Question Regarding the "Cursing" of the Ground in Genesis 3

[athanasius]

Dr. Miller,

We know from Genesis 3 that the ground was cursed because of the fall.

Genesis 3:17-19
" Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”"

I know that as far as I know, it has been generally assumed that this curse has continued and will continue until the "new heaven and new earth" come.

In reading Genesis, I came to something that caused some curiosity on my part. It seems to be generally true in narrative that nothing in there is just "fluff" especially the meaning of people's names. We read in Genesis:

Genesis 5:29
" Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the Lord has cursed.”"

Now this says "has cursed" which would imply this has been such in the past. It also seems generally true that such events the audience would have knowledge of from the story (no loose ends). It seems that the only thing this could be referring to is the cursing of the ground referred to in Genesis 3. This seems to be reinforced by the phrase "toil" which is mentioned in both passages referring to the curse.

Now later on after the flood was over:

Genesis 8:21
" The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done."

In light of the fact that we are told why he was named what he was, and it seems that they always follow what they are named, and also that God said He will "never again" curse the ground on account of man, it is as though God is assuming the curse is over. Again, because of Noah's name, it would seem the "curse" referred to throughout these three passages is the curse mentioned in Genesis 3.

The reason I bring this up is if I am in error, then where? If not, would this not imply that we are in error to assume that the "cursing of the ground" is still in effect and if there is a "curse" it is just in the general sense referred to in places like Romans 8, where the creation is subjected to the effects of sin and "groans"?

Would this also imply that God is already in redemptive history at this point starting to "undo" the effects of the fall?

[Mike Miller]

My take is that since the effects of the fall, including the curse of the ground, continue until today with no respite following the flood, the curse referred to in 8:21 is not the Edenic curse. Rather, God's promise not to curse the ground again refers to the curse of the flood, as can be seen by his explanation never to strike down every living creature as He has just done.

[John the Baptist]

I am a little late to the conversation. Athanasius, I think you ask a very good question. I like that you are really looking into the story and trying to fully understand it. Here is my take on your question. What is a curse? In the Edenic story, the ground did nothing to deserve being cursed, it was all because of Adam and Eve's sin that the ground was cursed.Therefore the cursing is directly related to sin. Now the bible story specifically mentions "thorns and thistles", but this is not the curse, this is the proof the the earth is actually cursed. In the same way a rainbow does not save the whole world from being flooded again, the rainbow is proof that God promised to never flood the whole world again. Therefore, the curse itself is not the physical manifestations that we see today, but is the promise of God that He will destroy the world. On the day Adam and Eve sinned and God cursed the ground, God was teaching us the severity of our sin. The ground would one day be destroyed because of our sin. As we know, when sin entered the world it permeated all aspects of life: humans, animals, the ground, and the entire cosmos. All these things would one day be destroyed, therefore they are cursed, or awaiting destruction for sin. On the same day the ground was cursed, mankind was cursed. We were sentenced to death and destruction because of our sin.(Romans 6:16 ...because from one sin came the judgment, resulting in condemnation...) Now praise God, He initiated a plan of redemption to save humanity from sin and death through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, this is not true about animals, the ground, to the cosmos. We know from Revelation that God will destroy and make a new heaven and a new earth. A heaven and earth with no sin or death. So the way I understand it, a curse is a sentence of judgment or condemnation. That is why, as Christians, we should never "curse" someone, because to curse is not using a "bad word", but is hatred in your heart that you want that person to die and go to hell. Therefore the ground today is still in a state of being cursed. It has been declared by God that He will pour out His judgment on the ground, this has yet to happen, but is promised.