Genesis And The Resurrection: When The Passover Lamb Comes Back To Life
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, April 5, 2026 (Donate)
Happy Easter! Or as many of say, Happy Resurrection Day! Today,
the ultimate and final Passover lamb—Jesus Christ—was resurrected about 2000
years ago. What a glorious day. Jesus proved He had power over life and death.
And of course, He did—He is God incarnate who took on flesh—a
task all-to-easy for an all-powerful God. Jesus came to rescue us because we
have fallen into sin. What an amazing love He had for us in that while we were
still sinners, He died for us. None of our works are worthy, but His is!
The Bible presents a unified account of history, beginning
with a perfect creation and culminating in a restored creation through Jesus
Christ. Christ’s work began in Genesis and culminated on the cross. Let’s go
back to Genesis—particularly Genesis 3—and explore when man fell into sin and
see some of the connections that pertain directly or indirectly to Christ and
His work on the Cross.
Life…Death…And Life Again
In Genesis, God declared His creation “very good” (Genesis
1:31). A God of life made a perfect world full of life. There wasn’t any death,
no corruption, and no suffering. Humanity, made in God’s image, lived in
harmony with Him. Yet this perfection was shattered when sin entered the world
through Adam (Genesis 3). From that moment, all of creation fell under the
curse, and death spread to all men.
However, Genesis doesn’t merely record the problem; it sets
the stage for the solution. The same God who pronounced the curse also promised
redemption. This promise ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ—the
Passover Lamb who not only died…but rose again.
Dust and Decay
One of the clearest parallels between Genesis and the
resurrection is found in the issue of death and decay. God told Adam, “for
dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19, NKJV). Ever
since, human bodies have returned to the ground in corruption.
Yet Christ stands in contrast. Speaking prophetically of
Him, Scripture declares, “Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see
corruption” (Psalm 16:10, NKJV; cf. Acts 2:31). Though Jesus truly died,
His body didn’t decay. His resurrection is the firstfruits of a coming
restoration in which death itself will see its final defeat.
Thorns And Thistles: A Crown Of Thorns
The curse brought a physical change in Genesis as it brought
forth thorns and thistles: “Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth
for you” (Genesis 3:18, NKJV). These thorns show the painful consequences
of sin.
At the crucifixion, Roman soldiers unwittingly crowned
Jesus with this very symbol of the curse: “And when they had twisted a crown
of thorns, they put it on His head” (Matthew 27:29, NKJV). What began as a
mock coronation was, in truth, a profound theological statement—Christ bore the
curse of sin upon His own head.
Yet, this is not the end! Scripture promises that the curse
will be removed entirely: “And there shall be no more curse” (Revelation
22:3, NKJV). The thorns of Genesis are answered by the triumph of Christ.
Eve And Mary Experienced Sorrows In Childbearing
Pain and sorrow also entered the world through the Fall,
particularly in childbearing: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your
conception; in pain you shall bring forth children” (Genesis 3:16, NKJV). This
no doubt refers to an increased pain from the moment their eyes were opened.
Secondly, it includes the physical pain in actual childbirth.
However, it also refers to sorrows in childrearing that few
ponder. No parent wants to see their die. Eve, the mother of all living,
experienced the devastating effects of sin in her sons—particularly when Cain
killed Abel. This murder was possible because of Adam and Eve’s sin.
This sorrow finds a striking parallel in Mary, the mother of
Jesus. She witnessed the suffering and death of her Son on an excruciating cross—fulfilling
Simeon’s words that a sword would pierce her own soul (Luke 2:35).
Eve saw a blessing of new life when Seth was born and
replaced Abel. This type, is a small taste of what Mary also witnessed in
the risen Christ. Her sorrow was not the end. Instead, Jesus’ resurrection
transformed grief into and eternal hope.
Nakedness And Shame
Before sin, Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed (Genesis
2:25). After the Fall, shame entered, and they wanted to cloth themselves in a
hurry! As a side note, they chose fig leaves (which are a terrible choice), but
they were in a hurry and being rash—when Jesus rode into Jerusalem people chose
palm leaves rashly hoping for a conquering king to save them from Rome.
Though Adam and Eve’s clothing choice was wrong, God clothed
them with garments of skin (Genesis 3:21), hinting at the necessity of
sacrifice to cover sin. Jesus, the true sacrifice, was stripped of His garments
at the crucifixion, and soldiers cast lots for His clothing (John 19:23–24).
The One who provides covering for sin was Himself exposed, bearing the shame
that humanity introduced. As Scripture declares, He “endured the cross,
despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV).
Shame itself is another major theme connecting Genesis and
the cross. Adam and Eve hid from God because of their guilt (Genesis 3:8). Sin
fractured their relationship with their Creator. On the Cross, Jesus took that
guilt and shame upon Himself. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for
us” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV). The shame that began in the Garden of Eden to
the first sacrifice was fully dealt with from the Garden of Gethsemane to Calvary.
Mortal And Immortal
God originally designed human bodies for life, not death.
Though Adam was created with the potential for ongoing life, sin brought
mortality. As Paul explains, “the body is sown in corruption… it is sown a
natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42–44,
NKJV). Through Christ’s resurrection, believers are promised transformation.
At His second coming, mortal bodies will put on immortality:
“this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53, NKJV). What
was lost in Genesis is restored—and even glorified—in Christ.
Genesis 3 marks humanity’s passage from life into death. But
through Christ, the direction is reversed. Jesus declared, “He who hears My
word and believes… has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but
has passed from death into life” (John 5:24, NKJV). The resurrection is not
merely an event in history; it is the turning point of all history. Through
Christ, those dead in sin are made alive.
