This third study looks at how Jesus is the “Promised Seed” of the other promises we’ve looked at already. He is the “Seed of the Woman” from Genesis 3. He is the “Seed of Abraham” from Genesis 12. He is the “Seed of David” from 2 Samuel 7. Then we will be startled to find out that through Jesus ALL these promises can relate to you and me!!
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: Romans 15:8
A SUMMARY OF THE SYMBOLOGY OF THE EDENIC COVENANT
The Serpent as a Symbol
In the declaration of Genesis 3:15, the serpent is used to represent that which he manifested and produced. He gave expression to the thinking of the flesh. He lied, which led to error and sin, and finally resulted in death. As a symbol, therefore, it represented the thinking of the flesh under the law of sin and death which now resides in every mortal. Also known as “human nature”.
“I will put enmity between thee (the serpent) and the woman”. Genesis 3:15
“Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived”. Numbers 21:9
“The sting of death is sin”. 1 Corinthians 15:56
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life”. John 3:14-15
The Woman as a Symbol
She represented that which she proclaimed. She spoke the truth (see Genesis 3:2-3) which had been revealed to her from God, and in this she proclaimed the mind of God. Adam called her name Eve (or LIFE) because the hope of life had been promised through the seed that would come through her. She therefore represented a community that is associated with the Truth of God, and who are related to the life that it set forth. References to the woman as a symbol, representing the community of believers, are found throughout Scripture:
“I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ”. 2 Corinthians 11:2
“Therefore as the church (Gr. Ecclesia) is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands . . . Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church [Ecclesia], and gave himself for it . . . For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great secret: but I speak concerning Christ and the church”. Ephesians 5:23-32
“The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready”. Revelation 19:7
The Seed of the Serpent as a Symbol
Human beings who believe the lie of the serpent, or oppose the teachings of God in other ways, are classed in scripture as the serpent’s seed or offspring. They represent those who allow the flesh in all its weakness to govern their lives.
“Their (the wicked) poison is like the poison of a serpent”. Psalm 58:4
“They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: adders’ poison is under their lips”. Psalm 140:3
“Ye serpents, ye GENERATION of vipers, how can ye escape the condemnation of hell”. Matthew 23:33
The Seed of the Woman as a Symbol
The seed of the woman points directly to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God who administered the death blow to sin and death through his personal sacrifice, but the term is extended to all those “in him”, and in whom the Word of God resides, producing His glory. As Christ was begotten by the Spirit of God, so they, in a spiritual sense, are begotten to a new life by the spirit-word. Thus:
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”. 1 Peter 1:23
“Ye must be born again [Greek: from above]”. John 3:7
“A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation”. Psalm 22:30
“When thou (God) shall make his (Christ’s) soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand”. Isaiah 53:10
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Galatians 4:4-5
Genesis 3:15 — Amplified.
“And I (God) will put enmity between thee (the serpent representing sin and death) and the woman (representing the community embracing the truth of God and seeking to obey His will), and between thy seed (the serpent’s seed, representing those who allow the flesh to govern their thinking and actions) and her seed (the Lord Jesus Christ). He (the Lord Jesus) shall bruise thy head (destroying both the power of sin by providing an atonement for it, and the inevitability of death through a resurrection to eternal life), and thou (the serpent, representing sin and death) shalt bruise his heel (by causing him to temporarily suffer the effects of human nature – that is temptation and death).”
Genesis 3:15 states that the serpent would bruise the HEEL of the woman’s seed, whilst he (the woman’s seed) would bruise the serpent in the HEAD – a FATAL wound. Christ, whilst possessing a nature like ours, prone to sin, never actually succumbed to its temptations as Hebrews informs us.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15
He lived a sinless life, but was crucified and died (the blow to his heel in the promise), in voluntary submission to God’s will. In this act of obedience, he dealt a fatal blow to the power of sin. Since he was sinless, it was not possible for God to leave him in the grave and He therefore raised him from the dead and gave him an immortal body which no longer tempted him to sin against God.
Him [Jesus Christ], being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. Acts 2:23-24
Hope for Mankind
There is, then, a marvellous hope for us in this promise in Genesis 3. God provided Christ and strengthened him so that he never yielded to the power of sin. God, in HIs great love for this world, gave His son so that we can have a hope of eternal life.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
What it means to us:
This enmity, or conflict, is also manifested within the mind of every individual who would seek to do God’s will, for he will inevitably find that it is at variance with his natural desires. Paul’s experience is that of all. He wrote:
“I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” Romans 7:18-19
He wrote of two modes of thinking which a person can manifest, and he showed the ultimate result of both:
“To be carnally minded (the minding, or thinking of the flesh see margin) is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”. Romans 8:6-7
This first covenant in Eden, therefore, states the inevitability of conflict between two principles and two classes of persons, and its result. Those governed by the flesh, are in opposition to those ruled by the law of God. The conflict is unto death, although, through the mercy of God, the ultimate victory of the righteous is sure.
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. 1 Cor. 15:55-57
Go To: The Promises: Study 4 – The promises and the Kingdom of God on earth
The Original Gospel 