The Gospel, Part Six
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
3/30 Reading Portions: Leviticus 1; John 20; Proverbs 17; Philippians 4
Genesis 3:15, KJV
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.
CHURCH
A few days ago, on March 28th, our devotional meditation took us to the original Hebrew, examining the phrase הוא ישׁופך ראשׁ (hoo y’sh-oof-KHA rōsh). We saw that the Hebrew word הוּא (hoo) could be translated into English as either “he” or “it.” Now, because it has been translated “He” (ESV), since it was by the Messiah’s suffering, death, and shed blood that crushed the authority of Satan, the work continues through Christ’s church; and therefore, can be rightly translated: …it shall bruise thy head…
While Christ’s substitutionary atonement upon the cross dealt Satan’s authority the death nell, until the Lord Jesus Messiah returns, He continues to subdue and thwart Satan’s authority through His church by the truth of His gospel. It is written,
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Romans 16:20
As Satan is the god of this world, blinding the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor 4:4), through His church and the truth of His good news, Jesus, the Prince of Peace and God of Peace, is crushing, bruising, shattering, and breaking to pieces the authority of Satan through our gospel witness. The “it” of Genesis 3:15 is Christ’s gospel. How do we know this? Because of Romans 16:20, it is accomplished under our feet. What do we have upon our beautiful feet? We stand upon Christ and His gospel, as it is written:
and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15; see “The Armor of God, Part One” and “The Armor of God, Part Two”
Why does the apostle say that it will be soon? While Satan is being crushed by Christ’s gospel with every witness of the gospel, and by every salvation through Christ’s gospel, Satan’s ultimate disposition will be accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ in the final judgment, as it is written:
and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10
The apostle tells us soon so that we may keep our eyes upon Christ for His soon and imminent return and not get hung up on the results of Satan’s defeat (Luke 10:20). Hallelujah! What a Savior!