For Unto Us is Born the Defeater of Sin-Gen. 3:14-15

As we enter the thanksgiving and Christmas season, we are going to take a brief break from our journey in Revelation (a book that looks ahead to Christ’s second coming) to reflect on Christ’s first coming by means of the prophecies and events leading to the birth of Jesus in a series that we are calling “For unto Us.” The passages we are going to be perusing over the next couple of weeks each in their own way point forward to the Christ child and ultimately to the redemption that He alone provides from sin and death. In an effort to kick this series off, we are going to go back---all the way back—to the first ever prophecy of the coming Jesus.  It might surprise you to learn that the first even prediction of the coming Messiah is found as early as Genesis 3:14-15. Here, in one of the most disappointing episodes in all of the Scriptures, God shines His bright light of redemption by foreshadowing a most glorious event that we choose to celebrate this time of year. In fact, much as God was able to use the uninviting rural town of Bethlehem to welcome His only Son and cradle the God Child in the confines of a horse trough, God has always been about the business of bringing hope in the midst of despair. In Genesis 3:14-15, the blessing of God is found as the Lord issues as series of curses. Today, we are going to witness two consequences of the curse placed on the Serpent in the Garden of Eden and, more importantly, behold the hope that it spells for believers—"For unto us is born a sin-defeater!”

I. CONSEQUENCE #1: PRESENT HUMILIATION-3:14

Before we look at the implications of the cursed placed on the serpent let us ask a question that I often raise to my own kids—“what happened here?” How in the world did this mess come about in the book of Genesis? In the perfect world God created, The Lord allowed Adam and Eve free range over the planet and the free will to choose to obey His only rule—not to eat of the tree of knowledge. This one stipulation was necessary when one considers that in order for freedom to exist, so too must a choice. It was one thing for Adam and Eve to enjoy perfection. However, it was another thing entirely for them to choose God freely when given the opportunity not to.

Capitalizing on this opportunity, a tempter enters the garden named Lucifer who, again, is introduced in order to provide an opportunity for mankind to choose God over and above themselves. He approaches Eve, misconstrues God’s words, and deceives her into believing that she knew better than God. As a result, she eats of the very fruit her Lord forbade her to consume. Where was Adam? His sin was worse and maybe even first! He was right there watching the whole thing and did absolutely nothing to stop it, protect his wife, and honor the Lord’s wishes. Instead, he took a bite of the fruit himself!

Ashamed by their sin, Adam and Eve run and hide from God (I guess once you introduce stupid into the world it only goes downhill from there!).  God finds them (surprise, surprise) and after everyone takes a turn blaming each other, God has enough and begins to spell out the consequences for each party’s actions. This is where we pick up the story in verse 14. The first one to receive what is due is the serpent who instigated this entire spectacle. The first consequence of the curse dealt to him is present humiliation.

This verse is introduced with “the Lord God said to the serpent” (3:14). Though this introductory phrase is normally glossed over, consider the comparison made in these words. On the giving end of this curse we have the “Lord God” (Yahweh Elohim) whose proper name is juxtaposed alongside the one on the receiving—serpent. This is significant at least in this regard: many in this world believe that the tension between good and evil involves two opposite and equal forces (thinking that God is as good as Satan is evil). This could not be further from the truth. God is Yahweh Elohim. Satan is a snake compared to Him! The comparison between God’s exalted status and the humiliation of the snake is something that will continue to permeate the rest of this passage.

God begins by saying to the snake, “because you have done this” (3:14). Done what? Believe it or not, he has done a lot to deserve what he is about to receive in punishment. First, he was motivated to destroy God’s perfect paradise. Second, he approached the woman with the intent to deceive her. Third, he misrepresented God’s ordinance about the tree. Fourth, we was successful in getting these two individuals to choose themselves over God just as he had done in the heavens (wanting to be equal to God—see Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14). All of this the serpent (Lucifer) had done.

Because he had done all of “this” God issues this curse, “cursed are you more than all cattle and more than every beast of the field” (3:14c). Though the entire world and all of creation would suffer under the curse of God following this sin, the judgment issued on this snake would be more severe than any other beast.

Normally, people’s response upon seeing a snake is one of two extremes—love or hate. Personally, I’ve never understood a person who loves a snake because in my view the good kind of snake is a dead one in my opinion. There is no other animal I’m more turned off by than these slithery creatures. Maybe, at least here, I’m sympathetic to what the Bible says about their cursed status (me and Indiana Jones!). Throughout history, the snake has been the subject of scorn and ridicule. Only in pagan religions is it exalted and revered (see background on several of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3).

