The Promised One Part 1: God's Thesis Statement

Introduction

A Christmas Story

The sheep coral, filthy as only an eastern animal enclosure can be, reeked pungently with manure and urine accumulated across the season. Joseph cleared a corner just large enough for Mary to lie down. Birth pains had started. She writhed in agony on the ground. Joseph, in his inexperience, did his best to reassure her. His own other tunic would be her bed. His rough saddle bag, her pillow. Mary moaned and ground in the darkness of the sheep shelter. Joseph swept away the dust and dirt in the small space of the hand made manager. It was covered with cobwebs and debris fallen from the rock ceiling. There, as best he could, he arranged the place where Mary could lay the new born babe all bound up in the swaddling cloths she had brought along. There alone, unaided by strangers or friends to witness her ordeal in the darkness, Mary delivered her Son. A more lowly, or humble, it is impossible to imagine. It was the humble entrance of the Seed of the Woman, the Son of God. God very God in the form of Man upon earth’s stage. Humble entrance is exactly right. A powerful drama bearing a unique beauty drawn from its profound simplicity.

The sheep coral, filthy as only an eastern animal enclosure can be, reeked pungently with manure and urine accumulated across the season. Joseph cleared a corner just large enough for Mary to lie down. Birth pains had started. She writhed in agony on the ground. Joseph, in his inexperience, did his best to reassure her. His own other tunic would be her bed. His rough saddle bag, her pillow. Mary moaned and ground in the darkness of the sheep shelter. Joseph swept away the dust and dirt in the small space of the hand hune managers. It was covered with cobwebs and debris fallen from the rock ceiling. There, as best he could, he arranged the place where Mary could lay the new born babe all bound up in the swaddling cloths she had brought along. There alone, unaided by strangers or friends to witness her ordeal in the darkness, Mary delivered her Son. A more lowly, or humble, it is impossible to imagine. It was the humble entrance of the Seed of the Woman, the Son of God. God very God in the form of Man upon earth’s stage. Humble entrance is exactly right. A powerful drama bearing a unique beauty drawn from its profound simplicity.

A Christmas Warning

My dear friends, listen to me now. Though we are two months away from the occasion that celebrates this event, you need to be very weary now of allowing the charm of this scene to beguile you into sentimentalism. Sentimentalism is the indulgence of your emotions at the expense of your reason, the enthronement of your feelings to the place of becoming the ultimate ruler of what is good and valuable. Sentimentalism’s beguiling power is that without realizing it you can become preoccupied with the wrong thing. This season gives us all the feels. It’s after all, the most wonderful time of the year. It’s not just about Jesus, it doesn’t have to be at all, “There'll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting and caroling out in the snow, there'll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of the Christmases long, long ago. There'll be much mistletoeing and hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near.” Oh and don’t forget this is a time of joy, not just in the Saviors birth, but in President Trump making it safe to say Merry Christmas again at your local Starbucks! See how easy that is?

Purpose Statement

My intention in this introduction is not to be a bah-humbug, but to bring to light how momentous that first Christmas was. I want us to be laser focussed, Charlie Brown, on what the true meaning of Christmas is and what our proper response to this Day should be. God demands so much more than our sentiments. Yes those are included, but ultimately He demands our worship. My purpose and desire for these next 7 sermons is to expand your worship and awe at what God has done in Redemptive History and thus expand your faith and devotion to Him. During these next 7 sermons I wish to, from the not often traveled paths of the Old Testament, shed light on how glorious and powerful this humble and unpretentious birth was.

Context

Tonight we will begin this journey at the very beginning, in the Garden where it all started. Before we get to our text of we need to look at our context. In we see God establishing Himself as God. With His very words He powerful creates the entire universe. By creating everything, He therefore owns everything. He is supreme and magnificent over everything. After creating He blesses creation as good which means that the creation perfectly fulfills its purpose of glorifying the Creator. Ultimately we learn that His agenda for creation is to bring Him glory in every single possible way by through everything that He has created. In Genesis chapter 2, Moses, the author of Genesis, takes a closer look at God’s creation of man. We see two main points in this chapter. First we see that God establishes an authority structure. God is the Ultimate King of the universe but he places the first man, Adam as a mediator between creation and God. He works the ground, tends the garden and names the animals. Creation serves man and man serves God. The second thing we see is that God is a God of love and He creates a reflection of this by making Adam a perfectly made bride, the woman. Upon first seeing her, he sings the first love song, marvelling at her beauty and the fact that she is perfectly suited for him.

