Genesis 3:1-16
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”
In the perfect confines of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were created equally valuable in the image of God. The two exercised complementary roles in order to accomplish God’s purpose for them. They were co-laborers in the garden. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned, it set into motion ramifications that neither of them could have ever contemplated. Sin always does that. “Did God say?” Is God simply fearful that we will be like him? The consequences always contain unintended outcomes, and the beautiful relationship that Adam and Eve had experienced was about to get very complicated.
Separation from God
Genesis 3:8 “8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
Adam and Eve were experiencing for the first time a separation in their relationship with God. Eve was as guilty as Adam and would experience the consequence of her own sin. All women must first recognize that sin is their biggest single problem, just as men. Women are not less sinful because they feel emotions deeper or care deeper.
Consequence of Pain
Genesis 3:16 “16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.””
The means by which the woman would fulfill her role would become excruciatingly painful, and yet it would be the means by which she experiences the most fulfillment. The image of pain in childbirth would be used throughout scripture to indicate great trouble and pain that was coming.
Isaiah 13:8 “8 They will be dismayed: pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame.”
Jeremiah 30:6–7 “6 Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale? 7 Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it.”
Micah 4:9–10 “9 Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pain seized you like a woman in labor? 10 Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you shall go out from the city and dwell in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.”
Matthew 24:7–8 “7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”
1 Thessalonians 5:3 “3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”
Hope is hidden in the pain.
John 16:21–22 “21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
When scripture points to an event using the analogy of childbirth, it is recognizing the great pain to come as well as the deliverance that will take place, putting great hope in the midst of the pain.
Consequence of Desire
Genesis 3:16 “16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.””
Adam and Eve started as partners in the garden and now sin has corrupted both of their desires. The original word used for desire is only used in two other places in scripture.
Genesis 4:7 “7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.””
This instance is communicating that sin is contrary desire to God’s purpose.
Song of Solomon 7:10 “10 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.”
In this context, desire is being used in the context of sexuality.
In Genesis 3:16, the word is seen in light of Eve’s desire being contrary to that of her husband. Where they were once complementary partners in God’s perfect design, now she is experiencing a desire to that which is opposite of her husband. The result of this would be a domineering husband, no longer partnering but competing desires, and the physically stronger would dominate.
This is not a justification of male domineering or suppression of women. It is God explaining that when sin entered the relationship, Adam and Eve were no longer going to be willing partners. Sin would complicate both of their desires.
Women do not get a pass because they are more emotional. Not every desire is pure. In our quest as a culture to elevate women, we have determined that a woman’s desire or emotions are not something that can be disputed or questioned. It is pivotal for women to submit those emotions and feelings to God and make sure they are not contrary to God’s plan.
Ephesians 5:22–31 “22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.””
Paul calls the marriage relationship to reflect that of Christ and the church. God is restoring the partnership in the garden - women and men in mutual submission. While the word submission is not explicitly in man’s role, his leading is to reflect that of Christ in that he is to willingly lay down his desire and life for the sake of his wife. The wife is simply called to check her desire that is contrary. If the first instance of submission triggers you, it may be time to check that desire against God’s purpose.