The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds by Thomas Cole; image from Wikimedia Commons.
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“‘I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel’” (Gen. 3:15).
Christmas is such a wonderful time with family, gifts, beautiful lights, and delicious food. All these things are such tremendous blessings God has given for us to enjoy and share with others. Yet, the story of Christmas didn’t just start in a manger in Bethlehem. It actually started thousands of years before, near the very beginning of human history, in the midst of a shame-filled and grace-filled situation. In fact, the Christmas story was the plan of God, and he gave our first parents, Adam and Eve, the first promise about Christmas when he confronted them about their terrible sin.
The Christmas story was the plan of God.
You see, Adam and Eve were the first human sinners: the first people to do something that our good heavenly Father said was bad. In fact, they decided it would be better to trust and be friends with Satan, God’s enemy and the one who secretly hated them, than to be friends with God who loved them and had given them a good life, a beautiful relationship with each other and himself, and a wonderful garden in which to live. When they sinned, Adam and Eve realized what a terrible thing they had done. They were ashamed and afraid of what God would do when he found them.
Even though they sinned terribly, God gave Adam and Eve grace.
Yet, God was merciful to Adam and Eve: he came to them when they had messed up terribly and gave them grace—love they did not deserve. He told Adam and Eve that there was hope for them. There would come a child who would fight Satan for them. God provided a covering for Adam and Eve (making clothing for them from an animal) and promised that he wouldn’t let them be friends with Satan, by making the children of the woman enemies with the children of Satan (Nancy Guthrie, Even Better Than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything about Your Story, p. 113). God forgave Adam and Eve, and he would make a way for them to be with their heavenly Father.
God promised to send a child who would fight against Satan and save God’s people.
Adam and Eve would wait for this child that would save them from evil and Satan. They would trust God that he would send a warrior child who would make it possible for Satan to be defeated and provide a way for them to dwell once again with God.
Adam and Eve didn’t get to see the Christ-child with their eyes, but they looked forward by faith to his saving work. The whole Bible is the story of how God is going to save sinners like Adam and Eve, and like you and me, through this child who would fight against Satan and save God’s people. The baby in the manger was really a mighty warrior.
Click below to read the entire Advent Sunday series!
Part 2: Advent Sunday Week 2: A Priestly Child Is Born
Part 3: Advent Sunday Week 3: The Prophet in the Manger
Part 4: Advent Sunday Week 4: A King Is Born
This article was originally published on November 28, 2020.
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Who Are Those Guys? The Three Wise Men and What You Need to Know About Them
Recommended:
Love Came Down at Christmas: Daily Readings for Advent by Sinclair B. Ferguson
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