With apologies to the sensitive and easily-offended loved ones in my life, I make this candid confession: I eventually throw away every Christmas card I receive. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for each one. I just don’t see any reason to keep them.

There is only one Christmas card I have ever kept – and I still possess it to this day. I have kept it because of its uniqueness. I’ve never seen another like it. It is perhaps the only Christmas card I’ve ever seen that truly captures the epic nature of the Christmas event – the incarnation of God in Christ through the Spirit.

The cover pictures a green-scaled dragon curled up in defiant submission. A golden arrow reigns down from the sky and is perched to pierce the dragon’s neck, delivering a death-blow to the ferocious beast. The inside of the card reads:

The dragon has been slain!
The destroyer’s power has been broken.
Jesus Christ, the long-awaited deliverer, has set us free.
May your Christmas season be filled with joy as you celebrate His birth.

Most Christmas cards communicate an overly-sentimental and “homey” theme of peace and love. Others more specifically speak of Jesus, but again, usually in a charming, folksy sort of way. Very few Christmas cards communicate the epic importance of the birth of Jesus. Jesus did not come merely to make us feel warm inside. Nor did he come simply to bring forgiveness for sins. No, Jesus came for much bigger reasons: to liberate the entire cosmos from the rule and reign of the evil powers of sin, death, and the devil – powers that were unleashed by the ancient serpent of old, the great deceiver of humanity.

The gospel is an epic story. Over the past few years, Americans have been absorbed in a number of epic stories – the Harry Potter series, the Matrix trilogy, and the Lord of the Rings, to name just a few. Sadly, most Christians fail to realize that the story of the Bible is the epic story of stories and that the incarnation of our Lord is the most epic event in all human history. Its significance is universal. Its impact is cosmic. All the evil powers and principalities in the world were united in their opposition to this birth, both enraged by it and determined to thwart God’s intention through it.

The birth of the “seed of the woman” who is destined to crush the head of the evil serpent is the “devil’s burden.” It makes his existence maddening. It is the source of his unending rage. And God is behind the whole thing!

The cosmic significance of the birth of Christ finds its source in Genesis 3:14-15. This passage is one of the most important verses in the entire Bible. Genesis 3:15 has even earned a name among scholars: the “protoevangelium” – God’s first and foundational promise of redemption.

Genesis 3:15 is not only God’s original word of promise; it is the first prophetic text in the Bible. Because God is faithful to his word the fulfillment of this promise is assured. In this promise/prophecy, God provides us with a glimpse of all that is to come in human history. As God’s original promise, we obtain a glimpse of the person and mission of the One who is going to be the central figure in the unfolding drama of the redemption of the world – the seed of the woman, Jesus the Christ.

This promise/prophecy is for all people and extends over all time. Because it is given immediately after humankind’s fall into sin, not one person has ever lived on this earth without this promise of a coming redeemer. Because this promise/prophecy encompasses all human history, not a single person is exempt from playing a part in the unfolding drama of God’s saving work. Clearly, the foundational nature and universal import of the protoevangelium makes it the most significant promise in the entire Bible. All further biblical revelation is merely commentary on this original word of the gospel.

In the protoevangelium, God’s promise is fulfilled as God’s plan unfolds in the context of intense conflict. The promise suggests three distinct battles between three distinct groups of people: (1) between Eve and the serpent, (2) between Eve’s seed and the serpent’s seed, and finally, (3) between one male descendant and the serpent. Furthermore, the three groups chronicle three distinct periods of time in the cosmic conflict: present, future, and climax.

• Present: Personal conflict between the woman and the serpent
• Future: Another conflict between the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed
• Final: Climactic battle between the male descendant and the serpent

Cursing the Serpent (14)

After confronting Adam and Eve with their sin, the Lord God turns to speak to the serpent. In contrast to the Lord’s dialogue with Adam and Eve, there is no dialogue with the serpent – only immediate judgment. God’s judgment begins where the sin began – with the serpent.

It is important to note that only the serpent is directly cursed by God; Adam and Eve are not personally cursed by God. Instead, they are faced with the painful consequences of their sin. God’s curse upon the serpent demonstrates that there is no hope of redemption for the beast. The serpent can only look forward to an existence of humiliation, shame, and ultimate defeat. Since the serpent is not offered any hope of restoration, it is likely that the Lord is not speaking primarily for the sake of the serpent, but for the sake of our first parents, for hidden in the serpent’s curse is the promise of human restoration.

