And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.
— Genesis 3:15 —
Brian Kinzel: Grace Bible Seminary | Ukraine
Christians in Ukraine know about spiritual conflict. The evangelical church suffered for many years, first from the oppression under the Czars, and then under the communists. Our first students at the seminary in the 1990s were excited just to study the Bible freely during daylight hours instead of secretly at night. Let us all remember and be encouraged that the God of peace will soon crush Satan underneath our feet! Persecuted believers are encouraged by this verse, knowing that, though they might feel vulnerable and weak, their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has crushed death and provided atonement by His blood. Our enemy, the serpent, who inflicts painful bites, is defeated. This verse explains that the conflict that believers around the world experience began at the very dawn of history. Despite the gloomy context in Genesis 3 (the Fall), this verse brims with hope––it gives the first promise in the Bible that points to Jesus’ atonement. This verse also gives hope to all believers living in conflict. Whenever we suffer for righteousness, we know that we are on the side of God, who put enmity between the snake and the woman. Those who suffer reproach for the truth know that the seed of the woman promised a lethal blow to evil; the promised Messiah is from that seed (Gal. 3:16). Let us all remember and be encouraged that the God of peace will soon crush Satan underneath our feet (Rom. 16:20)!
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