Genesis 3

Today, God keeps calling out to every man and woman: “Where are you?” (verse 9). All He wants is that we stop covering up with fig leaves and come out from where we are hiding and confess our sin. Then He will forgive us and clothe us in Christ’s righteousness (1 John 1:9).

For further discussion on the subject of sin and its origin, see General Article: The Fall into Sin.

The Judgment (3:14–24)

14–15 First God judges—indeed curses—the serpent for its role in tempting the woman. The serpent and its offspring will henceforth crawl on their bellies and eat dust¹⁸—a sign of defeat.

This judgment on the serpent and on the man and the woman is not limited merely to these three parties. The judgment involves their offspring also. Indeed, the serpent and the man and woman can be seen as the respective “heads” of two races, which have been placed in enmity with each other (verse 15). This enmity is to reach a climax when the offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head—“your head.” It is the head of the serpent itself (not only its offspring) that will be crushed, which indicates that the serpent represents a higher evil power, namely, Satan. Indeed, we can see in verse 15 a promise that a MESSIAH—Jesus Christ, the offspring of the woman—will come and “crush” the power of Satan and destroy [his] work (1 John 3:8). Although Christ, during the struggle, will be wounded in His heel,¹⁹ He will emerge victorious. Thus in the midst of the severe judgments given in these verses, God in His mercy holds out the hope of a Savior²⁰ who in the end will overcome evil and cause the blessing that was lost to be restored.

16 God’s judgment against the woman was especially directed at her unique role in childbearing. What was meant to have been a role of pure joy would now be accompanied by intense pain—a reminder for every mother ever since of that first mother’s sin. Furthermore, the woman’s relationship with her husband would be changed. Instead of sharing in an equal partnership, her desire would be for him—that is, for his welfare; she would find herself subordinating her desires, her interests, to his. And he would rule over her.

Severe as this judgment was, it was softened by God’s GRACE and mercy. The human race would not be cut off; children would continue to be born and bring joy to their parents, though that joy would often be mixed with sadness. And in God’s plan, one of those children, Jesus, would one day be the means of restoring God’s blessing to fallen mankind.

17–19 God’s judgment against the man—here called Adam²¹—was especially directed at his primary role in working the land (Genesis 2:15) and providing food for his family. His task would be made more difficult because of God’s curse upon the ground; no longer would food-producing vegetation spring up with no effort on man’s part; man would have to plow and plant and cultivate the land—and pull up the thorns and thistles (verse 18).

But as with the judgment against the woman, the man’s judgment was also softened by God’s grace. Mankind would be able to eat the plants of the field; with man’s hard work, the land would yield sufficient food. But because of God’s curse, the land would not be the same as God had originally intended it to be. Even today, the land remains under God’s curse. But we can look forward to a day when that curse will be lifted (Romans 8:20–22), and God will create new heavens and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1).

The second part of God’s judgment against the man applied to the woman as well: dust you are and to dust you will return²² (verse 19). Here was the fulfillment of the punishment God had ordained for eating the forbidden fruit: you will surely die (Genesis 2:17). The tree of life would no longer be available to the man and woman, for they would be banished from the Garden of Eden—and their descendants with them (verses 22–23). We too have received this punishment of death, because the sin of our first parents has been passed on to us. Because of their sin, we have inherited a sinful nature; because of our own sins, we too receive the sentence of death²³ (Romans 5:12).

20 Adam now gave a second name to his wife. He had first called her “woman”, because she had been taken out of man (Genesis 2:23). Now he gave her a personal name of her own, Eve, which signifies “life,” for she would become the mother of all the living.

21 After delivering His severe judgments against Adam and Eve, God then clothed them with garments of skin. This further demonstrated that He loved them in spite of their sin. But we can also see two symbolic meanings in this verse. First, to make garments of skin required killing an animal; some consider this to be the first “sacrifice” mentioned in the Bible. God killed an animal in order to “cover” Adam and Eve’s nakedness and sin. Sin merits death, but God provided a “substitute” to die in their place. This foreshadows the sacrificial system found later on in the Old Testament, which in turn culminates in the final, perfect sacrifice of Christ—a sacrifice which doesn’t merely cover sin outwardly but also removes it inwardly (Hebrews 9:13–14; 10:11–14).

The second symbolic meaning of this verse is that we humans, by our own efforts (fig leaves), cannot truly cover our sinfulness. Only God can provide the covering—the righteousness—we need; and He has provided that righteousness through Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14; Philippians 3:8–9).

22–24 Man had aimed to become like God—“like one of us” (verse 22). And in one sense—by gaining knowledge of good and evil—he had achieved that aim. But that aim had been misguided: man was already like God. Only too late did Adam and Eve find out that their highest good was not to be “like God” but to be “with God.” But now they found themselves driven from His presence. This surely was the most tragic aspect of man’s Fall, because mankind’s highest good is to remain in fellowship with God.

God barred the way to the tree of life by placing cherubim and a flaming sword at the edge of the garden (verse 24). Cherubim were winged heavenly beings with human heads that symbolically served as God’s attendants. The flaming sword was the sword of God’s judgment, standing between fallen man and the tree of life. Today, through faith in Christ, we again have access to that tree—to eternal life.