To Us a Son Is GivenSample

A Very Old Promise

We’ve already seen that Mary’s Child would fulfill the Promise of an Eternal King from David’s line. That Promise had dominated Israel’s hopes for centuries. However, a much older Promise was also being fulfilled, and like previous promises, this One had to do with a woman and a child.

Back in Genesis 3, before sin had stained God’s Good Creation, Adam and Eve enjoyed fellowship with God in the garden. The first couple was free to enjoy God, and they were given dominion over His Creation. However, Satan (through the serpent) deceived Eve into eating from the only tree that God had declared off-limits. Adam went along with his wife and disobeyed God, and this led to God’s Curse on Creation. In today’s reading, God declared that there would be war between the offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman. Yet, in the midst of this devastation, God gave a hope-filled Promise: Eve’s offspring would “bruise” the serpent’s head and ultimately prevail.

Sin and death continued to reign long after Eve and her children died, and it looked as if God’s Promise in Genesis 3 was in jeopardy. Even Israel’s greatest heroes of the faith could not overcome sin completely. But things were about to change with the birth of Christ. As a great, great, great grandchild of Eve, He would fulfill God’s long-standing Promise. The head of the serpent would soon be crushed through the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ.

Simple Summary

The birth of Jesus fulfilled a very old Promise made by God. After Adam and Eve (the first couple) sinned and brought a curse on God’s Good Creation in Genesis 3, God promised to defeat Satan through one of Eve’s children. However, the long and terrible reign of sin and death made it look as if God’s Promise would not come true. But many years later, a great, great-grandchild of Eve was born Who would fulfill God’s Promise. His Name was Jesus, and He defeated Satan through His Perfect Life, His Death on the Cross, and His Resurrection.

Pray

Thank God for keeping His Promises and for defeating sin and Satan through Christ’s Saving Work.