Structure

An Audacious Accusation - verses 1-7

This is the background for . Everything is good, creation is at peace under the authority of man and man and woman are enjoying marital bliss. This is truly good and glorious. Sadly, this all ends when we turn the page from chapter 2 to chapter 3. In this chapter we have the tragic introduction of sin into the world, but we also see the declaration from God that He is still the majestic and glorious God of chapters 1 and 2 and that in the end He will make all things right. In this chapter we find God’s Thesis Statement, the statement declaring what this entire book is about. Before we begin, for your listening purposes, I would like to give you the outline for this sermon. In verses 1-7 we see an Audacious Accusation. In verses 8-14 we see a Terrifying Interrogation. In verses 15-19 we see and Earth Altering Proclamation. Lastly, in verses 20-24 we see a Redemptive Demonstration.

Part 1: An Audacious Accusation

An Audacious Accusation 3:1-7 - fast paced - set the stage

Genesis 3:1–7 ESV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Did God actually Say?:

Did God Actually Say

Turn, now, in your Bibles to our text in . Let’s begin in verse 1, “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”’ Notice with me Satan’s design. He choses to poses a serpent, a best of the field. This phrase is a reference back to chapter 2:19 where God brought before Adam every beast of the field for him to name - an exercise of authority over creation. By chosing a beast of the field Satan is trying to turn this authority structure on its head. Notice also who made the beast of the field, YHWH God. Satan is not just trying to make people fall, he is attempting to usurp, or take God’s authority. He wants to become the new sovereign ruler of the universe.

Turn, now, in your Bibles to our text in . Let’s begin in verse 1, “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”’ Notice with me Satan’s design. He choses to poses a serpent, a best of the field. This phrase is a reference back to chapter 2:19 where God brought before Adam every beast of the field for him to name - an exercise of authority over creation. By choosing a beast of the field Satan is trying to turn this authority structure on its head. Notice also who made the beast of the field, YHWH God. Satan is not just trying to make people fall, he is attempting to usurp, or take God’s authority. He wants to become the new sovereign ruler of the universe. His plan is this, reverse the authority structure by using a beast, and then tempting the woman, instead of Adam the authority in the Garden. The temptation begins with the most astonishing and audacious tactic: Questioning God’s word. In Chapters 1-2 we learn that God’s word is power, it is the ultimate expression of his authority. Here in the Garden with the serpent we see the first time God’s Word is called into question.

Creatures of the field - 1:19 - God made and brought before Adam - creation is under man - Satan is challenging this order

Now the key verse

Lord (YHWH) God made - not just trying to make people fall - trying to take God’s authority - he is trying to become the new sovereign

Crafty - same word as naked - Satan’s craftiness is targetting man and woman’s innocence

Questions God’s word - In Chapters 1-2 we learn that God’s word is power - it is the ultimate expression of his authority

This is the first time His Word is called into question - that is the first step

So much teaching on don’t adding/changing God’s Word

Serpent - Satan (parallel happens a lot in Scripture)

Eve’s Misquotation

In verse 2-3 we see the Woman’s defense. “2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.”’ Now the question is:

Exposition:

Did the Woman get it right? Did she accurately repeat God’s command?

Now the question is: Did the Woman get it right? Did she accurately repeat God’s command?

Answer: Not even close! Let’s look at the original command and then see where she went wrong, “The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” So to start, she leaves off where God said “you may eat freely.” She changed the command so that it was no longer that which was given for man’s enjoyment, but now the command is a prohibition, limiting man’s enjoyment. What else did she get wrong? She added that you can not touch the fruit. God didn’t say that. You can play catch with the fruit, you can smell the fruit, you can cut the fruit up and make it into a bouquet, just as long as you don’t eat it. Lastly, she left off the word surely, at the end of the command talking about the consequence of death. In doing so she changed the certainty of God’s word. Dear friends, learn this lesson, when you distort God’s word you make it near impossible to resist temptation.

