After Adam and Eve sinned, God told Adam, ”All the days of your life, you shall eat of the ground (herb of the field) which he cursed, in sorrow, and by the sweat of you face shall you eat bread and return to the ground as dust that you are and were fashioned out of.” (Genesis 3:17-19), because he heeded more to the voice of the devil through his wife, than of God.
First and foremost, while many regard this to be the curse of Adam, it is important for us to recognize that, upon the disobedience of man and the woman, God did NOT curse the man, Adam, but instead he cursed the ground as he continued to reveal the elements of his masterplan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The consequences of one man’s sin was sorrow from toil, (just as it was of the woman), thorns and thistles, sweat and death.
Adam did not have to toil laboriously before his sinned to eat of the produce of the ground, but now he would have to, for before he sinned, all that was good for food and pleasing to the eyes is what the ground produced (Genesis 2:9). Now thorns and thistles, would it also produce, adding to the sorrow of his travail and he would have to sweat for his sustenance (bread). Apostle Paul remin the church of Thessalonica, Apostle Paul reminds the Church of Thessalonica of this consequence of sin, for he wrote that if one does not work, then that person should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Then God said that he (Adam) who was made a living soul (Genesis 2:7), would return to the dust, meaning that he would die. Death came into the world by one man, Adam and it continues to this day (Romans 5:12).
Points to ponder:
Sorrow, thorns and thistles, sweat, and death are the consequences of sin. Adam sin’s warranted a Savior who could annul the curse on the ground, brought about by Adam. Jesus became the curse for he was crucified on a tree/cross, for it is written that anyone who hangs on the tree is accursed (Galatians 3:13). Jesus was described as a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3). Thorns were used to mock and crown Jesus (John 19:2). His agony for bearing the wrath of God was so intense that he started to sweat blood (Luke 22:44) and Jesus became obedient unto death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:8).
All of the consequences of man’s sin was poured out on Jesus, God’s only begotten son. He who knew no sin was made sin for us and he was made a man of sorrows to bear our sorrow. He was pierced with a crown of thorns and had to languish so much so that he sweat blood in his agony. And then Jesus died in our place so that we need not die.
As physical child of the first Adam, we are conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5) and sinful.
As the spiritual children of God, we are imputed the righteousness of God (because Jesus became sin for us) and are saved.
Through the first Adam’s sin – death entered the world. (Romans 5:12)
Through the last Adam’s (Jesus’) sacrifice – life (resurrection from the dead) entered the world.
(1 Corinthians 15:21)
Which Adam are you the child of?
Genesis 3:17-19 (KJV)
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Romans 5:12 (KJV)
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (KJV)
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
