#14 "Cursed" Genesis 3

So the Lord God said to the serpent: 

"Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."

To the woman He said:

I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."

Then to Adam He said, "Because you have headed the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it':

"Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3: 14 -19

All of creation fell under the curse, but upon the snake lay the reminder of the form which the devil took and the curse God had placed. It would appear that snakes did not always crawl upon their bellies. The animal itself is not evil, but it bares this stereotype, as I have witnessed people kill them just for being a snake. This is a practice induced usually by fear and ignorance. 

God could walk away at this point; He could destroy His creation, after all it is His and He alone has the rite to do so. The Creator does not, and in the curse He shows the plan for His mercy and grace. This is the first prophecy of the coming of the Son of God as the Seed of the woman. The seed of the devil being those who continue in a lie, and in arrogance resist God and deny Christ. 

"You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me? He is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." John 8:44-47

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. Romans 16: 19&20

We discussed before the break down in the relationship between man and woman, and here it becomes more apparent. Marriage will now be a struggle for power and the woman will give birth in pain, each time a reminder of the birth of sin. Marriage is now work as is the ground which no longer yields itself freely. It is a wonder though that even under the curse God brings joy and pleasure in relationships. At the end of a hard day man can look back at his work and feel pleased. Children are a treasure and the battle to raise a family to God is a worthy and wonderful endeavor.