The curse God pronounced on the woman after the original sin in the Garden of Eden would affect all women from that time forward.
“To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children…’” Genesis 3:16a
The above verse is very clear. God would cause childbirth to be a very painful experience. ‘Sorrow’ in the present context does in fact mean ‘birth pangs’ and ‘toil’ while ‘bring forth’ means to ‘deliver’ the child.
As the Bible unfolded God made it very clear in numerous passages that once birth pangs had begun, they would increase until the birth of the child.
“‘Shall I bring to the time of birth and not cause delivery?’ says the LORD. ‘Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?’ says your God.” Isaiah 66:9
As stated, ‘delivery’ means to ‘bring forth.’ God says that He would not bring to the time of delivery and then shut up the womb.
In the New Testament John also refers to the miracle of child birth and its inherent pain. He used the example of the sadness the disciples would experience at the time of Jesus’ death, but then reminded them their pain would turn into great joy after His resurrection.
“A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” John 16:21
The Greek is very similar to the Hebrew, i.e. ‘sorrow’ means ‘birth pangs’ while ‘anguish’ means ‘distress of a woman in travail.’
The Apostle Paul used the example of childbirth to illustrate the suddenness and surety of Christ’s return in judgment referred to as ‘the day of the Lord.’
“But you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman…” 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
Men will think all is well. The last thought in most minds today is that the world is on a collision course with inescapable judgment.
In His Olivet Discourse Jesus was explaining to His disciples events that would occur prior to His return to judge the earth.
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Matthew 24:6-7
Recall ‘sorrows’ is synonymous with travail and anguish.
In other words, the world is presently going into labor and the pains will increase until the birth which will be the return of Christ. The labor pains have begun, nothing can stop them.
The approaching great tribulation is described thusly in the Bible:
“Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble…” Jeremiah 30:7
The Hebrew for ‘trouble’ in the above has meaning similar to ‘sorrow,’ i.e. pain and travail.
During the present presidential election season, several candidates are boasting that America’s greatest days will be experienced in the near future when ‘we take our nation back’ following the election.
The Bible states we are presently in the final age that will usher in the great tribulation prior to Christ’s return to judge the earth. Recall that Israel’s history was to be a lesson for the current age.
“Now all these things happened to them (Israelites) as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11
Paul’s revelations were confirmed by John.
“…it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Anti-christ is coming, even now many anti-christs have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” 1 John 2:18
It appears that America is in travail, and is totally oblivious to the outcome.
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