The Road To Bethlehem: A First Prophecy

As we continue on the road to Bethlehem, I want to look at what I think to be the first prophecy concerning Jesus. This can be found in the third chapter of Genesis.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Genesis 3:15

• This part of Genesis 3 deals with the curses that God has made after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and fell into sin.
• Specifically, here we are reading from the curse on the serpent (representing Satan)
• We can infer three things about Jesus from this prophecy.
1. He will be born to a virgin
2. He will destroy the power of Satan in our lives
3. He will suffer in saving us
• God says He will put enmity between the woman and the serpent. What is enmity? Hate
• Who's offspring (descendent) will have strike against the serpents? the woman's
• This indicates that a descendent of Eve will do this. In other words, the person who does this will have to be born rather than just created like Adam and Eve were.
• Furthermore, if you notice, instead of saying their (Adam's and Eve's) offspring it says hers. Some people who have written Bible commentaries (and have probably done a whole lot more study of this than I have) interpret this as indicating that this person referred to here will have an earthly mother but not a father. How can this happen?

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:18

• Jesus was conceived in Mary through the Holy Spirit! He had an earthly mother but not a father (although Joseph took care of him as if he were).
• The serpent represents Satan - the devil. The head refers to authority or power.
• This prophecy says Jesus will crush the serpent's head? What do you think that will do to the serpents power? end his power
• What did the serpent lead Adam and Eve to do? sin
• Do you recall what the wages of sin are? death
• If Jesus has died for our sins and we have accepted him as lord and savior, does the serpent still have power over us? no
• This verse ends with "you will strike his heel." The Hebrew word for strike can mean to bruise or to break or crush. The word for heel may also be translated footstep or footprint. Though I am not a Hebrew scholar, I might translate this as "You will break him where He walks."
• Where was Jesus broken? the cross
• Aren't you glad that when Jesus died on the cross that he rose from the dead and wasn't defeated after all?
• From this one verse here, we can sense God foretelling (prophesying) Jesus' birth, purpose (to crush the power of sin) and death. I don't know if Adam and Eve understood all of this at the time, but I'm glad that from looking at all of the Bible we can understand this!