MANKIND’S RELATIONSHIP TO GOD AND EACH OTHER POST FALL (Genesis 3:15-19)
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Thomas Cole 1827-28
The new post Fall status is what God declared to Adam states what man’s life would be like now that sin is in the world. The conditions of this new status exist from the Fall in the Garden of Eden until the Kingdom Age (Romans 8:21). There is no appeal and there are no human conditions or responsibility involved. The outcome of the arrangement is entirely based on God and His sovereign control. Mankind has no personal activity immediately assigned such as “if you do this then I God will do that.” Elements of the status are the cursing of the serpent used by Satan (Genesis 3:14; Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 11:3, 14; Revelation 12:9), and the promise of a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). We see in both of these prophecies in the advents of Christ.
Prior to the fall, woman’s position in comparison to the man’s was subordinate due to Adam’s divinely ordained headship. After the fall stronger headship was invested in man due to woman’s responding to the serpent. The multiplied sorrow and pain of women in childbirth and motherhood is also mentioned. Man would henceforth earn his living by sweat (Genesis 2:15); man’s life would now be filled with sorrow and ultimate death (Genesis 3:19; Ephesians 2:5). The most significant curse was the spiritual death, which Adam and Eve experienced “on the day they ate of the fruit.” A flaming cherub was placed as a testimonial to the restriction of the covenant.
Genesis 3: 14 And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
This begins the new status. It has four sections. Each section is a direct statement by God directed to:
- The Serpent
- Satan
- The Woman
- The Man
The serpent, which allowed itself to be used by Satan and caused the downfall of mankind, is now held responsible for its actions. It is cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field. In fact this curse continues into the Kingdom Age (Isaiah 65: 25).
Following this the Lord said that the serpent would be destined to crawl upon its belly. This means that it was at one point upright. There is no mention of any legs though. Finally the Lord states that the serpent would eat dust all the days of its life. Since the serpent does not have an actual diet of dust we see a Hebrew idiomatic phrase in place here. The term “eat dust” is one used by the vanquisher over his enemies. In a contemporary setting we see this in automobile races. The winner states that the loser has “eaten his dust.” The Old Testament uses this term in much the same way in Micah 7: 17; Psalm 72: 9 and Isaiah 49: 23).
Genesis 3: 15 and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
This verse is called the Proto-Evangelium since it is the first appearance of the Gospel. Conversely it is also the first prophecy the Lord gave us of the Antichrist.
The supernatural origin of Antichrist is by means of a counterfeit virgin conception. The supernatural origin is found in Genesis 3:15. There are two pairs listed here.
- Enmity between Satan and the woman
- The second pair is the seeds of the Woman and the seed of Satan.
The fifteenth verse, which is directed at Satan, has four provisions. The first provision is a special animosity between the woman and Satan This provision is persistent and brought about because of women’s special redemptive role, which we will see in subsequent text. The first satanic attack of women is shown in Genesis six where demons intermarry with human women attempting to stop the Messiah from coming. A worldwide flood stopped this attempt. It is important to note though that the second pair is the enmity between Satan’s seed and the woman’s seed. Women do not have the seed for procreation, men do. However since Jesus was born of a virgin (Isa 7:14) the expression “her seed” represents a miraculous conception.
The reference in this verse to Satan’s seed implies a supernatural, miraculous conception too. From this passage and Daniel 9: 26-27 then it can be deduced that Satan will someday impregnate a Roman woman who will give birth to Satan’s seed who is going to be the Antichrist. The woman might not be a virgin because Scripture does not affirm this but he will be conceived through supernatural means. Consider II Thessalonians 2:8-9.
2Th 2:8-9 And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming; [even he], whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders
The Greek word translated working is energeo, which means to energize. So then the coming of Antichrist will originate by the energizing that comes from Satan. The counterfeit Son of the unholy Trinity will be brought about by a counterfeit virgin conception. A time is coming when the events of Genesis six will be repeated. The fallen anointed Cherub Satan (Lucifer) will impregnate a Roman woman to give birth to Satan’s son. The product of this conception will be a counterfeit god-man. This will be expanded in Genesis chapter six.
The second provision states that the provision will continue as the text states “between your seen and her seed.” The seed of the woman is The Messiah Himself, The Lord Jesus. In the Bible genealogies are traced through the males lines. It is not until Isaiah 7: 14 that Bible explains this as the Messiah coming from the womb of a virgin. The seed of the woman also implies a supernatural conception. The Lord Jesus had no human father. Joseph was his stepfather.
