sacrifice

V. 21 is also a Christ connection as we see that the very first sacrifice is made in order to cover Adam and Eve. Their inadequate attempt to cover with fig leaves was not going to be sufficient outside the Garden.

But, we also know that this foreshadows the required sacrifice for sins.

Leviticus 17:11 “11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.”

Hebrews 9:22 “22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Hebrews 10:4 “4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Hebrews 10:12 “12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 10:14 “14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.”

Hebrews 10:18 “18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.”

Our sin nature and the actions that flow from that nature require sacrifice to cover them. Christ paid that sacrifice by the cost of His own blood on the cross for us all.

Our response is to believe, repent, and surrender to Him.

Conclusion

We can look at these curses and think that is pretty bad. We feel and know these curses in our own life. They are reminders of our brokenness and the fact that sin entered the world and ripped at the fabric of life for us.

Hope remains, but I want us to wrestle with something in closing.

First, God promises an heir to overcome sin. God clothes Adam an Eve despite their poor attempt. God extends mercy and grace even in the midst of the consequences of their choice.

Hope is present in our brokenness. God is working in the midst of our brokenness. I don’t know how the brokenness of sin has affect your life, but I want you to see that hope can be found.

Salvation in Jesus sees us through our brokenness:

Romans 8:35 “35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

Romans 8:37–39 “37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Second, God removes Adam and Eve from the Garden. If they eat of the tree of life they remain in their state of sinfulness. Mercy is extended so that salvation can be found.

But, what was the greatest cost of sin? Was it all the curses and brokenness? It wasn’t that they just lost Paradise. They “lost” God.

The fullness of blessing, the full, unadulterated access to the presence of God. It wasn’t about losing the benefits of God, but the relationship that is now broken and hindered forever.

Before Christ, we are separated from God. After salvation in Christ, sin can hinder our fellowship with God. Both of these should lead us to never entertain sin because the cost of loss is so great.

Like a woman who lost her last coin searches her house and finds it so we are found in God through Jesus.

Like a son who is estranged from his father and returns to no longer be called a son, yet finds the father waiting with arms open at the son’s repentance are return to relationship, so it is when we refuse to let sin disrupt our fellowship with God.

The value of knowing God in relationship is like a man who found treasure in a field, sells all he has and buys the field. The value of knowing God, being in relationship with God, is worth more than anything else in this world or what sin leads us to believe is better.