The Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ – Part 1

We know Genesis as a book that talks about the beginnings; a book that tells us about God’s Sovereignty, Omnipotent God, Omnipresent God, and Omniscience; it talks about Creation, Fall, Curses, Sin, Calling, Covenant, Forming a Nation, etc.

We know that Genesis is divided into two halves. Chapters 1-11 talk about the primeval history, whereas chapters 12-50 talk about the patriarchs of Israel.

So, it is a beautiful book!

How do we know that there is goodnews in the book of Genesis? How do we know that there is a Gospel in the Book of Genesis?

We should notice a few things.

Genesis is the Book of Beginnings.

Genesis is the Foundational Book of the Bible.

Genesis Portrays Supernatural Worldview.

Genesis is a book that provides us with God’s Redemptive plan.

Genesis 1-11 depicts a problem, but Genesis 12-50 provides a solution.

Genesis is also a Book of Hope.

How does it provide hope? If we read the book of Genesis, we see and learn how God took steps to provide His grace to humanity.

In fact, in the curse language of Chapter 3, God only cursed the land and the serpent. However, he only punished humanity.

So, the book beautifully lays out God’s gracious dealings with humanity and provides the hope that only HE can provide.

This hope is provided only in and through His only begotten Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Of course, the term Jesus or Christ is not used in Genesis, but we can see how the Lord revealed His offspring that would bring hope to this world and provide salvation.

The first text we will be looking at is Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 KJV 1900

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The context of Genesis 3

In Genesis chapter 3, the narrator tells us that the serpent lied and deceived Eve, and because of Eve’s belief, Adam’s act of disobedience, and the serpent’s tactics, sin entered the world.

However, God, who is sovereign and all-knowing, approached Adam and asked him where he was. He said I am naked, and so hiding from you.

God said who told you that you are naked? Did you eat from the tree I told you not to eat?

Then the blame game started. As soon as God heard the report, He cursed the serpent, cursed the earth, and severely punished Adam and Eve.

Not only this, but the Lord also clothed them (God’s Grace is seen here) and sent them away, closing the garden gates.

No more entering into the Garden of God since they “now become like one of us knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:22).

Genesis 3:22 KJV 1900

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Even though the content of Genesis 3 ends there, the context does not. We must also know what is said in Genesis 4. This chapter sheds some light on the verse from Genesis 3.

In Chapter 4, we learn that Adam and Eve were intimate, and Eve gave birth to Cain. After that, she also gave birth to Abel. The text tells us in 4:2 the profession or responsibility of Abel and Cain.

However, this chapter is about something other than how Eve gave birth to some kids. There are literary, lexical, and thematic connections between these two chapters.

Notice the following:

Gen. 2:17 and Gen 4:7 – God gave them instructions not to disobey.

Gen. 3:16 and Gen. 4:7b – God warns the characters not to give in to their desires.

Gen. 3:6 and Gen 4:8 – God’s Word tells us they disobeyed God’s commandments.

Gen. 3:8-9 and Gen 4:9-10 tells us God questioned them.

Gen. 3:14 and Gen. 4:10-11 – God cursed the serpent and Cain.

Gen. 3:23-24 and Gen. 4:14,16 – God banished them from the garden.

Gen. 3:15 and Gen. 4:17, 25 – God’s Word talks about the “seed” of the woman.

The text tells us that there are close thematic connections between chapters 3 and 4. However, we will also see such links in Gen. 9, Gen. 12:1-3, and Gen. 49:8-12.

The Curse in Chapter 3

The serpent will crawl on its belly (v. 14)

Woman would give birth in pain, and her sorrow was multiplied (v. 16)

Adam and the ground/earth was cursed (v.17)

The Promise in Chapter 3

But now we see the grace of our loving God.

God did not have to make this statement with them at all. In Genesis 3:15, we see the promise God made between the offspring/seed of the woman and the offspring/seed of the serpent.

Genesis 3:15 KJV 1900

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Notice the content of the promise.

The Lord will put enmity between the serpent and the woman.

The Lord will put enmity between the woman's " seed " and the serpent's " seed ".

The “seed” of the woman will bruise the head of the seed of the serpent, while the seed of the serpent (it) will bruise the heel of the woman’s seed.

The critical thing to notice is that the “seed of the woman” will bruise the head of the serpent.

The tension is between the woman and the serpent and between the “seeds” of the woman and the serpent. In other words, the descendent of the woman will destroy the serpent and its seed.

The serpent deceived the woman, but the woman would bring down the serpent through her seed.

The narrator intensifies the issue between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent – the enmity between them is not a small thing; they constantly war against each other.

The term “enmity” gives the idea of intense hostility among nations, according to Ezek. 25:15; 35:5. The term “strike/bruise” indicates a life and death struggle.

Ezekiel 25:15 KJV 1900

Thus saith the Lord God; Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy it for the old hatred;

Ezekiel 35:5 KJV 1900

Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:

The hostility initially occurred between the woman and the serpent, but eventually, the offspring would experience this hostile nature.

However, there needs to be some clarification here. The term used for offspring/zera could be understood as an individual or a group.

So, the question: “Who is the “seed?”

Some believe this verse has nothing to do with Jesus Christ and was given only for etiological purposes.

Others argue that this verse had to do with Cain, whom Eve said, “I have gotten a man from the LORD.” But we know how Cain’s life ended.

Some say that this had to do with a good son, Seth, according to Gen. 4:25

Genesis 4:25 KJV 1900

And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

However, some Christian traditions refer to Gen. 3:15 as protevangelium because it is understood as a prototype of the Gospel message.

So, who is this seed? It cannot be Cain since he was a terrible example of all things – his family's descendants were also awful, filled with arrogance and sinful lifestyle. Seth was probably not an option.

In Gen. 4:25, the text indicates a “shift or change” in Eve's attitude. Here, she praises God for this provision – “for she said, God has given me another offspring in the place of Able, since Cain killed him.”

The language here does not indicate that Seth is the “seed” that would crush the head of the serpent. The narrator reveals his focus on the “seed” as this is a significant theme.

As we will see in Genesis 11, the narrator shows the tension in Abram’s and Sarai’s life – Sarai was barren – no children/no seed. So, this theme and concept is significant to the writer.

Again, the question is – who is the Seed?

Paul understood this “seed” as none other than Jesus Christ. Romans 16:20 says, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”

Christ is the vindicator of the woman!

1 Cor. 15:25 declares that Christ must reign – “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”

In Gal. 4:4, Paul identifies the “seed” to Christ Jesus!

Revelation 12:9 talks about the great dragon, that “old serpent.” God destroys this old serpent or the ancient serpent for deceiving the nations (Rom. 20:2).

So, who is the Seed? It is the destroyer – who destroys the devil in the end. It is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

How glorious is the Word of God, for in it we find hope and truth. When sin entered this world, God was not scared or backed off from the entire creation.

He planned to provide true hope and destroy the devil through his Only Begotten Son.

Jesus is the Seed who has come to this world to give life to the spiritually dead. He died on the cross so those who believe in Him would live.

He died on the cross and rose again, defeating the devil and his schemes.

Our Lord is victorious. There is nothing but victory in Jesus.

What should we do then? How is this text applicable to us?

We must praise God, for His promises will fulfill.

We must praise God, for He hath solved this problem of evil.

We must praise God, for he hath provided salvation through the promise of this SEED.

We must praise God that we, too, were once the children of the father of this world, but because of the “divine grace,” God saved us.

Praise and glory to God for the good news that He has given to all those who believe in Him and those who will believe in Him in the future through Genesis 3:15.

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