To summarize to this point in the Bible. God creates the world, each day calling his creation good. On the sixth day he creates men and woman and calls them very good. He gives them responsibilities and freedoms to maintain and look after everything on the earth. Eat from any tree but keep away from one as it is forbidden to eat from it. Deception through a snake and human curiosity got the better of them and they partook in eating the fruit of the forbidden tree. God knew this had happened yet gave them an opportunity to fess up, yet they know eyes open to good and evil, choose to hide and then play the blame game. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the snake. The snake doesn’t get to defend himself. God seeing the role the serpent had played determined his fate first. He then turned to Eve;
“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”
Genesis 3:16
Right then and there God could have wiped mankind out. It would have been easy, and he could have started over. Yet this shows us that God is in it for the long game, he wasn’t surprised that man had fallen. I believe God gives us choices for a reason, He knew both results hoping that his creation would choose one over the other but He had a plan in place. The order He deals out the punishment for the sinful act is important. He promises when dealing with the snake that a seed from Eve would crush the snake for what it had done. This promise was important in that when it was Eve’s turn and she was told that childbirth was going to be severe and labor painful there was hope that one day there would be redemption for what they had done. Childbirth would be a reminder of the choice she had made for all future generations.
The second part of this verse is often misused and misquoted. Many an aggressive husband or controlling one will take this and use it as an excuse to do things that no man should ever do. Being married for 17 years I can see the importance of why this verse is important in the union of man and woman. We often use the word love to express how we feel but it has become cheapened to the point that we can just fall out of love and end relationships. The desire that God sets in place here is a passion for her husband that keeps her there through thick and thin. When times are tough she doesn’t run out. When the ‘love’ is dried up she doesn’t go off looking for love in all the wrong places. This isn’t just her part to play, the man is to rule over her. Not with an iron fist and a list of rules, but as a protector, lover, a man full of respect for his wife. He needs to know his wife intimately understanding her needs and desires. He must be a leader who knows his family and doesn’t give up on them but fights for them daily.
Adam or men didn’t get off any easier, read the next few verses and you will see that man got a bigger earful then woman. But in the end, they left the creator together. They weren’t separated they needed one another. We need one another. Your husband needs you wife. You wife needs you husband. Do not give up on one another. God hasn’t given up on you.
Father, watch over us. Protect us from the lies of the enemy whose desire is to distract us from following you. He caught Adam and Eve in the garden and even today he is working to keep us away from experiencing you. We want a relationship with you, thank you for restoring this relationship through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Let us walk with you and learn your ways. Use us to help others find this freedom that is only found in you, Amen
50 Days of Pray 