Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

This entry was posted on 01-14-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

Sin always has consequences. After the Fall there were consequences for the serpent, the woman, and the man. They are spelled out for us in Genesis 3:14-19. The serpent was told that because of his wicked work of beguiling he would be viewed with contempt. "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life" (3:14 ESV). Then Eve is singled out. "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (3:16 ESV). Finally, Adam receives his punishment. "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (3:17-19 ESV).

The first time this passage became real to me was when we were just married and we were living in Hamburg, Iowa. Evelyn was pregnant with our first child. We had very little income and I often hired out to farmers to make enough money to put food on the table. One hot summer day I was cutting thistles out of a field. At noon I sat down, mopped my brow, and ate my sandwich. I thought about the consequences of Adam's sin. Here I was doing exactly what God told Adam he would have to do because of his sin. Soon my wife would give birth to our child but she would have to go through much pain in the process. I almost cursed Adam and Eve that day! Sin does not go unpunished. The consequences of sinning against God continue to this day. That's why tomorrow's study will be so important. Hidden in this passage is a verse we have not looked at yet ~ the first Messianic promise.

Prayer: Holy Father, may this study today remind us of the terrible consequences of disobeying Your Holy Word! May we never listen to false teaching or counsel that contradicts those divine words! Through Christ, the promised Messiah, we pray.