Genesis 3:16 King James Version (KJV) Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

Genesis 3:16 English Standard Version (ESV) To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

I do not remember reading this verse in any translation other than the KJV. Yesterday the ESV was used by a dear friend and it took me by surprise. Surprises can be good or bad. This one said to me that I have in my pass taken it for granted and accepted simple conclusions.

Here is a situation that is anything but simple. ‘ēl is used in 38 different ways. How do you pick the right one to relay a truth in a matter? It is interesting in the verse that God speaks to two distinct areas of life. One is physical and the other is emotional. God demonstrates the ability to control the physical aspects but when He speaks to woman about her desire there are so many variations within the context of ‘ēl that we have to know a woman to understand how her desire affects the relationship with the husband.

My young life assumed that my wife would have a physical desire for me according to my KJV understanding and my marriage proved to be much more complicated. I was wrong to assume that God would control free will in this matter. Emotions are a matter of free will. My first wife exercised her free will in the matter of ‘ēl in at least a dozen of the ways if not all 38. I was left not understanding my wife.

That explains one thing. Don’t get comfortable in assumptions.

Read Matthew 25 and allow the Holy Spirit to speak truth into your understanding.

Observe if you will at least two parables. It will be up to you to receive the understanding as to the third related tale. If you receive it in truth, then let that be enough said. This devotional is about conclusions.

In the parable of the ten virgins the conclusion is about whether or not those waiting on the bridegroom had a relationship with him. Verse twelve says to the unwise virgins, “I do not know you.” That is personal.

In the parable of the talents the conclusion was that the worthless servants were cast into darkness. The reference to weeping and gnashing of teeth and the words in verse 26 indicated they knew better than to be unfaithful but they remain unfaithful anyway. This is about obedience of faith.

The final section is labeled the final judgment in the ESV and speaks to those in attendance as the Son of Man, the humanity of Christ. What is addressed there is the issues of how mankind treated Jesus on a personal level. Neither of those in attendance acknowledged His identity in the people they encountered in life. This is seen of both types in verses 37 and 44.

It is up to each of us to read, understand and believe. Are they all just parables or are they something more?

There are conclusions to be drawn in all three tales and we will either relate to those conclusions or we will not. If truth is spoken to you in any of them then now is the opportunity to react in truth before our conclusion. Today is the day to accept, believe and to act upon what is true.