The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;

17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation. So to start, she leaves off where God said you may Left off “freely” - changed the command from an intention to enjoy to prohibition - diminished God’s goodness

Added “touch” - you can play catch with the fruit, you can smell it - distorting God’s word makes you susceptible to sin

Satan’s Deception

Left off “surely” - changed the certainty of God’s word

Actual Command: “15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Satan’s Deception

In verses 4 and 5 we see Satan’s deception, “4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” First off, note how he puts back the word “surely”. He knows God’s command better than Eve does, which gives him the ability to twist it which is what he does with the very next word that he adds in: “not”. He calls into question God’s command by stating that if you eat the fruit you won’t be instantly killed, you won’t die on the spot. This is a deceiving truth as we shall see. Question?

Exposition

Where is Adam when Eve is being tempted? Why won’t Satan address him directly?

Puts back “surely” but adds in not - continues to call into question - you won’t be instantly killed - a deceiving truth

Answer: He is right there the entire time, he could easily tell Satan, “Hey stop talking to my Woman!”. He could have corrected the Woman’s misquotation. Instead, he is silent. Satan ignores him because he is usurping his authority. The beast of the field will be the one who instructs his wife.

It’s like when I was a kid and I knew my dad would say no to my request, I would go to my mom and ask her, hoping she wouldn’t stop and see what Dad had to say on the matter. In doing so, I broke the chain of authority.

Next we see Satan tell Eve that if she eats she will be like God. Question? Is this true?

Satan is usurping Adam’s authority - never addressing him directly - could have used his authority to stop all of this

Will Adam and Eve be like God if they eat the fruit? What does that mean?

Analogy of kid asking Mom knowing Dad would say no - usurping authority

Brothers and Sisters this in fact is not a lie. They will just be like God…but at the cost of being the image of God. Here is the deception, he makes this sound like a promotion, but instead it will be a tragic demotion

What is more meaningful? “You look like your Dad” or “you are the spitting image of your Dad”

Satan is like a sleazy used cars-salesman who convinces you to trade in your brand new Ferrari for a 1975 Honda Accord

The tragic thing,

Analogy of being like your parents vs. being the spitting image of your parents

Analogy of trading in a brand new car for an older model

Authority Usurped

The tragic thing is that the Woman is convinced. “6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” No longer did she see the tree as God had commanded. She looked upon it with lust. She saw it’s appealing appearance and bought into it’s alluring promise. She sins and then her husband, note, WHO WAS WITH HER, sins too. Satan reversed the entire created order. The creature tempted Eve, she listened to the creature and sinned, Adam listen to the Eve instead of instructing her and he sinned with her. Satan has dethroned Adam and he is now the new king of the earth.

7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

Exposition

The fruit is alluring (cf. ) but Eve has stopped thinking the way God thinks

Image Corrupted

Regent of creation abdicates for created not Creator - DOOM

Right after Adam, who is ultimately responsible, sins we see the effects of the fall begin in verse 7. “7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Their eyes were opened and their innocence was lost. They became ashamed of their nakedness and immediately sought to cover their shame. They aren’t innocent, holy, or righteous image bearers anymore. Now they just like God. As Satan said, they did not die immediately but contrary to Satan’s temptation they, and all creation with them entered into a state of death.

Satan

Summary

Naked - the imago dei corrupted (the king has fallen)

It looks as if Satan has won. No longer is creation good. No longer is the world sinless. No longer is man the authority over creation, he has passed the crown to the Serpent. Satan’s message: I deserve to be god, I have a better ability to rule over this creation. This brings us to section 2:

Know, not good and evil, but that they are naked. Not innocent image bearers - just like God

Part 2: A Terrifying Interrogation -

Genesis 3:8–14 ESV

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

Genesis 3:8–14 ESV

8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

Naked and Afraid

Happens once Adam eats - he is ultimately responsible

In verses 8-10 we see God confront Adam and the Woman who are hiding, naked and afraid. “8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”’ In the beginning we see something tragically beautiful. The text implies that God would take regular walks in the garden with Adam and the Woman, having perfect communion with his holy image bearers. There as no barrier between God and man. Until now, because of their sin, they hid themselves in the bushes because they knew that their relationship with God had become distorted. They were guilty and terrified. In verse 9 we see the powerful voice of God enter the stage. Instead of using His voice to pronounce execution on the spot, he calls out for Adam. Now, God is all knowing, He knows exactly which bush they are hiding in. He calls out because he wants to produce a confession. Sadly, Adam doesn’t confess his sin or his guilt. He just confesses his nakedness.

