JESUS CRUSHED THE SERPENT’S HEAD
Genesis 3:1-3:15
David Shepherd is a biology professor at
Southeastern
A couple of examples Shepherd witnessed: A
policeman crushed one of the snakes with his
Genesis 3 tells us that God put "enmity" or hatred between the serpent and the woman: "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." (Genesis 3:15)
First – the word "enmity" doesn’t mean "fear." The Hebrew word translated "enmity" is "ay-baw" mean hatred, a violent anger. It is an emotion intended for one’s enemy… not for a creature that you’re afraid of. The serpent was the enemy and God intended to destroy that old serpent with the offspring of the woman.
Well, what does that mean? When Eve heard the message I think she only heard what she wanted to hear. Her sin had robbed her of her the Garden and of God’s intimate presence. NOW, the promise was that a boy child would undo the damage She figured that God was promising He would give her a boy child and that this boy child would beat down the old serpent and she’d get back into the garden.
Cain was Eve’s first born son? In Genesis 4:1 we’re told: "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD." She had "gotten" the boy child promised in the prophecy. She figured Cain was her ticket back into the garden.
Later she gives birth to Abel – and Abel’s name means "emptiness", "vanity". Essentially, she was saying "I’ve got Cain… what do I need Abel for?" But she was wrong. Cain wasn’t her salvation… he was her heartache He killed his younger brother Abel and then went into exile for his sin.
What does it mean that the seed or offspring of "the woman" would bruise the serpent’s head? Well, God used a fairly odd way of saying what He meant in this verse. He says it was the "Seed or offspring" OF THE WOMAN. Generally, that’s not how a child was spoken of in those days.
A descendent was rarely spoken of as being the "seed" of the woman… but rather of the man. But this prophecy referred to the child as the "seed of the woman" It’s almost as if there were no earthly father involved in this child’s birth. The seed of the woman (Jesus) was going to bruise the head of serpent (Satan). And in the process, this man (seed of woman) would Himself be bruised.
"He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 Satan is the primary focus of why Jesus came. He’s one of the major reasons Jesus died on the cross. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1 John 3:8) Jesus came to defeat Satan.
But what exactly had Satan done to make him the focus of all this? Isaiah gives us an insight into the serpent’s motivation: "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isaiah 14:12-14)
Lucifer’s objective was a takeover He wanted to overthrow the God and rule in His place. So, that was his objective - but how was Satan going to accomplish this? How did he think he could pull God down and put himself on the throne? That’s where Genesis 3 comes in. If you didn’t know better, you might think this encounter between Satan and Eve was accidental. Satan hadn’t just been strolling thru the garden that day. He didn’t just happen to bump into Eve beneath the tree. Satan was there because that was part of his plan.
Genesis 1 and 2 are all about God creating the world and everything in it And then God gave the world to Adam and Eve In Genesis 1:28 we’re told: "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."
God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the earth. He gave them authority over everything in His creation. The earth was the focus of all of God’s creative power And Adam and Eve were the crowning glory of His efforts It seems that Satan reasoned that if he could take those away from God… he could effectively take His throne as well. And Scripture says he succeeded in part of his plan.
1st – he took over ownership of this world John 12:31describes Satan as "the prince of this world." Ephesians 2:2 says he is "… the ruler of the kingdom of the air…" And 1 John 5:19 says "… the whole world is under the control of the evil one." When Adam and Eve took and ate of that fruit in the garden he effectively turned over the deed to this world to the devil. Then Satan took ownership of man away from God.
That’s why the Bible speaks so often of us being "redeemed" or purchased by Jesus 1 Peter 1:18-19 tells us: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"
Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, Satan owned this world And Satan’s objective was to bring God down from His throne and lift himself up and become god himself. That’s why, when Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, Satan offered Jesus a deal. In Matthew 4:8-9 "Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."