Who is “the Serpent”? We gain insight on the serpent’s identity through the textual clues contained within the passage under study. The serpent is personally addressed (note the repeated use of the second person masculine pronoun, “you”). The serpent is also mysteriously different than the humans. Whoever or whatever the serpent is, his existence spans far beyond any conceivable human lifetime. The serpent that tempts Eve is the same serpent of the final conflict; he is the one – not his “seed” – who “the seed of the woman” will strike with a crushing blow to his head.

We gain further insight by comparing Genesis 3:14 with the whole context of the sacred canon. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, we discover that the serpent represents an intelligent, personal power of evil identified as Satan – a fallen angel opposed to God’s purpose.

• But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ… And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Co 11:3, 14)
• And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Rev. 12:9)
• And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)

It is important to make this connection. The curse in verse 14 does not merely apply to snakes. The point of the text is not simply to explain why snakes crawl on their bellies. The phrases of humiliation – “on your belly you shall go” and “dust you shall eat” – are directed to a fallen evil power and not simply to a limbless animal.

“On your belly shall you go” points to the serpent’s miserable condition. “He is to be for ever looked upon as a vile and despicable creature, and a proper object of scorn and contempt.”[1] But the serpent’s humiliation extends beyond this.

“And dust shall you eat all the days of your life.” This is clearly figurative language: Snakes do not literally eat dust. God’s declaration that the serpent will “eat dust” is language of conquest and defeat. In ancient times, a conquering king would literally make his enemies a footstool by forcing their face into the dirt with his feet.[2] Taken together, these “words depict and describe humiliation and utter degradation. To this day one of the most humiliating things that anyone can be forced to do is to lie on his belly in the dirt. It means pride has been brought low; he is humiliated, shamed.”[3]

Pastor Ray Stedman labels this unending state of humiliation as “the devil’s burden.” The devil’s burden is that he will be humiliated and defeated “all the days of his life.” It is a constant and unending humiliation. “It is the devil's burden that he shall always end up as the defeated one, the humiliated one, fallen on his belly in the dust, eating dust in degradation and humiliation.”[4]

In 1968, the Rolling Stones sung of “sympathy for the devil.” In Genesis 3:14 – the prelude to the protoevangelium – there is no sympathy for the devil whatsoever. The serpent is cursed and doomed to a humiliating existence. He is declared a perpetual enemy who is destined for destruction. This gives us insight into why the serpent rages against God – like a wounded animal, he knows his time is short. This also sheds light on why he seeks to devour human prey – like an insane killer who senselessly murders innocent bystanders and then turns the gun upon himself; he refuses to go down alone.

How will this humiliation and ultimate defeat come about? What will be the context for it? The protoevangelium provides the answer. The context is one of bitter conflict – of holy war. The climax involves the arrival of “the seed of the woman” to crush the head of the serpent.

God's Holy War (15)

God declares to the serpent, “I will put (or set) enmity.” The “enmity” is emphatic. Enmity is the first word in the Hebrew which literally reads, “Enmity I will set between you and the woman.” Enmity is a deep bitter hatred or hostility toward another.

Believe it or not, the cosmic conflict about to ensue in the remaining pages of the Bible (and carrying on into your life) has been initiated by God. God has set the enmity there – not as a result of God’s original intention for the world, but as a righteous response to sin, evil, and death; in other words, for the purposes of redemption.

God did not “start” the fight, but he will end it. Even more, God will use it to bring about a greater good. Though evil seeks to undermine and thwart God’s purposes, God responds with a promise of redemption that will be worked out in midst of a world shattered by the consequences of human and angelic sin. As a response to evil, God initiates and controls the conflict for his purpose – for redemptive ends.

The first stage of the conflict is “between you (the serpent) and the woman (Eve).” The first stage is easy to understand: we can see why Eve would detest the one who had betrayed her with his lies. Eve would continually abhor the one who had so cleverly and ruthlessly led her astray. Furthermore, the serpent would despise the humans, knowing that from the human race (“the seed of the woman”) one would arise who would bring his ultimate doom.