In the state of Death

Exposition

Not killed immediately, like Satan said, but in the state of dying, along with all creation just as God said. The minute you are born you begin the process of dying

Walked - He has always had this beautiful, personal relationship with God

Verdict of death pronounced

Instead of enjoying, they hide - relationship with God has been destroyed

Unable to cover the tarnishment of their nature

Hide - desperate to get away from Him

Interesting turn - God could have just executed the verdict right then and there

He knows where Adam is - He wants him to confess

Analogy: Parent comes home and knows you’ve done wrong - calls out to confront

Adam confesses his nakedness, not that he ate

Interrogation 1

This lackluster confession prompts God’s first interrogation. Notice how he doesn’t start with Adam’s wife. He starts with the man who is ultimately responsible “11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Sadly, Adam moves from a terrible confession to blame shifting who is at fault. It wasn’t so long ago that upon seeing his wife for the first time he wrote the first love song ever, eloquently proclaiming her beauty and uniqueness - now she is just “the woman”. Adam goes a step further in the wrong direction, he doesn’t just blame the woman, he blames the woman whom You gave me.

God starts with Adam because he is ultimately responsible

Blames his wife

Sin has distorted the marriage relationship

Before, Adam referred to his wife as this amazing, beautiful being - wrote the first love song ever when he first saw her - now she is just “the woman”

It’s God’s fault - God only gave good things to Adam and Satan has caused this to be turned on its head

It’s God’s fault - God only gave good things to Adam and Satan has caused this to be turned on its head

Interrogation 2

After Adam fails miserably during his interrogation, God shifts his focus to the Woman, “13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” She follows in the footsteps of her husband and places the responsibility upon the serpent. See Satan’s plan working to perfection. Adam blames his wife and ultimately God, and Eve blames the creature. All the responsibility and authority are his.

Transition

Exposition

The Almighty Judge of the Universe has found the defendants guilty and now he will pronounce his judgement which we see in part 3

Straight up confesses: states facts - doesn’t blame the serpent

Part 3: A World Altering Declaration -

Genesis 3:14–19 ESV

14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” 16 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.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

God Curses the Serpent

14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

In verse 14 we see that God begins by cursing the vehicle of Satan “14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.” The question might arise, what has the serpent done to deserve this? The Serpent is like the mascot - it functions in connection with Satan. God’s cursing of the mascot will play a role in the curse of him whom the mascot represents.

Exposition

Serpent is the mascot - functions in connection with Satan

Whatever he does to the mascot he will do to the one that it represents

Physical change for a precise reason - see vs 15

God Curses Satan - Proto Euengelion

I want to say this before we dive into this verse. is one of the most important verses, if not the most important verse in the entire Bible. This is, specifically God’s Thesis Statement for the entire Bible and for all of History which makes it massively important for you to understand what this verse is saying and how the rest of scripture progresses from this anchor point. That being said lets go word by word. “15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Unilateral Action - “I will put”

Note how it is God who is unilaterally acting and that He is unopposed. He is still the sovereign King who has authority and power to do what He wills. Lets go through this word by word.

Present Action - “Enmity between you and the Woman”

This is in direct response to the action Satan took by using a serpent. The Woman never had any trepedation or fear of a serpent before. She and the serpent got on so well that she was willing to disobey God and listen to him instead. God is destroying that connection between the woman and the serpent to demonstrate to Satan that ultimately he will never achieve the victory that you had with Eve again.

Exposition

God is countering Satan on every front - showing Satan you will never win.

Future Action - “between your offspring and her offspring

Serpent’s goal was to manipulate the woman, and the man through her in order to rule.

God goes beyond the present situation and declares to Satan that not only will he not win again with the woman, but that there will always be an offspring of hers that you will never be able to fully deceive. God is here promising that there will always be a righteous remnant who will serve Him and hate and resist the devil. And we see this carried out through the scriptures from the line of Seth all the way to Noah and on to Abraham Isaac and Jacob, through the Nation of Israel and to this very day in the church age. The lesson we can learn from this is that righteous remnant of the church here and now isn’t a demonstration of man’s ability to be good but a demonstration of God’s complete and utter faithfulness to keep His Word.

