The Fall of Man and the Victory of Christ

You will strike his heel and He will crush your head.-Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3 tells the story of the Fall of Humanity into sin. In this chapter we see that sin brings alienation from God, nature and mankind, however; in the midst of humanities darkest hour their is a bright ray of hope. This hope is found in Genesis 3:15 which contains the first picture of Christ with-in the Bible. The day is coming, God says, when Satan will be defeated and removed from the earth. The offspring of the woman will crush Satan. That decisive blow was struck by the perfect offspring of the woman Jesus Christ, when He died on the cross. This is one of the reasons why the eternal Son of God had to become a man-because it was the offspring of the woman who would crush Satan, but in turn be bruised.

Christ was bruised as He was beaten forty times minus one, but He crushed the head of the serpent because it was by His blood we are healed. Christ was bruised when He had the crown of thorns forced onto His brow but He crushed the head of the serpent when a crown of gold was placed on His brow and He became King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christ was bruised as He was mocked but He crushed the head of Satan when one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess Christ as Lord. Christ was bruised as He was forced to endure false trials but He crushed Satan when He willingly endured till the end. Christ was bruised as the nails were hammered into His arms and legs but He crushed the head of the serpent when He took the nails for us, when He endured the cross for our sins. Christ was bruised as He was put to death as a common criminal but He crushed the head as He died to offer His body as a payment for sin. Christ was bruised when He died on the cross, a spear thrust into His side causing blood and water to flow out, and He was taken down wrapped and placed into a cold and damp tomb but He crushed Satan when on the third day He rose from the dead, visited the disciples, ascended into Heaven and now sits at the Father's right hand forever living and pleading for you and me. CHRIST HAS CRUSHED THE HEAD OF THE SERPENT!

In Christ we can join with the Apostle Paul and say, death where is your sting, Hell where is your victory? In Christ we have life! In the midst of humanity's darkest hour we see the compassionate, consuming love of God for sinners shine the brightest!