Advent Thoughts: Unexpected Hope
by Rev. Josiah Katumu
Genesis 3:14-15
Genesis 3 begins with the grim picture of the fall; the very first time that Adam and Eve disobey God by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God had clearly instructed them not to eat of this tree and the consequences were clearly spelled out to them, “you shall die”.
Now the crafty serpent has deceived them into disobedience. Will God put an end to humanity? Destroy every good and perfect thing he had created? We expect the consequences to be severe, but certainly not the proclamation of restoration!
In v.15 we see what theologians have called the “protoeuangelium” or the very first proclamation of the Good News. God initiates the restoration process with a promise of the “Seed of a woman” who would crush the head of the Serpent. It is the promise of a Savior, a Messiah who would defeat Satan and all evil. God keeps his promise by sending his only begotten Son, born of the Virgin Mary, who became the Savior of the world by dying on the cross for our sin. What an unexpected hope God gave to his disobedient children at the garden! Instead of death, He gives them eternal life through the promise of a Child (Isaiah 9:6). This child would live a sinless life, die on the cross and resurrect on the third day thus defeating all the powers of hell. Yes, we still have the presence of sin, but one day He will return to wipe away every tear; He will finally give the final blow to his, and our wounded enemy Satan. He will make all things beautiful again, as they were supposed to be. This is the hope for those who trust in him.