You won’t manipulate her anymore because she will be completely repulsed and opposed

Add Gospel connection here

Ultimate Action - “He shall crush your head, and you shall bruise His heel”

God ends this cursing of Satan by declaring that Satan will experience an ultimate defeat. The first question we have to ask is who is this He? Notice how the parallism changes here. Part 1: you vs. woman (woman is feminine - obviously- and singular), Part 2 her offspring vs. your offspring (again feminine but then noun is plural in nature) but now in Part we have a He and a you - definitely singular again, but who is this He? This is done to dramatically emphasize that there will be one like the only masculine figure present in the Garden - one like Adam - a New Adam. This New Adam will represent the entire seed of the woman. And This New Adam, representing the entire offspring of the woman will engage in the ultimate battle with Satan. Furthermore, this New Adam will be so powerful that He will crush Satan and all Satan will be able to do is bruise the New Adam’s heel with his head…as it’s being stomped into the ground. Satan believed that he could manipulate man by going through a creature, through woman to man in order to rule over God. God says I am going to use mankind, the very creation you thought you would use to rule over me, to be the instrument of your death - Satan you will never win in the not now and not ever. And do you see now the object lesson of having snakes slither on their bellies - so that they are easy to crush. From that day until now, every time you see a snake slither you are supposed to be reminded that there will be a final day in which Satan will be destroyed.

Insure that there will always be a remnant who will resist you and demonstrate that you will never win

That preservation is the story of God’s plan

Preserved line leading to Jacob

Preserved righteous remnant in Israel

Proto Euangelion

Analogy of LOTR: One by One they fall, but not all

He - crush / you bruise

He is singular - changes the logic and breaks the parallel

Logic and parallel would say They will crush your seed’s head

This is done to emphasize - there is one Man who represents the entire seed

Source vs. Source - ultimate battle

So then who is this He, this New Adam? Who is this ultimate champion of man, who will represent all of the offspring of the woman? That is the story of the Bible! It is Jesus, the Son of Mary, Born in Bethleham on that first Christmas Morning! He is the one will crush the head of Satan! But as we see here, this crushing will come at the cost of suffering. Which is exactly what we see with Jesus dying on the cross! Not only will he attain ultimate victory for the offspring of the woman, but He suffered in their place, in our place as well. Furthermore, do you notice how the emphasis in this first Gospel is not on our salvation from sins. Do not get me wrong, that is what the Gospel is. But the foundation for all salvation is that God will, through His Son, bring Himself ultimate glory. What does that mean for you and me? Our salvation is not ultimately for our own good it is ultimately to bring God, the Majestic Creator of the Universe, the most glory! The beauty of this is that by doing so we will be performing our ultimate purpose in the world and obtaining ultimate fulfillment.

God will preserve one line of seed so that there will be a Champion who will take out the champion of the other line

He is masculine - everything has been feminine until now - the seed will be one like Adam

Adam was supposed to be the image bearer - he fell and was ultimately responsible

Jesus will be the New Adam - ultimately responsible for us

This is called the Proto Euangelion - or first gospel. In the black background of judgement there is this bright shining diamond of a promise of a future Champion who will once and for all defeat Satan and bring an end to evil - restoring all things back to what they were before Adam sinned. Hear the words of Paul in

Romans 5:12–21 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Satan believed that he could manipulate man by going through creature, through woman to man in order to rule over God

Hear the words of Paul in

God says the very thing you thought you would use to rule over me will be that which kills you - Satan will never win in the present or the future

Crush

Romans 5:12–21 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Serpent was made to slither on belly so that you can crush his head

Snakes slithering are a perpetual reminder for all creation that God will win

Also, do you notice how the emphasis in this first Gospel is not on our salvation from sins. Do not get me wrong, that is what the Gospel is. But the foundation for all salvation is that God will, through His Son, bring Himself ultimate glory. What does that mean for you and me? Our salvation is not ultimately for our own good it is ultimately to bring God, the Majestic Creator of the Universe, the most glory! The beauty of this is that by doing so we will be performing our ultimate purpose in the world and obtaining ultimate fulfillment.

Bruise

add gospel connections

This victory will come at a cost - Salvation through suffering

Predicting the cross - this will require sacrifice and pain

This is the first promise of the Messiah - Proto Euangelion

Adam and Eve now know who they need to restore everything

Reversal 1

Provides/Promises a Savior who will deliver

Does this verse concentrate on you and me?

Does it focus on how God will save us from our sins?

