“156 Pictures of Christ in the Old Testament” – Seed of the Woman

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Fact About Christ from page 3: Christ is the seed of the woman, who will destroy Satan.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil

– Hebrews 2:14

God sent forth his Son, born of a woman

– Galatians 4:4

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet

– Romans 16:20

Today’s picture of Christ in the Old Testament is found in the story of Adam in Genesis. Genesis chapter 3 recounts the fall of man, in which the serpent convinces Eve to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had commanded not to be eaten. After that event, God speaks to the serpent and 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.

– Genesis 3:15

After the serpent’s deception of Eve leading to the fall, we see that in God’s judgment on the serpent, He says this: there will be enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. Note that the Hebrew words used for offspring are singular and can be literally translated seed. Your seed and her seed.

God’s judgment is not that He Himself would punish the serpent, nor is it that Adam would deal with the serpent. But this woman would have a seed and there will be war between you and him. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. The responsibility for the judgment on the serpent is reserved for the seed of the woman. 

Yet, we see that this judgment, this punishment, will not be without effect on the seed! You shall bruise his heel. The end result is clear—Victory. He shall bruise your head. Yet Christ, as the seed of the woman, in accomplishing this, will have to go through a process. A fight. Enmity. Conflict.   

What does the New Testament say about it?

God sent forth his Son, born of a woman

– Galatians 4:4

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil

– Hebrews 2:14

Note the two phrases. First, Jesus was born of a woman. Second, He partook of the same things, i.e., flesh and blood. We see here the importance of the humanity of Christ. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was a man. As a man, He was the seed of woman prophesied about in God’s judgment on the serpent. What was that prophesy again? He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Hebrews explains. Through death, he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil. Through death. Often as believers, when we think of the death of Christ, we think of His blood shed. We think of Him dying for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). We think of His pain and agony on the cross. But how often do we think of the death of Christ as the instrument in which the devil is destroyed? To destroy the devil is not a light, easy matter. Christ had to die. To bruise the serpent’s head required a bruising of the seed’s heel. 

So does this picture say anything more about Christ? 

From the two New Testament verses, we see the fulfillment of the seed of the woman in Christ. However, the Old Testament picture tells us more than just this end result. In God’s judgment on the serpent, we do see that the serpent’s head will be bruised at some cost to the seed. But there is another aspect as well: enmity. There will be enmity. So when it comes to the battle between Christ and the Devil, the end result is known, but there is a process. A fight. Enmity. Conflict.

Consider the birth of Christ in the book of Matthew. When Jesus was born, all He did was be born, and what happened? Babies died. Because of the birth of Christ, Herod the king ordered the murder of all male children that were 2-years-old and below in the entire region around the city of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). Jesus hadn’t even done anything, yet we see this enmity between Him and the enemy already in full display. 

And it’s not just His birth, but His entire life was fraught with conflict. Wherever Jesus was, there was conflict. There were arguments and other verbal challenges. There were attempted stonings and plots against Him. There were many who scorned and hated Him. And yet He never deserved any of it. He came preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing, and the result? Hated and delivered up by the religious leaders, unjustly sentenced by the political system, rejected by His people, betrayed by one of His closest companions, and abandoned by the scattering of most of His other disciples. Why? There was enmity. 

Who is Jesus Christ really? We see one side of Him here: We know the end result, but there will be enmity.

What does this mean for me as a Christian? 

This experience isn’t just the Lord’s experience. If you are a Christian, you have to know: There will be a lot of enmity. Satan will bruise your heel. Yet, your experience of the Lord will allow you to bruise Satan’s head. 

You’ll experience this enmity in your environment. In your thoughts. Even (or especially!) in the church. Everything is a fight. If you are looking for an easy way to live as a Christian, that’s just not how the seed of woman was! Don’t think believing in the Lord will save you from all troubles–far from it! Believing in the Lord will cause the enmity between Him and the Devil to extend to you! 1 Peter 2:20-21 says:

For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Often in these situations, we like to do a few things. We moan and bemoan. We wonder why everything is going wrong. If we are serving in some way, we may consider how to retreat, how to lessen our load. Have you ever tried to be for the Lord and immediately faced difficult circumstances in your surroundings? If you are in full-time service for the Lord, you realize… you can’t just get out. You begin to taste what it means to have the constant enmity our Lord had. 

When you begin to experience this, then you can appreciate the facts in the picture. Satan’s power only extends to the heel. And Christ bruises his head. There. Will. Be. Victory. Rather than responding to the enmity by retreating or complaining, can we fight to have an experience of Christ that will allow Him to bruise Satan’s head? 

Have any inspirations or questions about the content of the article? Or do you just want to say hello and introduce yourself? We’d love to hear from all our readers! Leave a comment or send an email to editors@asweetsavor.org with the title of this post in the subject line. If you are burning to engage with us, but don’t know what to say, here are some questions that could be a help: 

1. Have you ever had an experience of the enmity of Christ? In your thoughts, in your environment, in your relationships? How did you react in those circumstances?
2. How might knowing this picture of Christ help you go through hard situations in a different way?
3. Margaret E. Barber, a British missionary in China, wrote some poems (later turned into hymns) detailing her experiences of the enmity and victory of Christ. In one, she says, 

“I dare not be defeated, 
With Calvary in view, 
Where Jesus conquered Satan, 
Where all His foes He slew;
Come, Lord, and give the vision
To nerve me for the fight,
Make me an overcomer
Clothed with Thy Spirit’s might.

A victor, a victor!
Because of Calvary.
Make me an overcomer,
A conqu’ror, a conqu’ror, Lord in Thee” 

Are there any other songs and hymns that have helped you through experiences of this enmity?