Baptism serves as a public declaration of this
transformation. It symbolizes identification with Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection: “we were buried with Him through baptism into death… even so
we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, NKJV). While baptism
itself does not save, it visibly proclaims the believer’s union with the risen
Savior.
The Two Seeds
At the center of Genesis 3 is the first promise of
redemption. After pronouncing judgment, God declares to the serpent: “And I
will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15,
NKJV). This “Seed” is ultimately Christ.
The bruising of His heel points to the suffering of the
Cross, while the crushing of the serpent’s head points to His decisive victory
through the Resurrection and crushing of those following Satan (Matthew 3:7,
12:34, 23:33, 27:25; Luke 3:7; John 8:44; Romans 16:20). What appeared to be
defeat was, in truth, the overthrow of Satan’s power.
This promise also introduces a great division in history—the
enmity between two kingdoms—two seeds. From Genesis onward, there is a conflict
between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. This conflict
reaches its climax at the Cross, where sinful men, influenced by darkness,
crucified the Lord of glory. Yet this act, though evil, fulfilled God’s
sovereign plan (Acts 2:23). The Resurrection then reveals the triumph of
Christ’s kingdom over all opposing powers (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 16:18).
The Tree And The Tree
Another profound connection is seen in the theme of the
tree. In Genesis 3, humanity fell through disobedience associated with a tree—the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By taking what was forbidden, Adam
brought death into the world.
In contrast, Christ bore sin “in His own body on the tree”
(1 Peter 2:24, NKJV). Where Adam took and brought death, Christ gave Himself
and brought life. One tree was an instrument that man used to ruin creation and
bring sin; another became the instrument of redemption when Jesus took curse
upon Himself (Galatians 3:13).
A Veil Of Separation
The Fall also resulted in separation from God. Adam and Eve
were driven out of the Garden of Eden: “So He drove out the man”
(Genesis 3:24, NKJV). Fellowship was broken, and access to the tree of life was
no longer possible (we don’t have access to it again until Heaven per Revelation
22:2).
Yet through Christ, that access is restored. The Bible says
that we now have “boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus”
(Hebrews 10:19, NKJV). The veil that once symbolized separation was torn at the
moment of Christ’s death (Matthew 27:51), and the Resurrection confirms that
the way back to God is open. The Bible says that the veil is taken away form
our eyes when receive the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:16) but remains on those who
don’t (2 Corinthians 3:14-15).
Angelic Beings In Genesis And At The Tomb
In Genesis, cherubim were placed to guard the way to the tree
of life (Genesis 3:24). The path to life was closed.
But at the resurrection, angels are again present—not to
block the way, but rolled the stone away and to proclaim it open: “He is not
here; for He is risen” (Matthew 28:6, NKJV). The guarded garden gives way
to the open tomb.
The Scale Of Curse To The Scale Of Restoration
The curse pronounced in Genesis extended beyond humanity to
creation itself: “Cursed is the ground for your sake” (Genesis 3:17,
NKJV). The world became subject to decay and frustration. Yet the work of
Christ reaches beyond individual salvation to cosmic restoration.
The creation itself will be delivered “from the bondage
of corruption” (Romans 8:21, NKJV). The Resurrection is the beginning of
that renewal, guaranteeing that what was cursed will one day be fully restored.
Sweat Of The Brow,
The Blame Game, And The Last Adam
Even the details of human toil find fulfillment in Christ.
Adam was told, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread” (Genesis
3:19, NKJV). Labor became burdensome under the curse. In Gethsemane, as Christ
prepared to bear sin, “His sweat became like great drops of blood” (Luke
22:44, NKJV). He entered fully into the weight of the curse, taking upon
Himself the suffering that sin introduced.
Human response to sin in Genesis was marked by blame and
avoidance. Adam blamed Eve; Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:12–13).
Responsibility was pushed to another. In contrast, Christ took upon Himself the
guilt of others: “The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all”
(Isaiah 53:6, NKJV). Where Adam shifted blame, Christ bore it.
Finally, Scripture presents Christ as the “last Adam.” “For
since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead” (1
Corinthians 15:21, NKJV). Adam brought sin, death, and separation. Christ
brings righteousness, life, and restoration. The first Adam led humanity into
ruin with sin and death crouching at our every step; the last Adam lifts
humanity into an eternal hope.
Final Remarks
The Passover Lamb who was promised in the beginning has
come, has died, and has risen. And because He lives, the account that began in the
Garden of Eden and passed through the Garden of Gethsemane end sin a new heaven
and a new earth where life, fellowship, and righteousness are fully and finally
renewed to perfection with God and our resurrected Christ.
Finally, the image of God, marred by sin, is being restored
through Christ. Humanity was created “in the image of God” (Genesis
1:26–27, NKJV), but sin distorted that image. Through sanctification by the
Holy Spirit, believers are progressively transformed “to be conformed to the
image of His Son” (Romans 8:29, NKJV). This process will be completed at
Christ’s return, when we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).
The account of Genesis 3 doesn’t merely describe the
entrance of sin into the world. When read carefully, the Fall and the
resurrection aren’t disconnected events, but intricately interwoven within
God’s redemptive plan of salvation!
From Genesis to the resurrection, God tells one cohesive
story: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. The Passover Lamb who was
slain has risen. And because He lives, the broken world introduced in Genesis
will one day be made new.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
