The Lord warned Adam & Eve that the day in which they ate the forbidden fruit, they would surely die. Despite all of the goodness and favor God had given to them in the garden, Adam & Eve reached out and snatched the forbidden fruit. In a moment of sheer panic, shame and guilt surged through their bodies. It must have felt as if they were standing in a crowded place and all at once their clothes were stripped off. Blameless innocence was now a blissful memory. In this moment, there was no peace; there was no bliss.
The presence of God, which yesterday brought comfort and peace, now brought the impending judgment from which they hid.
But see here the patience and mercy of God. He did not approach in a pillar of fire and thunder to smite them for their sin; rather he came walking in the cool of the day. He did not (justly) pronounce accusations and condemnation on them; rather he asked them questions and allowed them to respond. However, they did not choose their words very wisely, but acted in line with their recently acquired sin-nature. Even God's curses were better than the death they deserved. And even the pronouncment of painful childbirth anticipated the children they would later receive.
Behold the mercy of God in that before he uttered a single curse to Adam or Eve, He promised to crush the seed of the serpent through the seed of the woman. God spoke this promise knowing that it would cost him the life of his Son, Jesus Christ, in order to keep it. Yet the Lord gave mercy. But he did not overlook their sin or sweep it under a rug. From the first few pages of Scripture, it is clear that God is willing to pay the full price for our sin in order to be both merciful and holy.
Thanks be to God.
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