Even though the conflict begins with the serpent and the woman, it extends beyond them. The second stage is “between your (the serpent’s) seed and her (Eve’s) seed.”

Who or what is this “seed”? “Seed” (Heb., “zera”) is found 59 times in Genesis and another 172 times in the remainder of the Old Testament. It is a common term meaning “descendants”.[5] Like the English words, “sheep” and “fish”, “seed” can be either singular or plural, denoting a single seed[6] or many seeds. In Hebrew, this word can be used for an individual or it can be used collectively (a single person representing the whole).

Additionally, “zera” can also carry the concept of “nature”. The modern cliché, “the acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree” and the phrase, “bad seed,” captures this use of “zera,” highlighting the close resemblance between the seed and that which has produced it.

Ultimately, the promise refers to a conflict between two types of people – those related to the woman (even more particularly, the promise given to the woman), and those related to the serpent. The seed of the serpent does not refer to demons – Satan does not actually “father” demons – but to humanity in rebellion against God.

The seed of the serpent describes those who both identify with (whether intentionally or unintentionally) and share the nature of the evil one. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44, italics mine). John applies this even more particularly to fallen humanity in his first epistle: “the one who practices sin is of the devil… By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:8, 10).

God’s seed consists of those who believe God’s promise. This group consists of those who “call upon the name of the Lord” (cf. Gen. 4:25-26). As the biblical story progresses, God’s seed is specifically associated with Abraham and his sons. In the New Testament, Paul asserts that all believers are declared “Abraham’s seed” by faith in Jesus.

• For this reason the promise is by faith, that it might be in accordance with grace, in order that the promise may be certain to all the descendants [lit. "seed"], not only to those who are of the Law [Jews], but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham [Gentiles], who is the father of us all, (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”). (Romans 4:16-17a)
• And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring [lit. "seed"], heirs according to promise. (Galatians 3:29; cf. 3:16)

Identification as God’s seed is not primarily ethnic, but spiritual. It has to do with our relationship to God’s promise apart from ethnic association. This is nothing new in God’s saving plan. Not all those in Israel could be described as God’s seed. Only those who embraced the promise of God were God’s seed.

It is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel, neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants [lit. "seed"], but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.” That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants [lit. "seed"]. (Romans 9:6-8)

Abraham fathered both Ishmael and Isaac and yet Ishmael is not regarded as “seed” while Isaac is. Isaac fathered the twins, Esau and Jacob. Both came from the same womb – from the same physical “seed” according to ancient understanding. And yet, Esau was not God’s “seed” and Jacob was.

According to the protoevangelium, these two seeds (“children of the flesh” and “children of the promise”) will experience enmity and conflict toward one another. This conflict begins immediately in the book of Genesis and carries on throughout the Bible. The conflict begins between Cain and Abel. Cain, who was of the evil one (1 John 3:12), murders Abel who was righteous through faith in God’s promise (Heb 11:4). Cain is the serpent’s seed, sharing his nature (John 8:44; esp. 1 John 3:4-12) and the serpent’s curse (Gen. 4:11). As the biblical record continues and the redemptive seed is aligned with the people of Israel, the serpent seeks to annihilate Israel in order to eliminate the seed. One gains great insight into the spiritual warfare underlying the story of the Bible when it is read in light of this conflict between two seeds proclaimed in the protoevangelium.

This conflict between the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed will not continue forever. The climax of the conflict – the third stage – is stated like this: “He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” The conflict climaxes in one male seed striking a definitive crushing blow to the serpent. Suddenly, a male descendant emerges who crushes the head of the serpent (a complete and decisive victory) yet not without being bruised on the heel by serpent (in other words, he will suffer as well).[7]

Christ is the “seed of the woman” (Rev. 12:1-5; Gal. 3:16, 19; 1 John 3:8), the new man, the second Adam (Ro 5:12-21; 1 Co 15:20-22, 45-49). He is the descendant in the line of promise. As such, Christ is the seed who crushes the serpent’s head (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8).

• Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14)
• The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
• And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col. 2:15)

Jesus’ entire life is one raging blow against evil which climaxes in Christ’s death-blow at the cross. “At the cross we see both the wounded Christ and the crushing of Satan’s head.”[8]

The gospel of the protoevangelium accords with Christus Victor – one of the most ancient ways to understanding the achievement of the cross. Christ is the great warrior, the promised seed, who, through suffering and death, delivers a final and fatal blow to the evil powers – sin, death, and the devils. Christ Jesus, through his incarnation, death, and resurrection, conquers all evil powers. He does this in order to bring redemption to all humanity. Jesus, the mighty warrior, conquers in the most unlikely way – through the weakness of the cross. This is the victory that overcomes the world!

Through faith in Christ we share in his victory. By identifying with God’s promise we embrace our identity as God’s seed. Like Christ, the war we wage is not against human beings, but against evil powers and principalities that tragically deceive and use humans. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies” (Eph. 6:10). For this reason, we conquer not through military might, hatred, or violence, but through faith, hope, and love.

It is vitally important to note that the Christ – the seed of the woman – does not wage war with the seed of the serpent but with the serpent himself! We do not conquer through the tactics and strategies of the serpent, but through the love, mercy, grace, and peace of the Prince of peace. We wage war by imitating Christ, and loving people to death – ours, not theirs. We follow our God, who personally enters human history in the person of Christ and willingly suffers under the full weight of his own curse.

The Devil’s Burden

It is through loss, failure, shame, and humiliation that Christ conquers. This is the devil’s burden – no matter what he unleashes, God absorbs it and uses it for good. His every apparent victory is merely a set-up for ultimate defeat. Not even the cross – the most humiliating, shameful, inhuman, and unloving human torture invention ever devised – can thwart God’s love and gracious purpose for us!

As Erwin Lutzer has pointed out, the serpent had no idea of the full consequences of his rebellion. He cannot possibly win, and it enrages him. Like a caged animal, he fights. Like an insane murderer, he kills. And yet, every lash is turned against him and used by God to fulfill God’s purposes. “Although Lucifer rebelled that he might no longer be God’s servant, he still is!”[9]

The devil's burden is that the victories which he achieves become also his defeats. There is this strange twist by which the victories that the devil accomplishes are turned by God's power and wisdom into the place of his utmost defeat. He succeeds in bruising Christ's heel; but that bruised heel is what finally crushes the serpent's head. You can see this so clearly in the cross. It was the bruising of the cross that made possible the smashing triumph of the resurrection. You can see it also in the events of our own lives and in the events of world history.[10]

The devil’s rage is increased with every frustrating failure. His torment begins before his time. We should never underestimate this enemy – he is enraged. But neither should we overestimate him – his ultimate intentions are always thwarted. Even worse, they are turned and used against him for good. “The God we serve is the kind who is continually taking the worst the devil can do and turning it into glorious victory.”[11] All the devil's furious rage and wicked schemes merely advance God’s purpose and plan. He is a pathetic creature – miserable, tormented, and defeated.

As a child of promise, you share in the victory of the seed of the woman. Paul promises that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20). This future victory of all God’s people is rooted in the individual victory of “the seed” – Jesus, the Christ. We will participate in the ultimate humiliation of all evil powers. The creatures that the serpent deceived will become his ultimate destroyers.

Conclusion

Genesis 3:15 is God’s promise concerning the ultimate defeat of evil and the ultimate redemption of the world. Evil will not have the final word in God’s creation – no matter how it has been invaded and disordered by evil. Thus, the gospel is always a message of hope.

The story of the Bible is the story of God’s salvation of humanity through the seed of the woman. For this reason, the genealogies of the Bible are important. Tracing a single, distinctive family line through whom the seed will arrive is the backbone of the gospel. Ultimately, this line is traced through Israel to Jesus. God is actively responsible for the continuation of the family line. All the evil powers that attempt to thwart it – both from within and without, human and demonic – will ultimately fail. God’s faithfulness to his promise is unshakable. God’s love and grace are too great! This is the reason we have a Bible, not primarily to give us a manual for every conceivable problem, but to trace God’s redemptive work through the seed of promise culminating in the person and work of Christ – the central figure in the unfolding drama of the redemption of the world.

The dragon has been slain!
The destroyer’s power has been broken.
Jesus Christ, the long-awaited deliverer, has set us free.
May your Christmas season be filled with joy as you celebrate His birth.

© Richard J. Vincent, 2004