Day 2: “He shall crush your head, and you shall crush his heel.” Genesis 3:15
In high school English, we learn about the different types of conflict found in literature, and therefore life — person vs. nature, person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. self, and person vs. God. This past year we have seen these conflicts play out in our daily lives as we battle a pandemic, argue politics, struggle against racial and social injustice, fight our own fears and doubts, and rail against God who allows all of this chaos to go on. Of course we know that all of this conflict began thousands of years ago in a garden called Eden. When Satan twisted God’s Word and convinced Adam and Eve that their creator didn’t really love them, they sinned and ate the only fruit in the garden that God had told them not to eat. And when they ate, they plunged the world into chaos and death.
Yet God does love his creation, especially humans. He is a God of mercy and grace and rescue. His first response was to curse the serpent and promise a Savior. He tells Satan, “Because you have done this… 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.” Here is the ultimate conflict, from which all other conflict is born — the war between Jesus and Satan. And because Jesus battles against Satan, we must struggle against the forces of evil as well. Paul reminds us in Ephesians, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” It is critically important to remember that our primary struggle is not against politicians or disease or estranged family members. It is against Satan and his forces; for Satan would use the conflicts we face in this world to cause us to doubt God’s love for us and ultimately reject Him.
Thankfully, Jesus has already won this war. Satan bruised His heel on the cross, but Jesus crushed the Serpent’s head in the resurrection. And one of the best ways to kill a snake is with a strong blow to the head. So while this world is full of trouble, Jesus has overcome the world, and we are destined for better things. Because Christ has been raised, we too shall rise. We will once again have access to the Tree of Life. There will be no more death or crying or pain. We will serve God face to face, by the light of the Son.
Bible Readings: Genesis 2-3, Revelation 21-22, and Ephesians 6:10-18
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