So we are to discuss the identity of the serpent and his seed and the woman and her seed mentioned in Genesis 3:15. Before we do let's recap...
Our beautiful planet was prepared for human habitation and the Creator issued three decrees regarding humans:
God would create mankind in his image
Humans were to expand Paradise globally, filling it with perfect righteous offspring
And ... Humans were prohibited from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:16, 17.
Was anything else needed? ... Food, a home, and work ... check!
So after God created man in his image, all Adam and Eve needed to do was fulfill the other two decrees to have God's purpose accomplished.
Well, we've discussed the outcome.
Yet, what if God had just destroyed them right off the bat? You know, started over?
Destroying the rebels, Satan included, would have ended the #rebellion, but God's expressed purpose
to have the earth filled with obedient descendants of Adam and Eve would go unfulfilled.
So our wise Creator responded with the profound prophecy of Genesis 3:15. He saw the need for a new #government over mankind. So the Edenic promise was issued to indicate how this would be accomplished and to ensure that every detail of his word would come true.
By means of this promise, Jehovah passed judgement on the serpent and its offspring representing ... Satan the Devil and all those who would take his side on the issue on God's right to rule or of God's #sovereignty.
The true God gave to the offspring of his heavenly woman the authority to destroy Satan and reverse the ill effects of his actions by means of the woman and her offspring.
Who is this #heavenly #woman and her offspring?
Since her offspring was to crush the serpent's head, or to "bring to nothing" the spirit creature Satan the Devil, the "#seed" would have to be a spirit person. Heb. 2:14.
So, the woman giving birth to the offspring would also have to be of a spiritual nature too?
Yes. She is not an earthly woman. Satan has not had any special hatred toward any human female that we know of.
Rather, this is a symbolic woman identified in Revelation. She is described as being "adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head."
She, "The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne." #Revelation 12:1-5, The Jerusalem Bible.
Learning the identity of the "male child" will help us identity her.
Is the child literal?
Couldn't be; just as the woman is not a real human female.
Remember the scripture says the male child would do what?
"Rule all the nations." Not possible from a human standpoint.
So the child represents God's government with Jesus Christ ruling as king.
Therefore, "the woman," represents God's organization of faithful heavenly creatures.
Just as the "male child" came forth from "#the #woman," so the king, Jesus, came forth from the heavenly organization, the body of loyal spirit creatures in heaven that work together to carry out God's purpose.
You recall that Jesus was the "first-born of all creation," "Image of the invisible God," "by means of him all other things were made to exist," ... right? Col. 1:13-20. (Any questions, please ask.)
Okay ... so we will continue
Galatians 4:26 calls this organization "the #Jerusalem above. "
So then, when Adam and Eve first rebelled against God's rulership, Jehovah made this arrangement for a Kingdom government that would serve as #hope for lovers of righteousness.
As, Satan's "seed" or offspring increased, the identity of the woman and her offspring stayed a mystery for almost 4,000 years after Jehovah gave this Edenic promise.
Meanwhile, Jehovah made several covenants that identify the offspring and assured His servants that this offspring would undo the damage done to the human family by Satan.
We will discuss those covenants later... give our brains a rest.
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