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n Genesis 3, God described the awful sin and rebellion of Adam and Eve. Enticed by satan, first Eve and then Adam yielded to satan’s temptation to disobey God and eat of the forbidden fruit. In so doing, they rejected God's covenant with them and brought about the inherited sinful condition upon all mankind.

Because of their sin, death came upon them and all mankind. Their sin (and ours, too) prevented any hope of improvement, redemption, or reconciliation back to God. Hopeless and helpless, their future offered one certainty, death, God's promised judgment.

God could have left them to their consequences in lawful justice. He had warned them of the result of their disobedience. He had no obligation to do otherwise than to execute judgement upon them.

Instead, the Creator revealed other attributes of His nature. Not only was He holy and just. He was gracious and merciful, too. In His meeting with satan, Adam, and Eve after their sin, God not only revealed His glorious grace and mercy, but His omniscience, omnipotence, and sovereignty as well.

He announced to Adam and Eve His plan for the redemption of sinners. He stated in Genesis 3:15:

“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.”

Thus began the revelation of God's provision for sin and sinners, Jesus Christ.

A thorough exposition of this passage would identify many truths concerning the Promised One. However, I will comment on only three of them. They provide the basic fundamental doctrines of Jesus Christ. The failure to emphasize them creates a doctrinal vacuum in the Church of Jesus Christ today. This void contributes significantly to the Church’s spiritual decay. Therefore, a renewed emphasis upon these truths will help spur believers to seek spiritual revival.

The birth of Christ

his message from God announced the birth of Christ. God called Him “…her seed.” In this simple statement, God revealed two things. He promised a Deliverer, One born of human nature, born of the seed of the woman.

Second, He disclosed that this Deliverer would be virgin born. God's promise specifically stated that the Deliverer would come from the woman only, not the seed of the man and the woman. In so saying, the Almighty foretold a miraculous birth.

The Scriptures confirm these conclusions repeatedly. Further, they establish that only one person fulfilled them, Jesus Christ.

For instance, Isaiah prophesied that a virgin would conceive and bear a son, called Immanuel (Isaiah 7.14). In fulfillment of this prophecy, God sent an angel to Mary, a virgin, that she would bear a son and call his name Immanuel (Matthew 1.23). Further, Paul reminded the Galatian believes that God sent Jesus, born of a woman (Galatians 4.4).

Praise God, that in the fullness of time, He fulfilled His promise to Eve. The seed of the woman has arrived, Jesus Christ.

The death of Christ

econd, this announcement from God to Eve proclaimed the death of Jesus. The prophecy said that the seed of the serpent would bruise the heel of the woman’s seed. Thus, God declared the death of Christ at the hands of the evil one.

            Again, the Bible gives abundant evidence of Christ’s wounds from satan. The Scriptures record the numerous attempts of the evil one to destroy Jesus.

            Namely, Jesus faced the devil’s temptations in the wilderness (Matthew 4.1). In addition, the prince of darkness came to Him with other temptations at the conclusion of the wilderness trial (Matthew 4.3-11). Finally, the Sovereign God permitted the monarch of hell to drive the hands of wicked men to crucify Christ (Acts 2.23).

            These few references confirm this announcement of God. The seed of the serpent certainly bruised the heel of the woman’s seed.

The victory of Christ

he proclamation of God set forth Christ’s victory, too. While the declaration stated the bruising of Christ’s heel, it also pledged another, more severe wound. It pronounced that the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent’s seed.

In other words, Christ would crush the serpent’s seed with complete victory. Once again the Bible verifies this claim.

Specifically, on numerous occasions, Jesus cast devils out of tormented people (Matthew 9.32; 17.14; Mark 1.23). Further, He overcame satan’s temptations to sin (Matthew 4.1-11). Ultimately, Christ crushed him and put him to open shame on the cross (John 12.30-32; Colossians 2.13-15; Hebrews 2.14). Christ's resurrection from the dead and His ascension to the Father’s right hand put Him in authority over all powers and kingdoms, even satan’s (Ephesians 1.17-23). In time, Jesus will cast the devil into eternal hell (Matthew 25.41).

These profound truths form the basis for the doctrines concerning Jesus Christ. To err in them sets the course in an ever-widening gap from Biblical truth. Their absence signals the need for spiritual revival.

Where has the Holy Spirit identified their lack in your life? Has He identified your failure to believe these Biblical truths of Christ and to mold your life to them?

To believe them will change your convictions. Their belief causes one to evaluate properly sinful human nature: its complete sinfulness and helplessness before a holy God. Further, their belief drives one to Jesus Christ for relief from that condition. It leads to profuse praise, honor, and glory to the Father and the Son.

I pray that the Holy Spirit in grace will apply these truths to your life and use them to spur you to spiritual revival.