The First Gospel and the Hope of Eve
Many of us grew up with story
of Adam and Eve expelled from the Garden of Eden as a true narrative, which it
is, but without an emphasis on the First Gospel.
Genesis 3:14 And
the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art
cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly
shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 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.
The serpent was a beautiful
creature used by Satan as an instrument to deceive Eve and bring down Adam.
Even though snakes have retained this beauty, they represent evil so instinctively
that people react in fear against even the most harmless varieties. We
associate snakes with evil, and those who worship evil also venerate the snake.[1] This account shows that
God provided a solution for the sinful nature of man.
The First Gospel is only the
second half of Genesis 3:15, foretelling the ultimate clash at the crucifixion
of Christ - when Satan bruised His heel and the Savior’s atoning death crushed
the power of sin, death, and the devil.
Eve’s Hope
Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife;
and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
[ending in Hebrew] - אֶת-יְהוָה
[ending in the Septuagint] - διὰ
τοῦ θεοῦ - through the Lord.
The grammar of the Hebrew text shows “the Lord” in
apposition to “a man,” as Luther noted, but others oppose this view – including
Keil-Delitsch. The Hebrew text reads, literally, “I have given birth to a man,
the Lord.”
The literal meaning from
Hebrew is consistent with the Scriptural emphasis upon faith springing from the
Promise, which is clearly stated in Genesis 15:6. The multitude would like
everything lined up and clearly stated, fully explained. Experience has shown
that nothing is ever enough, so we should treasure these gems which are
semi-hidden, yet sparkle and shine to reflect the glory of the Savior’s gracious
work and will.
[1]
The most hideous representation of this association can be found in the enormous
Pope Paul Vi Audience Hall in Vatican City, shaped like a serpent’s head, with
a giant figure of Christ inside, looking very much like a serpent from a
distance. The windows are the eyes of a serpent.
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| Enthusiasm and the Means of Grace are polar opposites, which is why the Church of Rome and the OJists speak of them but really despise these Instruments of Grace. |
