That’s an interesting take on that; I think you’re on to something there, Cindy. That would also seem to fit the language God uses there. “The ground is cursed because of you”, not; “I am cursing the ground because you disobeyed me”.
This is interesting on a number of levels, because it demonstrates cause and effect consequences for actions; Which also reminds me of Galatians 6:7-9
(NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Thanks, Melchi! – yes – sowing and reaping is just what I was trying to get at. We sowed to the wind; we’re reaping the whirlwind. But Father knows how to turn even that into good.
Thanks, Melchi! – yes – sowing and reaping is just what I was trying to get at. We sowed to the wind; we’re reaping the whirlwind.
Cindy,
Good thought and interesting way of looking at the curses as the law of consequences. But who made the laws , who made the whirlwind, who made the consequences?
God made everything, God knew what would happen and meant it to happen. God could have forgave Adam or at least not passed on his sin and it’s consequences to his 50 billion relatives.
But the bible says it’s a needful thing because “knowing good and evil they have become like us.” We need to experience everything and our brains are wired to learn best through experience. Perhaps this is the main reason for us to live through this “present evil age.”
I think we could have learned by obeying Him, and I’m not sure it was set in stone, that we would do this or do that. The way I see this is that God gave “Adam” the opportunity (maybe a whole series of opportunities) and finally, when He could see it wasn’t going to go any other way (without His imposing on our free will more than He wanted to do), He said “Okay then – let’s see how that works out for you.”
It seems that there’s quite a bit of mystery about what really went on in the A&E story. I think the representative human figure Adam was immature, and the reason behind man’s failure was in his trying to go about becoming like God in the wrong way. I do think God knew what would likely happen, which is why he already had the plan for rectifying the situation in place before it happened. I’m unsure whether it was inevitable, but I suspect it was in some fashion.
Hi Lotharson,
There are a lot of Steve’s here so were you talking to me? I would appreciate being called Steve7 as half the time i don’t know which Steve is which.
– yes – sowing and reaping is just what I was trying to get at. We sowed to the wind; we’re reaping the whirlwind. 
But Father knows how to turn even that into good. 
