“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
You’ve heard of the Hundred Years’ War (14th-15th century, England v France), but the Bible tells us about one far longer, spanning all human history, and which rages on today.
At this summer’s Keswick Convention, Christopher Ash showed us the beginning of this war, in some talks I commend to you. This is the great struggle, all through human history, which started with the serpent and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
With his cunning (which would turn out to be his trademark), the serpent made rebellion against God seem plausible and wise. The woman fell for it, and the result was a disastrous dislocation in the relationship between her, her husband and God. Sin had come into the world, and we all feel its terrible consequences.
But this was not the end of the matter. Immediately following the fall, God spoke to the serpent, (aka Satan or the evil one), cursing him and telling him He, God, would be sending opposition, who would eventually completely defeat him.
That is the point at which the longest war in history began.
As I recall Christopher putting it, that is the point at which God said, “You won’t have it all your way. I’m going, by my grace, to turn some human beings so that by grace they become your enemies.” The woman’s offspring will end up crushing the head of the serpent, but be struck on the heel along the way.
From this point on we have two lines of people in the Bible story: those who are the offspring of the serpent, and those who, by grace, belong to the woman. Cain and Abel represent these lines, respectively. Cain, John tells us (1 John 3:12) belonged to the evil one, but his brother was of the line of God’s righteousness. The battle really was fought: Cain killed Abel.
But God continued the line of grace through Seth, and from him down to the people of God in the Old Testament. The battle raged, with enemies attacking from without and false teaching from within.
Ultimately, though, the line continued to our Lord Jesus who, Paul says, was born of woman (Galatians 4:4) – a description which would seem unnecessary unless it refers back to God’s announcement that Eve’s offspring would crush the serpent. And so He did, as He died on the cross, enduring the horrors of hell in the process.
Jesus is the serpent-crusher who has triumphed: yet as we await His return and final triumph, the battle continues. God continues by grace to turn men and women to His side, and we join the struggle. That is the battle in your life and mine today, as we navigate the devil’s lies, sometimes horrific opposition, and many trials.
But be in no doubt who wins!
