Satan, Devil and Demons
Trinity
Soul
Heaven
Hell
Satan/Demons
The Truth
About Satan
Every Satan
Every Devil
Edenic Covenant
Satan Prelim
Demon Prelim
Genesis 3:4-5
Genesis 6:2
Job 1:6
Isaiah 14:12-14
Ezekiel 28:13-16
Matthew 4:1-11
Matt. 12:43-45
Luke 10:18
Luke 22:3,31
John 12:31
14:30; 16:11
John 13:2,27
2 Cor. 11:14
James 2:19
1 Peter 5:8
2 Peter 2:4
Jude 6
Jude 9
Rev. 12:7-9
"Saved"
Baptism
Resurrection
Antichrist
Unique
Catholic
Mormon
SDA
JW
British Israel
Church
of Christ
Pentecostal
Islam
Science
Miracles
Evolution
Creation
Carbon Dating
Inspiration
Partial
Contradictions
& Inaccuracies
- Genesis 3:15
- "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."
- and between thy seed and her seed;
- Introduction
- The Edenic covenant in Genesis 3:15 is the first prophecy of the Bible, it is the first promise regarding a seed, it is the first note of the salvation that was to come through Jesus Christ. The language God uses is called "allegory" because it uses people, things, and happenings and gives them another meaning or uses them in a symbolic way to teach a lesson. We shall see in our study of the Bible that in Genesis 3:15 God has taken the Serpent to represent the thinking of the flesh, and the Woman represents the thinking of the Spirit. The Seed of the Serpent would come to represent all those who oppose God and are ruled by sin. The Seed of the Woman comes to represent first of all, Jesus Christ, and later those who are "in Christ".
- The Serpent = The Mind of the Flesh
- The Serpent was a liar. His mind was undirected by God and therefore a "mind of the flesh". He declared, "Thou shalt not surely die," which was a lie, and the product of his own thoughts which were reasoned upon his own observation. Hence it was the thinking of the flesh. The error of the serpent is what Paul terms as "the carnal mind", which he declares "is enmity with God" (Romans 8:7). This in its outworking, incited Eve to sin which, in turn, brought death. The serpent therefore, stands for the flesh unilluminated by divine revelation, formulating false teaching, bringing forth sin and death.
- The Woman = The Mind of the Spirit
- The Woman proclaimed the truth received by divine revelation. She faithfully set forth the facts concerning God's law, even though she was led astray and sinned. In the allegory she represents those who receive divine instruction. The woman, in scripture, is representative of the true believers in God (i.e. 2 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:31-32; Isaiah 54:6).
- The Seed of the Serpent = Those Ruled by the Mind of the Flesh
- The seed is that which is produced from the thinking of the flesh and therefore it comes to represent all those who disobey God and call him a liar. The wicked are often described as serpents or a generation of vipers (i.e. Psalm 58:4; 140:3; Matthew 23:33; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4; Romans 8:5-9; John 8:44).
- The Seed of the Woman = Those Ruled by the Mind of the Spirit
- The seed of the woman first of all represents Christ who overcame the flesh (Galatians 3:16; Romans 8:3; 1 Peter 2:21-22) by strict obedience to the instruction of God. We become part of the same seed by baptism into Jesus Christ and the transforming of our minds unto spiritual matters (Romans 6:11-13; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 4:22-24).
- "It shall bruise thy head"
= The Defeat of Sin and Death through Jesus Christ- "thou shalt bruise his heel"
= The Temporary Death of Jesus Christ for Three Days - "thou shalt bruise his heel"
- The word "bruise" in Genesis 3:15 is from the Hebrew shuwph, which means "to crush". To "crush" the head is a fatal blow but to crush a heel is only a temporary wound. Genesis 3:15 therefore promises to completely destroy the effects of sin brought into being through the serpent's teaching, though, in doing so, the seed of the woman (i.e. Christ) would be temporarily wounded thereby. This was accomplished through the sacrifice of Christ. Though he died, it was only a temporary affliction, for he rose triumphant over death, and provided the means whereby his followers could triumph over sin and death which was brought by the serpent's thinking. This is what Paul says in Hebrews 2:14,
- "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death (a crushed heel) he might destroy (a crushed head) him that had the power of death (sin, Romans 6:23), that is, the devil"
- This verse says that Christ came in the nature which is common to all mankind. Strengthened by the Father (Psalm 80:17), he conquered the thinking of the flesh and did not fall like Adam and Eve as it says in Hebrews 4:15,
- "For we have not an high priest (Jesus Christ) which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
- Therefore he overcame the thinking or temptation brought by the serpent or the fleshly mind. His obedience extended to submitting to death on the cross, thus he publicly demonstrated that flesh must be crucified in order to serve God aright (Galatians 5:24; Romans 8:3). His obedience ensured his resurrection to life eternal, so that he was clothed upon with Divine nature and no longer subject to the flesh (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 1 Peter 4:1-2).
- "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death (a crushed heel) he might destroy (a crushed head) him that had the power of death (sin, Romans 6:23), that is, the devil"
- Conclusion
- Through grace and mercy Yahweh has offered forgiveness to all who would come unto Him through Christ. By an acknowledgment of the Truth, followed by the act of obedience in passing through the waters of baptism unto newness of life (Romans 6:4), those "in Christ" constituting the seed of the woman, commence a walk in faith that can gain for them eternal life in the Age to come. Sin may crush them on the heel, but in the strength of Yahweh, manifested through His Son, they will ultimately attain unto the victory that will lead them triumphantly from the domination of sin and the grave, to a resurrection to life eternal.
The Edenic Covenant
| The Serpent | The Enmity | The Woman |
| Expressed the mind of the flesh, based on mere observation. | Enmity between the mind of the spirit and that of the flesh Romans 8:6-7; Galatians 5:17 |
Expressed the mind of the spirit given through divine revelation. |
| Proclaimed false doctrine "Ye shall not surely die" Genesis 3:4 |
Enmity between truth and error 2 Corinthians 11:3-4,13; Galatians 1:8-9 |
Proclaimed the truth as given by God Genesis 3:2-3 |
| The serpent's teaching brought forth sin which resulted in death | Romans 6:23; 7:17-23; 1 Corinthians 15:33,56; Ephesians 4:18 | The truth leads to obedience and life. Romans 6:17; John 17:3 |
| The seed of the serpent are those motivated by the mind of the flesh. They are described as being "in the flesh" Romans 8:8 |
Enmity between the two seeds Matthew 23:33; John 15:19; 16:33 |
The seed of the woman are those motivated by the mind of the Spirit. They are described as being "in Christ". Galatians 5:24 |