The devil, the woman, the man, and all nature were all affected by the curse that resulted from the fall. The Lord dealt with the Devil first, since he started the sin. Then he pronounced the sentence against the woman since she was the first to fall. And finally, he dealt with Adam and the ground from which he came.
THE SERPENT
The serpent was cursed above cattle. The Lord cursed the serpent above all cattle and beasts and made him to crawl on his belly. He was cursed above cattle because the devil was originally a cherub, Ezek 28:14, whose face was that of an ox, Ezek 10:14, 1:10. Thus, when Aaron and Jeroboam made images of him they made calves, Ex 32:4; 1 Ki 12:28. In Job, he is called “behemoth” which means “cattle”, Job 40:15. The image of Baal is a calf.
The serpent was cursed above beasts. He was cursed above beasts because he is a dragon, Rev 12:3,9, and he is as a lion, 1 Pet 5:8. Rulers who oppose God in the devil’s power are typified by beasts (lion, bear, leopard, and dreadful beast) in Dan 7:3-7, by a scarlet colored beast in Rev 17:3, and by “the beast” in Rev 13:1,11,17.
The serpent was cursed to crawl on its belly. This indicates that the serpent was created as an upright being and was only made to crawl as a result of the curse. The curse on the serpent will continue through the 1000-year reign of Christ, Is 65:25.
The Lord put enmity between the devil and the woman. The devil became the woman’s enemy, which is seen most notably in Rev 12:1-4,13-15, where the dragon (the serpent, the Devil, Rev 12:9) tries to destroy the woman, which typifies Israel.
He put enmity between their seeds. This shows that the Devil has a seed and that the woman has a seed. The Devil’s seed is found spiritually in the Pharisees in Jn 8:44, and in the lost in 1 Jn 3:10. There is a peculiar reference to Cain in 1 Jn 3:12. The woman’s seed is Jesus Christ, since for her to have “seed” he would have to come by a virgin birth, Is 7:14, Gal 4:4. The Devil bruised the Lord’s heel at Calvary, Ps 22:16. The Lord will bruise the Devil’s head at the 2nd Advent, Rom 16:20, Hab 3:13.
THE WOMAN
The Lord greatly multiplied her sorrow and conception. The multiplied sorrow is most noticeably seen in the recurring menstrual cycle. Multiplied conception is seen in instances like Gen 19:31-36; Gen 38:16, 27; and 2 Sam 11:4-5.
In sorrow she would bring forth children. This results primarily from pain, Jn 16:21. Some experience post-partum depression.
She would desire her husband and he would rule over her. The woman’s husband is supposed to rule over her, 1 Cor 11:3, Eph 5:22-24, Col 3:18, 1 Tim 2:11,12. In part, he is her protection against being deceived.
THE MAN
The Lord cursed the ground. The ground was cursed as a result of Adam’s sin, Rom 8:20-22. Since Adam came from the ground, the curse was on him. As our substitute, Christ was made a curse for us, Gal 3:13.
In sorrow he would eat of it. It is travail for the man to work in order to eat, Job 5:7, Ecc 2:22-23). Salvation doesn’t lift this necessity, 1 Thes 4:11-12; 2 Thes 3:10-13. As our substitute, Christ was a man of sorrows, Is 53:3.
It would bring forth thorns and thistles. Men must continually work the soil to keep out the weeds and thorns, Is 5:6; Prov 24:30-31. As our substitute, Christ was made to wear a crown of thorns, Matt 27:29.
He would sweat. The labour of men brings forth sweat. Men whose jobs don’t make them sweat must sweat in exercise to stay healthy. As our substitute, Jesus’s labour caused him to sweat more than any man, Lk 22:44.
At death, he would return to the dust. Man was made out of the dust and that’s what he becomes when he dies, Gen. 2:7; Job 34:15; Ecc 3:20, 12:7. Unlike us, Jesus’ body did not begin to corrupt because he had never sinned, Acts 2:31.
CONCLUSION
Salvation doesn’t lift the effects of the curse on the flesh; it only delivers us from the consequences of the curse in eternity.