God's Love and Redemptive Plan on Display

It was an act of mercy for God to exile Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, and ultimately, it was an act of mercy to give them death. Their fallen condition was far beyond pitiful; they were not fit for immortality and a perfect relationship with God. They were broken and unable to exist as they were created. But Yahweh immediately communicated His gospel message in the midst of their shame.

As challenging as it is to render the perfect Garden of Eden in our minds, it is even more difficult to understand God’s love for His fallen image-bearers. Yet, He displayed unfathomable love toward humankind in an ultimate plan to fully restore the broken relationship. This was quickly conveyed in Genesis 3:15. While dealing with the serpent and man’s disobedience, God incorporated His plan of redemption. Yahweh stated,

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

After Adam and Eve’s disobedience, God conveyed that He would put enmity between the serpent and the seed. As a result, there would be hostility between the followers of the one who is the power behind the serpent and those who would trust in God. The serpent’s seed are people who follow Satan's deceptive ways. Conversely, the woman’s seed are the followers of the Lord.

Beyond the message of strife, there is significance in the word seed. The Hebrew word for seed has both collective and individual meanings. In Genesis 3:15, “Her seed” also denotes an individual. Note that He and him are masculine singular in Yahweh's statement. While conflict between the power of the evil one and the seed of the woman will continue, the Savior will bruise the evil one on the head; the Messiah will achieve full victory. Therefore, Genesis 3:15 announces the gospel of Jesus Christ in Scripture and projects through the subsequent covenants and the entire meta-narrative of the Bible.

Connecting to God's promise with Abraham, we see that Genesis 3:15 reaches through the entirety of Scripture. The Abrahamic Covenant looks back to Genesis 3:15 and ahead to the New Covenant. It guarantees a seed line involving Abraham and the people of Israel, which would be the means for blessing the nations of the world (Gen. 12:2–3). The ultimate blessing is the singular seed of promise, or Jesus Christ. Jesus is the epicenter of God’s kingdom program. He is the perfect Adam and the ultimate King.

At the beginning of the New Testament era, there was enormous anticipation concerning the Messiah and the kingdom of God. This environment permeated as Christ was born into the world. The angel Gabriel conveyed to Mary that she would have a Son who would be great and sit on the throne of His father David. He would rule over Israel forever (Luke 1:32–33). Zechariah prophesied that God was remembering the Abrahamic Covenant and would deliver Israel from her enemies (Luke 1:72–74).

The greater, ultimate Son of David (Jesus) had arrived, bringing salvation to all who believe in Him. In Galatians 3, Paul states that Gentile Christians are connected to the Abrahamic promises of Genesis 12:3 and 22:18, which declare that God’s blessings will one day extend to Gentiles. Brothers and sisters of the church are spiritual sons of Abraham and are linked to the Abrahamic covenant (Gal. 3:7–9, 29). Jesus’ death and resurrection inaugurated the New Covenant, and those who trust in Him benefit from it. This includes the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who enables Christians to obey God as they should (Rom. 8:3–4).

Indeed, the meta-narrative of Scripture pronounces Christ's victory from beginning to end. Starting with Genesis and ending in Revelation, Christ Jesus is the worthy King of all eternity. And those who believe in Him have received a love beyond human comprehension!

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Romans 5:12-21

 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the trespass of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the gracious gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.  For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

So then as through one transgression here resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were appointed sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be appointed righteous. Now the Law came in so that the transgression would increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.