God continues and says, “On your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life,…” (3:14d). This was not the proudest posture this creature would assume—especially considering that earlier the serpent was described as “more crafty than any beast of the field” (3:1). How fitting it is that this serpent would spend the rest of his days slithering around, literally eating the rest of God’s creature’s dust. The verbs used in this verse suggest an ongoing state of affairs—i.e. from now on, the proudest creature would be the lowest creature.

Here, the justice of God is exceedingly poetic. In putting his cleverness to nefarious use, the serpent earned himself a life in the mud where no proud creature would want to spend much time at all. However, God’s curse is not over yet and if you thought the serpent’s present humiliation was bad, consider verse 15.

II. CONSEQUENCE #2: FUTURE DEFEAT-3:15

The second implication of the curse laid out on the serpent is future defeat. From this point on, there will be conflict between the serpent and the woman—representing wickedness and mankind respectively, “and I will put enmity between you and the woman” (3:15a). Before this ordeal the world existed in perfect tranquility. Now, conflict will ensue between mankind and evil.

This conflict will continue through the ages, “between your seed and her seed” (3:15b). Inasmuch as mankind multiplies and fills the earth, so too will evil multiply and fill the same earth with wickedness. “Seed” is often used in the Old Testament to describe descendants (this is especially true in the book of Ruth both figuratively and literally) in connection with men and their sons. However, this is the ONLY time in the entire Bible in which a woman is said to have seed. Why? Because women do not have seed nor is it their responsibility to provide seed! However, God says to the serpent here that one day a descendant will emerge solely from a woman—miraculously—who will see the conflict between wickedness and the human race come to a head.

This passage of Scripture is known as the protoevangelium—the “first good news—as it is the first prediction of Jesus Christ who would be born of a virgin woman (“seed of the woman”) and defeat the forces of evil once and for all! Leave it to God to redeem a the darkest moment in history yet experienced with the bright light of the gospel! Here, even as early as in Genesis 3, man’s failure is promised to be overwhelmed by Jesus’ victory, and Satan’s temporary failure is promised future defeat.

In many ways, from the early chapters of Genesis Jesus makes the following declaration to this people—“For unto us will be born the One who will ultimately defeat sin!” This child is Jesus Christ who is promised to come and right the wrongs that mankind brought upon itself.

This promised child and coming Savior will solidify His victory over the serpent and all that he represents by dealing a death blow to Satan’s head, “he shall bruise you on the head” (3:15c). Bruising of the head is euphemistic for total destruction. In fact, the word used here for “bruise” can also be translated “crush.” Jesus would accomplish this by means of His incarnation, ministry, passion, and glorification—demonstrating once and for all that death ‘has no sting and has been swallowed up in victory.  

1 Cor. 1:54-57-“But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Though the promised victory spells complete and total defeat for the serpent, rendering his efforts to undermine God ultimately unsuccessful, Satan would be allowed to bruise the seed of the woman on the heal. This image foreshadows the crucifixion of Jesus Christ which, although a horrific spectacle of pain and anguish, was a temporary ordeal that was later eclipsed by the bodily resurrection. Jesus’ bruise was temporary, Satan’s crushing would be irrecoverable. Ultimately, the curse that God issues this serpent involves his ultimate and total demise. The only victory this serpent will ever now would come when he temporarily and superficial wounds the seed of the woman.

So What?

The serpent and all that he stands for by the end of this passage is humiliated and promised future defeat at the hands of a promised seed that will one day crush his head. To this day, Satan continues to wreak havoc on the world not as someone believes he has a shot at victory, but as someone who knows it is just a matter of time before his time is up. His only consolation is the possibility of misdirecting as many people into following his failure of a program all the way to hell, where he already knows he must to spend eternity. However, the victory of the seed of the woman is available to all who know the identity of this “seed” and as a result have a relationship with Him. Who is this seed? His name is Jesus! And 2000 years ago he was born in a small town called Bethlehem to bring salvation from the threat of sin. He is the promised victor over sin and death and the miraculous Messiah who, born of a virgin, lived a perfect life so that we could know life eternal. This is what we celebrate in this season and in every season—that God from the very instance the problem of sin was introduced, put a plan in place to save us that has everything to do with Jesus. For unto us is born the defeater of sin! Praise the Lord!

Is this something you are able to celebrate today? Is Satan’s fate sealed in your life? Are you anticipating final victory in Christ and living in light of this victory today? Or, are you still fixed in evil's suffocating grip? A Defeater of Sin has been born. More to the point, this One died on a cross--suffering the penalty of sin (death)-- and rose three days later--demonstrating his power over the grave--so that you and I might be loosed from the grip of sin and know the hope of perfect eternal life in the end.