Advent Journey - Following the Seed From Eden to Bethlehem Shembull

Day 25

B-O-O-M!

Jesus (64)  [Second Adam, Son of God] 

For 25 days we’ve been following the Seed. Finally, on Christmas Day, THE Seed arrives in our Advent Journey.

We know the story. The manger scene. Mary and Joseph. Shepherds. Maybe donkeys and goats. There’s a star in the sky to mark this historic moment. But the real star of the story is down below, wrapped in cloth, sleeping comfortably on the hay as the song says. It’s Baby Jesus. 

Stepping back from the manger, let’s look at the big picture. 

It’s a much larger story. We’ve been following it for 25 days. It’s the story of two Adams.

We started in Eden – where the first Adam appeared, formed by God’s hands from the dust of the ground. Four thousand years and sixty-three generations later, the second Adam, Jesus, appeared in Bethlehem as a newborn child, born of a virgin mother, conceived by the Holy Spirit. 

Neither the first or second Adam came from the seed of an earthly father. They were uniquely “sons of God” (Luke 1:35, 3:38). Jesus came to redeem a fallen world – to atone for the sins started by the first Adam. 

The Genesis 3:15 promise was one step closer to fulfillment. But the mission was not over yet. 

The battle between good and evil was still raging. For four thousand years, Satan sought to destroy the Seed. Even at the Bethlehem moment, the serpent was still at work.  

A king named Herod issued a decree to kill all baby boys. He had heard rumors about this King of the Jews. In a dream, an angel told Joseph to escape to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. THE Seed remained on the run from the enemy. After Herod died, Jesus and his family returned to Nazareth where he grew up a Nazarene.

Then one day, after living a perfect life, Jesus gave himself up as a living blood sacrifice, as a spotless lamb, for the sins of the world. 

The 4,000 years of animal sacrifices were over. All the previous sacrifices were a picture of THE Seed on the cross. 

A few days later, the unthinkable happened. Jesus returned to earth. THE Seed had been raised from the dead!

Still today the battle with the Serpent is not fully over. Satan has dominion on earth. Sin is still alive. 

One day in the future THE Seed from Heaven will return to take up His Church… those who have believed on Him for salvation of their souls. 

And at some point later still, there will be another dark encounter with the enemy. There’s an epic battle planned and a final fall of Babylon. (Yes, again! See Revelation 18.) Then the “ancient serpent” will be captured and bound (Rev. 20:2). 

After a period of time, the serpent will be released and then put away into a forever-burning lake of fire.

B-O-O-M! 

Remember that sound from our Day 1 discussion? That’s the sound of the Genesis 3:15 promise. When the seed of the women finally crushes the head of the serpent…forever. 

What a plan! What a journey! 

Merry Christmas, Friends!

You can read the Christmas story with your family at Matthew 1:18-2:23; Luke 2:1-21. It’s been a privilege to share this Advent Journey with you. I hope it’s been a blessing to you and your family.

Jeff Anderson