Developing A Biblical World View

This promise was given in symbolic language. "The seed of woman" was Jesus. He would bruise the head of the serpent [Satan] who caused man's sin. Jesus would do this by dying for the sins of mankind, and reconciling man to God.

Six things are revealed from this verse:

1. God is the source of salvation ("And I").

2. Satan is an enemy ("enmity" between the “seed” of man and Satan).

3. The Savior would come with a unique relationship to man. He would be the Son of God, in human form ("her seed").

4. The Savior would suffer ("thou shalt bruise his heel").

5. God would provide for the defeat of the enemy ("it shall bruise thy head").

6. Salvation would be for all mankind ("all the seed"), descendants of every generation.

The spread of sin which followed man’s fall (Genesis 6) was covered in previous lessons. God sent a world-wide flood because of the great wickedness which filled the earth, but He also provided a special plan for salvation (Genesis 8-9).

The ark, in which Noah and his family were saved, was a type or symbol of salvation through Jesus. Jesus would be the spiritual "ark" in which men could find safety from God’s judgment for sin. The story of Noah and the flood (Genesis 6-9) reveals that although God sees the world as sinful and in need of judgment, He also views the world in mercy. He always has provided a way to escape the penalties of sin.

Throughout the Old Testament, this same pattern occurs over and over again. Man sins and God sends judgment for sin. But, in mercy, God always provides a way of salvation.

A SPECIAL NATION:

You learned how the rebellion against God at Babel led to the division of languages and finally to the formation of nations. From the divided world of nations, God selected one nation, Israel, for a special purpose.