Emphasis is on God’s ultimate glory - that is the foundation of the Gospel

It does save us from our sins, not ultimately for our own good, but for God’s glory

The beauty is that in saving us we do experience our ultimate good and will achieve our perfect purpose - another paradigm of glory

Reversal 1

In

Now that we have reached the climax of the story, let us read about the resolution of the conflict. “16 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[f] your husband, but he shall rule over you.” God continues down the line of responsibility, turning his attention to the Woman. With the Serpent and with Satan it was all judgement. I want to point out to you that God changes this when He deals with the Woman and the Man. He provides a just consequence for sin, but then begins necessary actions to carry out . Eve’s consequence is this, you shall have pain in child bearing and you shall desire to usurp your husband’s authority, just like you did before. The implementation of the promise is found in the literal translation, which if you have an NASB you will see this note, God will multiply the woman’s pain and her pregnancy. Question:

16 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[f] your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

Woman facilitated to carry out the promise

Consequence

How does multiplying childbearing help bring about the promises of Genesis 3:15?

what should give joy will also give you pain

Childbearing

Marriage relationship

By multiplying the Woman’s fertility, God is ensuring that the promise of will go on. Stop and think about the beautiful plan of God: the Woman was used by Satan to bring sin into the world, but she will be used by God to destroy Satan and remove sin from the world.

Implementation of

Multiply pain but also childbearing - you will still be able to have children that the promise might go on

Woman facilitated to carry out the promise

Reversal 2

Lastly God turns to the one who is ultimately responsible, Adam (just a quick side-note to the guys in here. I was given this same wisdom at your age and I want to pass it on. If you want to be married some day realize this: God will hold you accountable and ultimately responsible for your wife and family. In the eyes of God marriage is so much more than being in love. Being a husband is a serious responsibility that you need start preparing for now. That being said, let’s return to the text “17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Remember the pattern with the Woman: consequence and implementation of . Adam’s punishment fits the crime, you had everything you needed, your job as gardner was easy, but you broke the one command so now your job as gardner will be hard. Before the ground was blessed, and it blessed you. Now it’s cursed and you will have to work and toil in order to survive. The implementation of is this: you will return to the ground, to the dust that you were made from. The question immediately arises?

How is death a good thing?

Curse the Serpent

14 The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

Exposition

Serpent is the mascot - functions in connection with Satan

Whatever he does to the mascot he will do to the one that it represents

Physical change for a precise reason - see vs 15

Curse Satan

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Exposition

Enmity between you and Woman - Present curse

God is countering Satan on every front - showing Satan you will never win.

Serpent’s goal was to manipulate the woman, and the man through her in order to rule

You won’t manipulate her anymore because she will be completely repulsed and opposed

Enmity between your seed and her seed - Future curse

Insure that there will always be a remnant who will resist you and demonstrate that you will never win

That preservation is the story of God’s plan

Preserved line leading to Jacob

Preserved righteous remnant in Israel

Preserved the Church

Analogy of LOTR: One by One they fall, but not all

He - crush / you bruise

He is singular - changes the logic and breaks the parallel

Logic and parallel would say They will crush your seed’s head

This is done to emphasize - there is one Man who represents the entire seed

Source vs. Source - ultimate battle

God will preserve one line of seed so that there will be a Champion who will take out the champion of the other line

He is masculine - everything has been feminine until now - the seed will be one like Adam

Adam was supposed to be the image bearer - he fell and was ultimately responsible

Jesus will be the New Adam - ultimately responsible for us

Satan believed that he could manipulate man by going through creature, through woman to man in order to rule over God

God says the very thing you thought you would use to rule over me will be that which kills you - Satan will never win in the present or the future

Crush

Serpent was made to slither on belly so that you can crush his head

Snakes slithering are a perpetual reminder for all creation that God will win

Bruise

This victory will come at a cost - Salvation through suffering

Predicting the cross - this will require sacrifice and pain

This is the first promise of the Messiah - Proto Euangelion

Adam and Eve now know who they need to restore everything

Provides/Promises a Savior who will deliver

Does this verse concentrate on you and me?

Does it focus on how God will save us from our sins?

Emphasis is on God’s ultimate glory - that is the foundation of the Gospel

It does save us from our sins, not ultimately for our own good, but for God’s glory

The beauty is that in saving us we do experience our ultimate good and will achieve our perfect purpose - another paradigm of glory

Reversal 1:

16 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[f] your husband, but he shall rule over you.”

Exposition

Consequence

what should give joy will also give you pain

Childbearing

Marriage relationship

Implementation of Gen 3:15

Multiply pain but also childbearing - you will still be able to have children that the promise might go on

Woman facilitated to carry out the promise

Reversal 2:

17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken for you are dust,and to dust you shall return.”