The third provision promises a curse, which is: “he shall bruise your head.” The woman’s seed, Jesus, gives the bruising to Satan by His death and resurrection (Hebrews 2: 14-18). The word bruise is harmful but not fatal. Satan is still alive but has a terminal condition due to Christ’s finished work. Because of Romans 16: 20 and Revelation 20: 10 we know that Satan’s final demise will be in the Lake of Fire. This will be a “crushing” of the head of the serpent. In which case his demise will be eternal.
The forth provision in Genesis 3: 15 is: “You shall bruise his heel.” Satan bruised the heel of the Woman’s Seed, which represents the crucifixion. The bruising of the heel while painful is not terminal. The bruising and crushing can be best understood with imagery regarding the Hebrew’s method of dispensing of poisonous snakes in Israel. They must crush its head in order to completely eliminate its threat. As the heel of Messiah comes down on the serpent (Satan) the serpent rises up to bite His heel causing pain but not pain leading to an eternal pain (death). As the heel of Messiah continues to descend on Satan even though it has been bitten (the crucifixion) He is not dead so the heel continues down to finally crush the serpent’s head ending in his demise.
The fact that the Messiah had to come is well attested to in Scripture which starts with this foundational verse, Genesis 3: 15. One unique aspect of the Scriptures of Christianity is the prophecies and validated fulfillment at later times in the long chronology of the Bible’s story. These alone attest to the Scripture’s validity. Christ, after He was risen explained many of the prophecies in the Bible and the fact that He had to die in order to accomplish the task He was to sent to do (Luke 24: 25-27). Christ’s first advent is well prophesied in Scripture. Some of those are:
He would be born in Bethlehem in the region of Ephrathah.
Introduced in Micah 5: 2 and fulfilled in Matthew 2: 1-5
He would be the Son of God
Introduced in Psalm 2: 7 and fulfilled in John 3: 16-17
He would be born into the Hebrew tribe of Judah
Genesis 49: 10 and fulfilled in Hebrews 7: 14
He would be born of a virgin
Introduced in Isaiah 7: 14 and fulfilled in Matthew 1: 18-22
He would be a prophet like Moses
Introduced in Deuteronomy 18: 15 and fulfilled in John 7: 15-17
He would be the king of Israel
Introduced in Zechariah 9: 9 and fulfilled in John 12: 12-15
He would be rejected
Introduced in Isaiah 53: 3 and fulfilled in John 1: 11
He would be beaten
Introduced In Micah 5: 1 and fulfilled in Mark 15: 19
He would be silent during his interrogation
Introduced in Isaiah 53: 7 and fulfilled in Matthew 27: 12-14
He would be betrayed
Introduced in Psalm 41: 9 and fulfilled in Mark 14: 17-20
He would be tried and condemned
Introduced in Isaiah 53: 8 and fulfilled Matthew 27: 1-2
He would be crucified
Introduced in Psalm 22: 16 and fulfilled in John 19: 17-18
His garments would be divided
Introduced in Psalm 22: 18 and fulfilled in John 19: 23-24
He would be given gall and vinegar
Introduced in Psalm 69: 21 and fulfilled in John 19: 28-29
His bones would not be broken
Introduced in Exodus 12: 46 and fulfilled in John 19: 31-36
He is our sacrifice
Introduced in Isaiah 53: 5-6 and fulfilled in I Peter 2: 24-25
He was raised from the dead
Introduced in Psalm 16: 10 and fulfilled in Luke 24: 1-7 and 47
The resurrection of Christ is the most significant event in all of world history. It provides a remedy for the Fall that we have seen which came into all the earth as a result of the sin of our first family Adam and his wife. If one truly believes in the historical facts of the Gospel and is regenerated (Titus 3: 5) one is granted eternal life through the finished work of Jesus of Nazareth (Romans 6:23). The gospel is clearly presented in several places in Scripture. None are clearer than I Corinthians 15.
1 Corinthians 15: 1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (KJV):
This is why the celebration of Christ’s resurrection is the highest holiday in the Christian’s year. It is the most important. If there was no resurrection, Christianity is a deception, and we are wasting our time. But the truth is, the event of Jesus’ resurrection is unquestionable. It is historical fact.
Daniel E. Woodhead Ph.D.
Content retrieved from: http://doctorwoodhead.com/mankinds-relationships-post-fall/?fbclid=IwAR0JffURySre7hkl71JtM0p0ee3mDSLQLxU-dkKPGtTsmRLReUzPSgrh7PQ.