June 10, 2004

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).

This remarkable title is the heart of the first promise and prophecy regarding the world's Redeemer. Every messianic title stems from this one.

The seed is a symbol of life and hope. That Christ is the seed indicates that He is the source of life. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). The burning hope of the promised Messiah was kept alive in the history of the Old Testament. The apostle Paul confirmed this expectation. "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to your Seed,' who is Christ" (Galatians 3:16, NKJV).

The Seed of the woman was heaven's effective solution for the sin problem. Of course, the final elimination of evil carried a heavy price tag. In the deadly conflict with the forces of evil, the Seed of the woman would be bruised. He would not come out unscathed. The nail marks in His hands and feet and the scar in His side are battle marks that will forever remind Him and the redeemed of the fierceness of the battle at Calvary (see Zechariah 13:6; John 20:25). But thank God, the Seed of the woman has mortally crushed the serpent's head, and Satan is a conquered foe! The empty tomb is the irrefutable proof of Christ's decisive victory over sin and death.

"When Christ died on the cross, Satan triumphed, but his triumph was short... Christ was nailed to the cross, but thus He gained His victory. Through death He destroyed him that had the power of death. By becoming the Sin-Bearer, He lifted from the human race the penalty of transgression."--Manuscript Releases, vol. 12, p. 398.

My Prayer Today: Lord, the echo of the empty tomb is a shout of victory. Thank You, Lord for this victory. Amen.