"Just give me what I want" Satan tells Jesus. "Make me God… worship me… place me on the throne. Then I’ll give you back SOME of what I’ve taken away." But, of course, Satan had no intention of giving up his control of us. We had the breath of God within us. We were made in the image of God. As long as he held us… Satan held the trump card. But how did Satan have hold of us? It tells us in Scripture that he had the power of death in his hand. Because of the sin of Adam – everybody dies. That’s what it told us Romans 5. Romans 5 also tells us that because Adam let sin loose on us… all of us sin And Romans 6:23 tells us "… the wages of sin is death…"
Hebrews 2:14-15 tells us that the focus of Jesus on the cross was to defeat the power of death. It says He came and became like us. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." Death was Satan’s ultimate power over mankind.
Now, Satan knew the prophecy. He knew that this "seed of the woman" – this Jesus - had come to crush his head. Thus, he knew that he had to take Jesus out, before Jesus took him out. How was he going to do that? The Bible tells us that Satan had a number of tools as his disposal. We’re told that he is the master of deception (II Cor. 11:14) He’s a liar John 8:44, A tempter Matthew 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5
Throughout the Gospels, we see him using deception, lies, temptation, and false accusation on Jesus. But none of it works…So ultimately he fell back on his most powerful tool – death. Satan figured if he could kill this Jesus before Jesus could do what He’d come to do… … then he was home free. … he’d no longer have to fear the threat of God’s prophecy in the garden.
Several times Jesus warned His disciples. Luke 9:22; "Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day." By His death on the cross Jesus defeated death – Satan’s most powerful tool By His blood He purchased us from the dominion of Satan. As Colossians 1:13-14 says; "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" At one time, we belonged to Satan. But by the blood of Jesus, we’ve been bought back and brought into God’s love and mercy.
Years ago, there was a preacher in Boston Massachusetts named S.D. Gordon. One Sunday he got up into the pulpit and pulled out a rusty, old, beat-up rusty bird cage. First he explained how he had come by the cage. He said that that week he had encountered a boy of about 10 years old carrying this cage containing several miserable small birds that the boy had obviously trapped for some reason.
Curious, he asked the boy what he was intended to do with them. "I’m going to play with them...have some fun with them." the boy responded. Gordon thought about that for a moment - then asked "What will you do with them after that?" "Oh, I have some cats at home, and they like birds" said the boy.
That didn’t set too well with Mr. Gordon, so he asked the boy what he would take for the birds. Surprised, the boy blurted: "Mister, you don’t want to buy these birds. They’re ugly… They’re just field birds. They don’t sing, or anything."
Nevertheless, the preacher persisted, and soon struck a bargain with the boy for the birds. When the boy was out of sight, he opened the cage and set the birds free. In the pulpit, Gordon held up the empty cage and then he told another story. He told of how Satan had boasted that he had baited a trap and caught a world full of people. "What are you going to do with them!" Jesus asked him. "I’m going to play with them, tease them; make them marry and divorce, and fight and kill one another." Satan replied. "And when you get tired of playing with them. what will you do with them then!" Jesus asked. "Condemn them." Satan answered. ‘They’re no good anyway."
Jesus then asked what Satan would take for them. "You can’t be serious," the devil responded. ‘They would just spit on You. They’d hit you and hammer nails into You. They’re no good." "How much?" the Lord asked again. "All your tears and all your blood; that’s the price." Satan said gleefully. So Jesus paid the price, took the cage, and opened the door.
Four things God wants YOU to know:
1. You are lost and need a Savior:
"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
"As it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one:"
(Romans 3:10)
2. You cannot save yourself:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8, 9)
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" (Titus 3:5)
3. Christ died for you:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16, 17)
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
4. You must receive Christ as Your Savior:
"He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." (John 1:11, 12)
"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:30, 31)
SINNERS PRAYER:
"Lord, I know I am a sinner, I am sorry for my sins, I know I cannot save myself, I know Christ died for me and I accept Him as my Lord and Savor. Thank you for saving my soul. amen"