Christ is the Conqueror of Satan! Though Satan was able to strike Christ’s heel at His crucifixion, in that very act Jesus Christ crushed his head, rendering him powerless. Now, we stand in Christ’s victory!
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Christ – The Conqueror Of Satan
Genesis 3:15
Genesis 3:15 is the account of the first time the gospel was ever preached. God is the preacher, and there are 3 people in His congregation – Satan, Adam, and Eve. Actually God is preaching to Satan, but Adam and Eve were listening in. Genesis 3:15 is also the very first prophecy about Jesus Christ. In this prophecy, He is called “the seed of the woman.”
Now, let’s take a step back and see the context in which this verse is found. God is pronouncing a curse upon the serpent (3:14) and bringing upon him a sentence of punishment. Just a few minutes before, Satan was rejoicing in his triumph over Adam and Eve. He had successfully gotten the man and the woman to disobey God and obey him. They had forfeited their dominion over Satan, and now found themselves his duped slaves. And so, Satan is feeling pretty good right about now. He had destroyed God’s works, introduced sin, stamped the human race with his own image, and gained some new soldiers to fight against God. But, even as he was reveling in his cunning victory, God brings the hammer down upon the snake, and tells him what is going to happen from now on.
God says in verse 15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed.” The word “enmity” means hostility or hatred. God Himself is going to put hostility between Satan’s offspring and the woman’s offspring. Basically, what God tells him, is that there is going to be warfare from now on – an invisible war. All those who follow Satan will be at war with all those that follow God. This war will climax in one final decisive battle, in which Satan will be able to bite the heel of the Seed of the woman, but in the process the promised Seed would bring the other foot down on the head of the serpent, crushing his life out of him.
In any war, you have 2 opposing armies, 2 generals who lead those opposing armies, and 2 different results from the war (someone wins, and someone loses). God prophecies that all three of these elements will be in place in this war.
1. The Armies In This War
You and the Woman: From now on, there is going to be hostility, hatred, and warfare between the woman and Satan. Now, that’s interesting, because up until now, they have been friends. The two had had a friendly talk together. Eve felt she owed a great debt to the serpent because he had given her such great advice, and told her how she could be as God. But now, having eaten of the forbidden fruit, we find that things have already changed in their friendship. Eve says in verse 13, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The serpent is no longer a friend giving good advice on how she can better herself, and even become as God. Now she recognizes him as a liar and a deceiver. So, initially, the armies consisted of one person on each side. It was the serpent pitted against the woman. However, the armies are going to swell in ranks and become great and mighty armies on both sides.
Your Seed and Her Seed: The word “seed” basically means offspring, and it can be singular or plural. It can mean a single offspring, or a great multitude of offspring. Actually God uses the word in both senses in this verse.
Who Comprises Satan’s Seed? Satan’s seed is made up of all those who follow Satan, whether demons or men. Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, “You are of your father, the devil” (Jn. 8:44). are of their father, the devil. In Matthew 23:33, Jesus looks into the faces of the scribes and the Pharisees, and says, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell?” He teaches us in the parable of the wheat and the tares that the tares are the sons of the evil one (Mt. 13:38). John tells us in 1 John 3:10, “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” In this world in which we live, there is a kingdom of darkness, an army made up of all those who follow Satan their father, and conform to his character.
Who Comprises the Woman’s Seed? The woman’s seed is made up of a godly remnant who hate the devil and his evil works, just as Eve did. The woman’s seed is all of the saved of all the ages. These are those who are declared righteous because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17 says, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” Satan has always been enraged with the godly remnant who love God and hold to the testimony of Jesus, and he has been at war with them from Genesis 3 on.
The Perpetual Warfare Between These Two Armies. There has always been hostility and warfare between the saved and the lost, the Church and the World. Don’t believe me? Just remember Cain killing his brother, Abel. Or remember the persecution of Ishmael toward Isaac. Or remember the perpetual conflict between Jacob and Esau. Paul tells us in Galatians 4:29, “But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh (Ishmael) persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit (Isaac), so it is now also.” Jesus said in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” The devil’s children hate Christ and His people. Likewise, God’s children hate sin wherever they find it. Thus, we are locked in a perpetual warfare with Satan and his followers until the end of time. Genesis 3:15 is God’s prophetic declaration that He is going to set up a rival kingdom to oppose Satan, and He’s going to create in the hearts of His elect a hatred toward sin and a willingness to fight against it.
