Blessings in a Fallen World, Part 2 | The Institute for Creation Research

Blessings in a Fallen World, Part 2

"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." (Genesis 3:15)

This famous verse--often cited as the first proclamation of the gospel--gave a silver lining of mercy to the curse that followed it. In Genesis 1:28, God made childbearing a blessing. But in Genesis 3:16, He frustrated our enjoyment of it. Did God's blessings end here? No.

First, consider the context for the promise of Genesis 3:15. Prior to Chapter 3, God placed Adam and Eve in a location (Eden) literally meaning "delight" (2:8)--He put them in a paradise! At the end of Chapter 3, God banished them from the paradise (3:23). In between these two events, Satan (in the form of a serpent) precipitated the fall of Adam and Eve into sin and ruled over them (Genesis 3:1-7). What is the significance of God's promise of a future crushing blow to the serpent (today's verse)? In this context, God's promise foretold of a return to the pre-serpent, pre-Chapter 3 state, implying a return to paradise and the full blessing of God.

Second, consider the specific fulfillment of the promise of Genesis 3:15--Christ Himself. His life, death, and resurrection defeated the serpent's rule and paved a way for us to enjoy blessings that will take an eternity to exhaust.

The irony in all this? God promised a return to paradise by means of childbearing ("her seed")--the vehicle of the curse.

Though Adam likely did not know the specific fulfillment of Genesis 3:15, he seems to have believed the promise of restoration through childbearing ("seed"). He named his wife Eve ("life") "because she was the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). For those who believe through Christ, a return to Paradise (Luke 23:43) awaits. NTJ

The Latest
NEWS
May 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans...

NEWS
Acoustic Communication in Animals
We are all familiar with vocalizations in the animal world. For example, dogs bark, birds sing, frogs croak, and whales send forth their own distinct...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: Crystals!
by Michael Stamp and Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover...

APOLOGETICS
Playing Chess with Little Furry Critters
God’s multifarious and marvelous designs for basic creature needs are so innovatively clever and providentially purposeful that Christ’s...

ACTS & FACTS
Credit Only Our Creator
History was my favorite subject as a young kid. But it always puzzled me when my teachers said, “We study history so that we don’t repeat...

ACTS & FACTS
Genomic Tandem Repeats: Where Repetition Is Purposely Adaptive
Tandem repeats (TRs) are short sequences of DNA repeated over and over again like the DNA letter sequence TACTACTAC, which is a repetition of TAC three...

ACTS & FACTS
Dinosaur National Monument: Fossil Graveyard of the Flood
Straddling the border of Utah and Colorado, Dinosaur National Monument (DNM) is one of the richest exposures of dinosaur fossils in the world.1...

ACTS & FACTS
The Transforming Influence of Genesis: Worker Dignity and Safety
When Pharisees questioned the Lord Jesus about marriage, He answered by quoting Genesis 1:27: “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made...

NEWS
Giant ''Meg'' Shark: Longer and Leaner?
Fossil remains of the giant shark Otodus megalodon have been found in Miocene1 and Pliocene2 rock layers, which ICR scientists...

CREATION.LIVE PODCAST
Searching for Truth Across the Globe | Creation.Live Podcast:...
How can we bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth of creation to others outside our small spheres of influence?   Host...