DISOBEDIENCE, CURSES, AND NECESSARY SACRIFICE
Jenna Worsham
Today’s Scripture: “And to Adam he said, ‘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’.... And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” Genesis 3:17,21, ESV
Theme: Sacrifice is necessary because of our disobedience and the resulting curse.
LISTENING TO THE WRONG VOICE
It doesn’t sound all that bad. “You have listened to the voice of your wife” (from Genesis 3:17a, ESV). Actually, that sounds like a good idea to me. In fact, sometimes listening to your spouse is a very good idea. My spouse does not share my tendency to speak before I have taken ample time to consider, pray, and release anger. Often his advice is, "Don’t say anything now; let it cool off; take some time to pray and refocus; and approach the person or email or call tomorrow." This is sound advice supported by Scripture (Proverbs 14:29; 15:18) and keeps me from sinning.
However, in today’s Scripture there is a caveat – Adam listened to his spouse’s suggestion instead of listening to a direct command from God. Mankind disobeys God. Mankind listens to the voice beside him instead of the God above him. Therefore, when we do likewise (and we do), we bring a curse down upon ourselves. It is the result of our choice to go our own way, ignoring and disobeying God. Life is and will continue to be painful and difficult because of original sin and because of the way we participate in it. We follow the same sin pattern by listening to the wrong voices and directly disobeying God’s commands. Yet, God in His great mercy provides a way for us.
NECESSARY SACRIFICE
Before disobedience, no sacrifice was necessary. No garments, no covering, and no animals to provide skins were needed. The consequences of human disobedience include cursed ground, daily pain, thorns and thistles, hard labor, and eventually death. They are the same as our consequences today. This is no way to live. In fact, it is impossible. Adam and Eve immediately perceived their shame. Their bodies needed covering because of their fear and embarrassment. Their bodies needed covering to protect soft parts from major damage due to the hard labor that they would now need to engage in to live. God loved all His creatures, but for humans He was willing to sacrifice to protect them. I wonder if Adam and Eve saw the animals die. I wonder if the animals were special to them or if they couldn’t see past their own loss and sorrow to spare any compassion for them.
Eventually Jesus would come as a sacrifice for our sins. After years of ritual animal sacrifice, maybe the people were desensitized to slaughter of animals. Jesus, a man, was beaten and suffered, bled and died to cover over the disobedience and rescue us from the curse. Regardless of how deeply we mourn the sacrifice, it is necessary.
Make It Personal: What voices draw you far from God? Spend some time listening to the One Voice that will always direct you to the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Listen to God. Pray today that He would reveal to you any area of disobedience. Pray today that God would show you the people who are pointing you towards Him and the people who are confused and lost, beckoning you to join them.
Pray: Dear God, thank You for providing a sacrifice. I’m sorry that my actions have led to a curse and death. Help me to follow You wholeheartedly. Help me to listen to Your voice first. Thank You for the people in my life who direct me back to You. Help me to gently discard advice to ignore Your commands. I know I need direction and wisdom from You. The world is confusing and painful. You are not limited as I am. I seek Your guidance and direction. I want to follow You. Please help me when I go the wrong way. Thank You for the necessary sacrifice – I mourn the need for sacrifice and feel sorry for the loss and pain that I caused. Yet I am thankful, because without the Lamb You provided out of Your bounty, I would be lost forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Genesis 3:17-20; Hebrews 9:22-24
Weekly Memory Verse: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:14-15, ESV