"Looking unto Jesus" (part 3) - Offspring

Before diving in today, I am amazed that God worked it so that I would be posting a blog titled “offspring” on the day of my mother’s birthday.  In light of this, I wanted to take a moment to say how thankful I am to be Rose Mary Bauer’s son.  Further, I want to state how much of a blessing she is to me, and to so many others.  With that brief personal word given, let us move on to the main content.

In Genesis 3:15, God is pronouncing judgment; He says, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (English Standard Version).  Let’s look at the first few phrases of that verse today.  What does God mean when He says, “I will put enmity between you and the woman”?

I read a fascinating article that stated that women have an inbred hatred of snakes; according to studies, they are four times as likely to have a phobia of snakes as men.  The writer quotes from a psychologist from Carnegie Mellon University, who states that women are born with a “perceptual template that specifies the structure of snakes” and this stems from the need to protect their children.  (Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/definition-enmity.html)

Dr. William Varner adds, “Here is a promise not only of hope but also of warfare.  The Hebrew language and its wider context are referring to something greater than mankind’s loathing of snakes.  The verse could refer only to a battle between followers of the Lord and of Satan.”  (Source: https://answersingenesis.org/gospel/seed-promise-genesis-315/) 

Furthermore, God declares in Genesis 3, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring” (emphasis mine).  I agree with Don Stewart when he states that this cannot be referring to physical descendants of Satan; he says, “There is no indication that Satan ever had any physical offspring.” (From https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_756.cfm). Rather this refers to spiritual descendants; another source states that this refers to “evil men and demonic forces” (https://www.gotquestions.org/protoevangelium.html).

Who is the woman’s offspring?  This is where it gets really good!  The just-cited got questions.org article goes on to say, “The woman in question is in a general sense Eve herself, all of whose offspring would forever be harassed by Satan and his minions…More specifically, the offspring of the woman refers to Jesus Christ, who was born of a woman.”  An “amen” belongs here!  “We must remember that this promise [in Genesis 3:15] is only the beginning of a long series of Messianic prophecies,” says William Varner in the same resource quoted earlier. “Like an inverted pyramid, this portrait of Messiah rests on the only one who could fit these and many other prophecies concerning Him – Jesus of Nazareth.”  

In conclusion, this Jesus is not like any other man who ever lived; He is the Messiah, the One who is fully man and fully God.  After living a life of perfect righteousness, teaching the most profound sermons, and performing the most astonishing miracles, this Jesus “died for our sins…He was buried…and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).  And this Jesus can change your life today.

Kevin