Jan. 1
Charles Spurgeon · Faith's Checkbook
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.