THE SEED OF VICTORY

By Tom Lane

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." Genesis 3:15

Are you aware that an eternal spiritual struggle began in the Garden of Eden and you're part of it? The first mention of this spiritual struggle appears in the third chapter of Genesis. It not only points to the nature of the conflict but also refers to the ultimate solution.

You’re probably familiar with this story. Eve is deceived by Satan, who takes on the form of a serpent. Adam willingly joins Eve in the sin and voilà, we have the Fall of Man. But, in that moment of pain, grief, and unparalleled loss comes the greatest expression of hope the world has ever known. God declares these words of impending victory to the satanic power behind the serpent:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” That declaration from God is often referred to as the protoevangelium, which simply means it is the first (proto-) announcement of the good news of the gospel (evangelium). This is also one of the first mentions of the word “seed,” and similar to how a seed holds potential for the future, this verse encapsulates the entire gospel.

It’s so amazing that, at the beginning of time, God was sharing about how humanity would defeat the serpent once and for all. Although you may not realize it at first glance, Jesus is also present in Genesis 3:15. How so? Jesus is the ultimate Seed who would one day come to crush the serpent’s head. Because of Him, God’s prophetic pronouncement of victory in the Garden of Eden was ultimately fulfilled thousands of years later through His death on the cross. Born of a descendant of Eve and of the Father, Jesus was the “Seed” in human form who came to redeem man and defeat Satan and his rebellion. Paul highlights this truth in Ephesians 1:4 (ESV) when he writes: “God chose us in Jesus before the foundation of the world ....”

The whole Bible, the story of God’s provision and victory in battle over sin for humanity, is possible because of a seed planted in the very beginning. This verse is an early invitation to choose between the enemy’s side and the Lord’s in the eternal conflict for our souls. When we surrender to Christ’s work in our lives, we choose the victorious outcome. The word “seed” often represents potential and beginnings, but here’s the best news of all, Jesus—the holy “Seed”—is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the conflict. And when we choose Him, we get to share in the experience of His victory over sin and death. By choosing Him, we’re choosing life.

Prayer

Lord, we thank You for Your redeeming work in our lives. We stand with You in this battle to resist Satan as we reveal Your love to all those we encounter, proclaim the good news of Your love, and show others the way to relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Memory Verse

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 (ESV)