Thursday | 14 May 2026
The Lord said to Eve, ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children.’ Gen 3:16. 1Ti 2:15. He said to Adam, ‘Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you.’ Gen 3:17‑18.
If Adam and Eve had not chosen the atonement that God had provided for them, they would have been ‘given up’ by the Lord, as Cain later was. Gen 4:16. The apostle Paul explained that Cain, and those who walked in like manner, did not glorify God, nor were they thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Pursuing idolatry, ‘God gave them up to uncleanness’. Rom 1:21‑24.
In contrast to those who went in the way of Cain, the Scriptures nominate a line of men and women, beginning with Abel, who received and believed God’s word. These are often referred to as ‘the heroes of faith’. Heb 11:4‑38. Following the death of Abel, God appointed another seed when Eve gave birth to Seth. When Seth’s son, Enosh, was born, men began to call on the name of the Lord. Gen 4:25‑26. They were identified as sons of God. Gen 6:2. This line of believers, including Noah, Abraham and David, were motivated by faith to lay hold of the hope of sonship, which was yet to come. They believed the promise that the Seed of the woman, Christ, would crush the serpent’s head. Gen 3:15. And yet, ‘all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise’; that is, they were not, themselves, born of God. Heb 11:39.
Once faith had come, revealed through the birth of Christ, proclaimed during His earthly ministry, and then given through His death, burial and resurrection, the promise of sonship could be realised. Gal 3:25. Sons of men could be born of the divine nature as sons of God and established as members of Christ’s corporate body.
Further Study:
Hebrews 11
References:
Gen 3:15-18
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.’ Then 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. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field.’
1Ti 2:15
Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
Gen 4:16
Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
Rom 1:21-24
Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves.
Heb 11:4-39
By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it, he being dead still speaks. By faith, Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken, he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith, he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith, Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude — innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith, he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith, the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned; they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented — of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise.
Gen 4:25-26
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.’ And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.
Gen 6:2
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
Gal 3:25
But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.