-Strength for Today- "God’s Consequential Questions to Our First Parents.” - Genesis: 3:9, 3:11a, and 3:19

??When a question is posed,?it’s?intent “is to examine thoroughly the nature of one’s intent.”?In Genesis chapter 3, verses: 3:9, 3:11a, and 3:19,?we’re?shown “how we got to where we are today, because Adam and Eve sinned. At first, Adam” lived “in a beautiful paradise,”?and?“had close communion with God.”?But because of?“His rebellious action,”?in Genesis 3:7,?all of that was lost and can only be regained through?God’s?“plan of redemption?–?Genesis 3:15.?

So, this leads to God asking Adam some thought-?provoking questions:?

(1)?God's first question was: "Where are you? -?Genesis 3:9:?First of all, God’s?“infinite omniscience,”?never lost sight of Adam. He wanted him to take?“an inward look at himself.”?His truthful answer should have been:?"I'm over here hiding because I have sinned against You."?In light of?that question, we should think of that?question,?in?terms?“of our own situation.”?

(2) God’s second question was: Who told you that you were necked??Adam answered in vs. 10, and God replied with a very pertinent question in vs. 11.??Because Adam and Eve had been?"physically necked?all the time they were in the garden”?(Genesis 2:25), but now they were “doomed spiritually” because?they’d?lost their?“innocence,”?the moment?“they’d eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”?Even today, we should?“prayerfully ponder”?“the source of?information we receive.”?Remember,?“much of the information Adam and Eve had received came from Satan.”??

(3) God Revealed Adams Consequences: “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 3:16-19. From?Genesis 3:19 and before,?mankind?is under a curse it has brought upon itself.??However, Christ is “the Ultimate Antidote to lift that curse.”??Galatians 3:13 says:?“Christ?redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written,?“Cursed is everyone who is hanged?on a tree”?

Eve’s eating of the forbidden tree has brought about cursed “relationships.”?and Adam’s eating?“of the forbidden tree,”?brought about?a cursed?“rulership,”?that?“warrants death.” – Genesis 2:17. But Christ became that?“curse,” when He was nailed to a tree.??That Tree is?“the tree of knowledge of good and evil.?“On that?tree “that God “catapulted all the way to Calvary,” “Christ took all the curses for which you and I and all humanity?are responsible for?upon Himself.”?and?“nailed them to a tree,” which “symbolizes all that sin is.”?

The emphasis in this context Genesis 3:16-19 has been on sorrow. To the woman, God said, “I will greatly multiply?thy?sorrow, and thy conception; in?sorrow,?thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over?thee.” and to Adam He said, ““Because you have heeded 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. Genesis 3:16-19.?

With that understanding, I think we can better understand Isaiah’s prophecy?regarding?Christ being a?“man of sorrows” -Isaiah 53:2-8.?

Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD

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