You may have heard of Christmas in July, today we are going to look at Christmas in Genesis. The coming of Jesus was planned “in the beginning.” Let’s look at three truths that Genesis shows us about the coming of Jesus.
- Jesus is the Savior
There was a perfect created world in Genesis 1 and 2, then in Genesis 3 we are introduced to a “serpent” who says, to Adam and Eve “did God really say not to eat from the tree of good and evil?” They both disobeyed God and they immediately were ashamed, felt guilt, tried to cover themselves with fig leaves and tried to hide from God. God calls out to them to deal with what they had done and to cover them properly. God has a conversation with Adam, then Eve, then with the serpent. Here’s part of that dialogue to the Serpent.
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 (NIV)
This is the first prophecy in the Scriptures
God’s words to Satan (v. 15) are called the protevangelium, “the first Gospel,” because this is the first announcement of the coming Savior found in the Bible. To God’s Old Covenant people, this verse was a beacon of hope (Gal. 4:1-4); to Satan, it was God’s declaration of war, climaxing in his condemnation (Rom. 16:20); and to Eve, it was the assurance that she was forgiven and that God would use a woman to bring the Redeemer into the world.
This verse also reveals the fact that now there is to be a long struggle between good and evil. This is exactly what you will find in the rest of the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus made this statement in His day concerning this struggle: “You are of your father the devil” John 8:44. The Lord Jesus Christ made the distinction between children of God and children of Satan. John again mentions this conflict in 1 John 3:10: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not practice righteousness is not of God.” We have brought before us the fact that here is a conflict, here is a struggle, and here are two seeds in the world. There will be the final victory — but the long-continued struggle is important to note. Every one of us must face temptation and must win his battle. Before Christ came, the victory was through obedience in faith. After Christ came, we are to identify ourselves with Christ through faith. What does it mean to be saved? It means to be in Christ.
Notice that it says “her seed.” It does not say the man’s seed. Here is at least the suggestion of the virgin birth of Christ. Woman doesn’t have a seed/sperm. It comes from a man. The Savior will come only from the woman, not from a man. Jesus would be fully man, getting his DNA from Mary the virgin and fully God, as the angel Gabriel explained, to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Also, when God went into that garden looking for Adam and Eve, He said, “Where are you?” Any study of religion tells the story of humanity’s search for God. That is not the way God tells it. Salvation is God’s search for us. Adam and Even tried to hide from God and God called to them, “Where are you?” We have all of that in these verses in Genesis 3 — the promise of the coming of the Savior, who said, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
God seeks out man, and He offers man salvation, but there is going to be a long struggle that will take place.
- Jesus is a Blessing to all
Speaking to Abraham, an old, childless man who would be the father of God’s people, God says,
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:3 (NIV)
God did not give Abraham reasons or explanations; He simply gave him promises:
Just think: this is a blessing so great that it blesses all the families upon earth, all the families who have lived or ever will live. A blessing this great could only refer to the Savior. Only God Himself—through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—could do something so great that it would literally bless every single family upon earth throughout all the generations of human history.
It must have seemed incredible to Abraham and Sarah that God would bless the whole world through an elderly childless couple, but that is just what He did. From them came the nation of Israel, and from Israel came the Bible and the Savior. God reaffirmed this covenant with Isaac (Gen. 26:4) and Jacob (28:14) and fulfilled it in Christ (Acts 3:25-26).
Has Abraham been a blessing to all mankind? Yes! Through the Lord Jesus Christ he has been a blessing to the whole world. Also the entire Word of God has come to us through Abraham.
- Jesus is the King
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. Genesis 49:10 (NIV)
This is one of the more remarkable prophecies in all the Word of God. Already we have been told that there will be a Seed of the woman. The “seed” of the woman is the One who will do the bruising of the serpent’s head. He will be the One to get the victory.
This first prophecy was in Genesis; then that Seed was confirmed to Abraham as a Blessing to all. Now it is confirmed to Judah — out of Judah’s line He is coming.
Christ is the One who will hold the scepter. The scepter is what kings held demonstrating power and authority. The scepter of this universe will be held in nail-pierced hands.
Think of all that the coming of Christ means: He is the Seed promised to the woman and to the patriarchs. He is the Blessing to all nations. He is the King who holds the scepter. It’s a wonderful fact that God is moving according to a plan of action.
Christ our Savior is born of a Virgin, a Blessing to all and King of Kings. Merry Christmas!
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