This clip comes from ‘The Passion’ movie. It’s poetic license at it’s best as Jesus has ‘crushed the head of the serpent’ at and through the cross, not here at Gethsemene (and not a real snake). However, for me at least, it is a powerful visual of what Jesus’ death and resurrection has achieved in the spiritual (which is perhaps the original intent).
Note: A snake’s poison is lodged in its head so crushing a snake’s head leads to the snake fatally ‘drowning’ in its own poison.
The reference is:
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
[Gen 3:15]
So what is ENMITY? – actively oppossed, active hatred, active hostility
Kind of like a modern day terrorist? – Yes, that right – actively destructive
Who’s involved? – Well, God is speaking to the serpent and the other party is Eve.
Anybody else? – Yes, the serpent’s offspring and Eve’s offspring
I don’t get it? – The serpent’s offspring are the evil spirits and the wickedness of man and Eve’s offspring is all of humanity including Christ and His Church.
It says God put this enmity there, so it’s all His fault? No, no! Everyone is responsible for their own heart and ‘yes’ the devil has a heart. It’s just that his heart is divorced from anything good. There is nothing good in him. Therefore his heart is filled with hatred, lies, deception and destruction. He is totally against God, and more specifically those made in God’s own image. God has allowed this to happen. And God is still completely in control.
So why does it say ‘HE will crush your head’, isn’t Eve a she? Ah yes, very observant! God is not talking about Eve but one of her offspring.
Who is this? Well, it’s the only one who is worthy and has the authority to crush the serpent’s head and that is Jesus.
What about ‘and you will strike his heel’ bit? The serpent was allowed by God to strike the humanity of Jesus. Also, God allows the serpent (the devil, Satan) to attack the humanity of man as well but Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us victory over anything the evil one can try to do to us.
So this verse is quite prophetic? Absolutely! God not only pronounces a curse over the serpent but also prophesies about His Son!
So this verse is quite important? Yes! It not only explains our past, it also explains our present and our future.
How do you mean? Well, 1) it explains what happened in the past 2) it explains our present and why the world is the way it is 3) it hints or prophesies to God’s solution for mankind (Jesus) and 4) it explains or lays out the future. You see the future isn’t uncertain; it is set and complete. The devil has been defeated. Jesus is the victor! We no longer have to perish in our sins but we can have a sure hope of our future through Jesus Christ!
But wait a minute, why didn’t God finish everything up at the cross? Good question! Why don’t you ask God this? But do you realise that you wouldn’t be here if God did that! These days that we live in are days of God’s grace where every person has the tremendous opportunity to receive or reject God’s graceous gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 says this:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
You will never have this day again.
Believe Jesus and receive Him into your heart today!
In Jesus name
Amen!
Enlightened Hope 