The Curse

One of my loyal readers, Erick, was fascinated by this concept: “the Fall of Adam and Eve brought to mankind an everlasting curse.” For some of you who are not familiar with this story, once upon a time, a wonderful life was shared by this lovely couple in the Garden of Eden with their Creator.

When the world was young and we were innocent – both man and woman were naked and unashamed. Nothing to hide. Simply… glorious! And while the world was young, a corner was turned. Something happened. Alas!

There are no words. Wail; beat your chest; fall to your knees; let out a long, lonesome howl of bitter remorse. The woman was convinced by the serpent! Just like that. In a matter of moments. Convinced of what? Convinced that God was holding out on her. Convinced that she could not trust Adam’s heart toward her. Convinced that in order to have the best possible life, she must take matters into her own hands. And so she did. She is the first to fall. In disobeying God she also violated her very essence. Eve is supposed to be Adam’s ezer kenegdo, a “help mate,” like one who comes to save. She is to bring him life, invite him to life. Instead, she invited him to his death.

So the curse was inevitable…each of them received it.

To the woman, Eve, he said,

“I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you,”

To the man, Adam, he said,

“Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you.” (Genesis 3:16-18)

To the very least this sounds like a magical tale where a hero emerges and tries to stop the curse from happening.

Sadly, this is no gimmick. This is not anime. It is the truth.

Now, it would be good for us to give careful attention to all that has unfolded in the Garden of Eden – especially the curses God pronounced – for the story explains our lives today, east of Eden.

For one thing, the curse on Adam cannot be limited only to actual thorns and thistles. If that were so, then every man who chooses not to be a farmer gets to escape the curse. Take a white-collar job and you’re scot-free. No, the meaning is deeper and the implications are for every son of Adam. Man is cursed with “futility” and “failure.” Life is going to be hard for a man in the place he will feel it most. Failure is a man’s worst fear.

In just the same way, the curse for Eve and all her daughters cannot be limited only to babies and marriage, for if that were true then every single woman without children gets to escape the curse. Not so. The meaning is deeper and the implications are for every daughter of Eve. Woman is cursed with loneliness (relational heartache), with the urge to control (especially her man), and with the dominance of men (which is not how things were meant to be, and I am not saying it is a good thing – it is the fruit of the Fall and a sad fact of history.)

Women, isn’t it true? Aren’t your deepest worries and heartaches relational – aren’t they connected to someone? Even when things are good, is your vast capacity for intimacy ever filled in a lasting way? There is an emptiness in us that we continually try to feed. And can’t you see how much you need to have things under your control – whether it’s a project, an assigned task or a marriage? Are you comfortable trusting your well-being to someone else? And haven’t you felt “this is a man’s world,” made your vulnerability as a woman to be a liability? We are not “inviting” a man to like us – we are guarded. Most of our energy is spent trying to hide our true selves, and control our worlds to have some sense of security.

When a man goes bad, as every man has in some way gone bad after the Fall, what is most deeply marred is his strength. He either becomes passive, weak man – strength surrendered – or he becomes a violent, driven man – strength unglued.

When a woman falls from grace, what is most deeply marred is her tender vulnerability, beauty that invites to life. She becomes a dominating, controlling woman – or a desolate, needy, mousy woman. Or some odd combination of both, depending on her circumstances.

Know your curse.