Deeper Reflection
GENESIS 3:6 DOES NOT MENTION ANY HANDS, BUT YOU CAN use your imagination to trace the actions. The woman took some of the fruit from the tree that God had forbidden and ate it. She also gave some to her husband and he ate it. Each one of these actions portrays human hands exalted up against the will of God, thus incurring the wrath of God, in whose hands are the cup of judgment (v.8).This cup of judgment is still being poured out against sin today. In Hebrew, the second half of Jeremiah 15:6 says literally to God’s disobedient covenantal people, “My hand is stretched out against you and I will ruin you.” Our God does not condone sin, for sin ruins His good creation and purposes. He must act against sin.Amazingly, God’s action against sin leads Him to take upon Himself the burden of sin. In a passage that reminds us of Genesis 3:6, Paul in Philippians 2:6 describes Jesus the Messiah as not considering equality with God something to be grasped or taken. He has done it for us, and died on the cross to resolve the problem of sin. God struck Himself with His powerful hand against sin, for the judgment and salvation of the world.