John’s Gospel asserts emphatically that Y’shua, the Word, existed with God at Creation. Those words set the tone for his introduction to Y’shua. In his gospel, there is no effort to present a Saviour, born of woman as the fulfilment of prophecy. Yet John also reminds us that the Scriptures testify about Y’shua (see John 5:39 and 46). As the world prepares to celebrate … Christ, intentionally or otherwise in a few weeks, I invite us to see Christ for ourselves – in Scripture and in our own lives. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat
Genesis 3:15 AFV
[15] And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Bruised Bodies
Have you ever had a bruise before? It isn’t a cut, but it can be painful; and it is a clear sign that injury has been inflicted on a body. The dictionary says that it presents as an area of discolouration on the skin, which indicate that blood vessels were ruptured by a blow or impact on the body.
For those of us who are engaged in contact sports, or who watch contact sports, we know that bruises are a normal aspect of life. But not all bruises are normal, or unintended; nor are all bruises visible. Some blows register internally, resulting in internal bleeding, and some are not literal, leaving bruises on our hearts. In some instances, internal bruises have deadly consequences.
Self-Check
What internal (heart) bruises do we carry, and can we recall the origin?
Digging Deeper
We know that most fruit bear seeds. Seeds are the source of regeneration and multiplication; some would even say the source of potential wealth. By eating of the fruit of the Tree of Life, Adam and Eve set a chain of events in motion that would multiply beyond their lifetime.
The seed of disobedience situated sin permanently in the created order. It was no longer just the potential to sin, humanity had full exposure, and had found it _delightful to look at, and desirable to imbibe_ (see verse 6). That seed, offered by the subtle one (in the guise of a serpent), multiplied.
With the choice of eating the fruit also came the desire to disobey God in favour of our own desires. This created a separation that required _*a different seed*_ to counteract it’s effects. Hence, the assignment *Operation Bruise Head* was established.
Siblings, our Nougat in Genesis has been misinterpreted before. Some theologians believe that Adam and Eve thought their first born was that son promised in Genesis 3:15. It is understandable if they had that thought, given that that prophetic promise/curse was God’s response to human (their) disobedience.
Yet, Genesis 4 shows that their firstborn definitely inherited the disobedient ‘sin’ gene – so much so, that his response to God’s displeasure was shedding his brother’s blood. Instead of taking on and overcoming sin, Cain absorbed and perpetuated sin. A bruised heel.
Cain’s lifestyle proved that it would be a different offspring of woman who understood the assignment, could accomplish the assignment, *and*, in the process, bear other seed capable of forgoing sin en route life in Eden once again. That special seed (referred to as the righteous seed in the Psalms and in Proverbs) was none other than *_Y’shua Jesus_*.
He was present with God at the beginning (see John 1:1-3).
He was there in the Garden in that fateful moment when sin entered the natural created order.
He chose to be poured out as an offering for our sake in that other garden of Gethsemane (see Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; and Luke 22:42 for more details of His prayer).
His resurrection dealt a death-blow to the subtle one’s sin seed, a head bruise that will never heal.
His decision to become The Assignment (see Romans 5:12-21 for more details) affords us an eventual return to the Eden lifestyle – eternally.
But first, Y’shua had to become human. What a precious gift!
Point to Ponder
As we remember Christ’s birth in this season, I pray that we continuously and consciously choose to let the righteous seed take root in our hearts.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