Exposition

Consequence

You ate from the tree and sinned - now you will toil and labor for your fruit

Now: Creation is in struggle with man

Implementation of Gen 3:15

Return to the dust - how is this positive?

If you can’t die then you can’t have the sacrifice of the Seed on the Cross

Answer, if people weren’t able to die, than the Seed, Jesus, would not be able to die and fulfill the promise of . This brings us to our final point, which I will cover briefly:

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

A Redemptive Demonstration -

Genesis 3:20–24 ESV

20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Response of Faith

Consequence

In verse 20 we see Adam’s response, specifically Adam’s response of Faith. I have gone to much effort to ephasize that Adam’s wife was called the Woman, up until now. She isn’t called Eve until Adam changes her name in response to what God has said. I said this was a response of faith because Eve means mother of all living…but she hasn’t had any children yet. Adam has faith that she will and that her seed will restore true life to the world.

Atonement

Adam’s Response - vs 20

You ate from the tree and sinned - now you will toil and labor for your fruit

Woman renamed: Eve - mother of all the living

Now: Creation is in struggle with man

I named this section A Redemptive Atonement for this reason, in verse 21 God provides the proper covering for Adam and Eve. If you remember, after they sinned they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves but that covering was inadequate. God makes for them a covering but it comes at a cost - the death of an animal. This is the first picture of sacrificial atonement in the Bible demonstrating that our salvation and redemption will come at the sacrifice of God’s own choosing. As we continue to read the Bible we see in Exodus that this is progressed to sacrificing a lamb for passover, which is further implemented in the Old Testament sacrificial system and ultimately demonstrated by God sacrificing His own Son, the Seed of the Woman, on the Cross.

Has not given birth to that which will bring Life

Implementation of

Faith in the Seed promise

Return to the dust - how is this positive?

If you can’t die then you can’t have the sacrifice of the Seed on the Cross

God made - before they made an improper covering

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXII Christ the Conqueror of Satan (No. 1,326)

There lie within it, as an oak lies within an acorn, all the great truths which make up the gospel of Christ.

King exiled from the capitol

First picture of atonement

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXII Christ the Conqueror of Satan (No. 1,326)

The text at first looks like a flint, hard and cold; but sparks fly from it plentifully, for hidden fires of infinite love and grace lie concealed within

The cost for proper covering of your sin will come at the cost of death

Lastly in verse 22-24 we see the Man who was once the image of God, cast out of Paradise because he is now just like God. The image is tarnished forever. But there is hope. Hear again from Paul in . Who is this He? You know should know the answer by now!

Our salvation/redemption must come at the sacrifice of God’s own choosing

Insert Gospel connection

Colossians 1:15 ESV

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Who is this He? You know should know the answer by now! It gets better! Here what Paul says about those who are saved in

Conclusion and Application

Man is now only like us - image is tarnished, no longer the king of creation/proper mediator

Romans 8:29 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Who

Conclusion and Application

Friends I hope you learned tonight that there is a massive amount of much hope, and an abundance of gospel truth in the beginning of your Bible. It is here that we see God’s Thesis Statement declaring to the Devil and to the Entire creation that He wins. He is God and He will get all the Glory. I wish to finish with three applications and one last quote.

Application

Believe in Christ! He is the promised One. He came and died the death that we deserved to die so that we might be made Sons and Daughters of the Majestic and Awesome God.

If man lives for ever he will be locked into this state of tarnishment - only through death can we return to the perfect image

Hope in Christ’s Final Victory! For those of us who believe, there will be times of suffering where it seems that God is nowhere to be found and that Satan has one. Have hope! Christ is coming again and in the end He will destroy Satan once and for all. And at that time we will be completely transformed into the image of Christ and will enter into Paradise with Him for eternity!

Lastly, Worship God! I hope that you walk away from tonight with a sense of marvel at the power of God and the wisdom of God. Only an all powerful God and an all wise God could orchestrate all of History to carry out such a plan. To God alone be the Glory!

Death and resurrection

Revelation 20:7–10 ESV

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Man tried to know about God (what is good and evil) without knowing God --> now God must send them out for if they stayed in that position they would die. The only way for them to know about God is to actually know God and be made like Him again (cf. Christ's imago dei ) --> that is eternal life

Hop