“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NLT)

The first promise of a Savior came almost immediately after the need for one was created.

God designed a paradise for the first two humans. The Garden of Eden supplied their every need. Tending the garden gave them a sense of purpose and fulfillment. The perfect harmony of nature within the garden surely gave them a sense of emotional well-being. And God Himself walked in the garden in the cool of the evening. Because they spent so much time in God’s presence, it’s probably safe to assume that their every spiritual need was met.

Everything in the garden was available to Adam and Eve—except the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were forbidden to eat it. God warned that if they disobeyed His one rule, the punishment would be death.

But one creature in the garden cared little about God’s rule. The serpent convinced Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. She, in turn, gave some to Adam, who ate it as well. When they realized what they had done, they hid. They hid because they realized that they were naked and because they were afraid of God’s punishment for their sin.

Of course, nothing is hidden from God. Adam blamed Eve for their sin, and Eve blamed the serpent. God revealed to each of them the consequences of their actions. His judgment on the serpent is found in the passage above. In it, we find what some Bible scholars call the proto-evangelium—the first reference to God’s plan of salvation and redemption.

The woman’s offspring is Jesus. He would do what Adam and Eve couldn’t do: live a sinless life. God didn’t kill Adam and Eve. But He also didn’t waive the punishment of death. That punishment would fall to their sinless offspring.

“He will strike your head” refers to Christ’s ultimate victory over the serpent and his offspring. The apostle Paul wrote, “In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:15 NLT).

And that ties into the final phrase of Genesis 3:15: “And you will strike his heel” (nlt). Christ’s ultimate victory would come at a cost. The shedding of sacrificial blood would be necessary. Genesis 3:7 says Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness—and, in a sense, to cover their sin. But look what God does in verse 21: “And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife” (nlt). An animal had to be sacrificed to cover them—and their sin. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (NLT).

In the third chapter of Genesis, we find the first promise of Jesus, the Savior, who would shed His innocent blood to provide forgiveness and salvation to everyone who believes in Him.

What’s more, our ancient enemy was soundly defeated at the cross. There, he lost his stranglehold on the life of the human race. As a Christian, you have been set free by the power of Jesus Christ.

Reflection question: What does God’s original plan, as well as His response to Adam and Eve’s disobedience, reveal about Him?

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