The Promise… in Genesis
- Dec 1, 2024
- 6 min read
Introduction:
Over the next couple of weeks leading into Christmas we are looking at the prophetic scriptures that point us to the coming Messiah, or as you may know him, Jesus Christ. Today, we are diving into the Book of Genesis to explore the early promises and "hints" of the coming of Jesus Christ.
The short and sweet version of the next few weeks is this…..It all points to Jesus….
“In the beginning” Everything in the bible points us to Him. He existed before any creation, all creation was through him/by him. We see this in both the old and the new testament.
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth
John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, sets the stage for God's redemptive plan, which as you may have heard me say a few times...culminates in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Have you ever thought the Old Testament was “old news” or not applicable to today? Or thought “I really just read the New Testament?” We are going to see over the next few weeks how it all points to Jesus and throughout the Bible we see how God's plan for a Savior was embedded throughout time.
Let’s open up our Bibles to Genesis 3:15 and I will set the stage for what is happening…
We are at this pivot point where temptation is brought on by the serpent and God’s command to not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve gives into this temptation as does Adam. God walks into the garden and asks them what is up…. Adam pleads his case, but God proceeds to lay out the consequences to Adam and Eve as well as curse the serpent. Enmity, or opposition aka hostility, is placed between the serpent and the woman, and between their offspring….Following along? Now let’s look at verse 3:15.
The Promise in the Garden
Scripture: Genesis 3:15 - "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
After the fall of man, God pronounces a curse upon the serpent, but within this curse lies the first hint of redemption—often called the Protoevangelium, a big word that means "first gospel." This introduces two elements previously unknown in the Garden of Eden, elements that are the basis of what we know as Christianity—the curse on mankind because of Adam’s sin and God’s provision for a Savior from sin who would take the curse upon Himself.
The Seed or Offspring of the Woman: This refers to the future offspring of the woman. Unlike typical genealogical language in the Bible, this "seed" points specifically to a singular descendant who will ultimately defeat Satan. The Hebrew word for “seed” here means “offspring,” which is how many translations render it (e.g., NIV, ESV, CSB)
The Battle: The verse speaks of enmity and a struggle between the serpent and this promised Offspring, (that's Jesus by the way). The serpent will strike the heel, causing injury, but the offspring will crush the serpent's head, signifying a decisive victory.
In John Chapter 12 we read that Jesus speaks directly to the judgment of the world in saying…Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
The striking of the Messiah’s heel was a picture of the wounding and death of Jesus on the cross. Satan bruised Jesus’ “heel,”
Jesus Christ, born of a woman, fulfills this prophecy. Through His death and resurrection, He defeats Satan, sin, and death, delivering the final crushing blow to the serpent’s head.
Let's look at another Old Testament prophecy you might recognize from a few weeks ago…
The Blessing of Abraham
Scripture: Genesis 12:2-3 - "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
God's call to Abraham includes a promise that extends far beyond his immediate descendants.
A Great Nation: From Abraham will come a great nation—Israel—through whom God's plans will unfold.
Blessing to All Peoples: This blessing points forward to the Messiah, through whom all nations will be blessed. This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, who brings salvation to people of all nations.
Galatians 3:8 says, And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.
If you remember Abraham's story in Genesis 22:1-14 Abraham is tested by God to take his son Isaac up to be an offering, or sacrifice…
Remember this test of Abraham's faith? Where he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac? Right up to the last second it seems and out of nowhere comes this ram to take the place of Isaac.
The Sacrifice of Isaac
Scripture: Genesis 22:8 - "Abraham answered, 'God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' And the two of them went on together."
The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac foreshadows God’s ultimate sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus.
Sidebar to Issac before he shows up ... listen to this in Genesis 17:15-21 - “And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”
The miraculous birth of Isaac also foreshadows the miraculous birth of Jesus. Both births were the result of miracles AND a fulfillment of prophecies.
Obedience and Faith: Abraham's faith is tested as he is asked to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac. Remember this was an act of obedience….just like Jesus Himself was “obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8)
God's Provision: As Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac, God intervenes and provides a ram as a substitute. This provision highlights God's faithfulness and points to a greater provision to come.
Fulfillment in Christ: This foretells the sacrifice of Jesus, God's only Son, who is the ultimate Lamb provided for our sins. Just as the ram was a substitute for Isaac, Jesus is our substitute, taking on the punishment for our sins. God did provide a sacrifice in Isaac’s place, symbolizing what He would do many years later on that same mountain when His one and only Son would be offered as a sacrifice in our place as read in Matthew 27:33, And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull)
Conclusion
In these small “starter snippets” of Scripture in Genesis, we see the initial hints of God's redemptive plan. From the promise of a Redeemer in the Garden of Eden, to the blessing of Abraham, to the foreshadowing of the sacrifice through Isaac, these verses point us to Jesus Christ. They reveal God’s unwavering commitment to redeem and restore His creation.
As we reflect on these early promises and their fulfillment in Christ, may we be filled with gratitude and awe for the depth of God's love and the meticulous unfolding of His salvation plan. Let us commit to living in the light of this truth, sharing the hope and joy of the gospel with those we encounter. It all points to Jesus.
Additional Discussion and Study:
We see the victory Jesus has over the enemy in Gen 3:15. Basically, the enemy gets a strike at the heel and Jesus gets the final blow to the head. If this is true, how does this affect your mindset with any trial you may be facing?
God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his promised son. He then later actually sacrificed His son for our salvation. What does it take to make a sacrifice of this magnitude?
Have you ever felt like God is asking too much of you?
Is there a sacrifice He is asking you to make currently?