Jan. 1
THE BIBLE'S FIRST PROMISE
"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
heel." Gen. 3:15
This is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole
gospel, and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great
measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was
bruised in His heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will
be the final bruising of the serpent's head! This was virtually done
when Jesus took away sin, vanquished death, and broke the power of
Satan; but it awaits a still fuller accomplishment at our Lord's
Second Advent, and in the Day of Judgment. To us the promise stands as
a prophecy that we shall be afflicted by the powers of evil in our
lower nature, and thus bruised in our heel: but we shall triumph in
Christ, who sets His foot on the old serpent's head. Throughout this
year we may have to learn the first part of this promise by
experience, through the temptations of the devil, and the unkindness
of the ungodly who are his seed. They may so bruise us that we may
limp with our sore heel; but let us grasp the second part of the text,
and we shall not be dismayed. By faith let us rejoice that we shall
still reign in Christ Jesus, the woman's seed.