2. The Generals In This War:
Every army has a senior commanding officer, a 5-star general, who is the ultimate leader. What we are seeing in this text, is that there are two opposing kingdoms in this world – the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of Christ. Each kingdom has a General-King who rules over that kingdom and leads that army.
Notice the shift from the plural to the singular here in verse 15, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed (plural); He (singular) shall bruise you (singular) on the head, and you (singular) shall bruise him (singular) on the heel.” God goes from talking about “your seed” and “her seed” to talking about “He” and “you”. In the first part of the prophecy, the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed comprise a vast multitude of people. But now, the woman’s seed becomes one single individual – Jesus Christ. And the serpent’s seed becomes one single individual – Satan.
Satan: Satan is called the “ruler of this world” (Jn. 12:31), “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), and the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). Paul tells us in Acts 26:18 that his job was to “open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God.” John tells us that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Make no mistake about it. Satan is a powerful enemy. He is a ruler, a prince, a “god”, and commands the kingdom of darkness and death.
Jesus: However, even Satan, with all his power, cunning, demons, and children is no match for another Commanding General, the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is the King and Commander of another kingdom. Jesus said to Pilate, “You say correctly that I am a king” (Jn. 18:37). Paul says, “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). And John tells us in Revelation 11:15 that there will come a time in which all the host of heaven will declare, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
A Final Decisive Battle: In 1 Samuel 17:1-10, we find the army of Israel arrayed against the army of the Philistines. The army of Israel were lined up on one mountain, and the army of the Philistines were lined up on another mountain, with the valley of Elah in between them. Goliath would come out every day, and challenge the Israelites to choose a man to come and fight him. It was as if he was saying, “Let’s settle this thing once and for all. You send your best man out to fight me. If he kills me, then all of us will become your slaves, but if I kill him, then all of you become our slaves.” In other words, instead of everybody getting into the battle, let’s just let two men fight it out to the death, and whatever happens there will determine the destiny of everyone in these two armies. That’s exactly what took place in this warfare between God’s people and Satan’s children. After hundreds of years of battle and conflict, Jesus Christ and Satan went toe to toe in one final, great, decisive battle. The outcome of this war was not settled by us, the soldiers, but by Christ, our General.
3. The Outcome In This War
In any war, there is a winner and a loser. The 13 colonies were victorious over the English in the War of Independence. The North was victorious over the South in our Civil War. And it was no different in the battle between Satan and Jesus Christ. So, let’s notice how things went down.
You Shall Bruise Him On The Heel: The word “bruise” means “to strike, fall upon, or crush.” It’s the picture of a mouse scurrying through a field, when all of a sudden a coiled snake flies out of its position and strikes the mouse in the neck with its venomous fangs. Imagine a man walking through a field with bare feet. When he lifts up his foot to take a step, a snake springs out of its hiding position and sinks its fangs into the heel of the man’s foot. The snake can’t strike his head, so it strikes what it can strike – the heel of the man’s foot. However, the heel is far enough from the head and the heart, that though the bite is painful, it is not fatal. Satan, the serpent of old, struck Jesus Christ on His heel. Satan attacked Jesus at His birth, by inciting Herod to have all the male babies two years old and younger to be slaughtered. Later, Satan attacked Christ when He had been fasting for forty days, tempting Him to cast Himself down from the temple to die. In spite of Satan’s attacks, Jesus Christ waged war against Satan. He called His disciples to Him, gave them the authority to cast out demons, and made them mighty against the evil one. He told them that He had given them authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure them” (Luke 10:19). Satan’s greatest assault against Jesus Christ came at the cross. When the cross was fast approaching, Jesus said, “The ruler of this world is coming” (Jn. 14:30). This “ruler” put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ (Jn. 13:27). He incited the Jews to condemn Christ at a mock trial, and ask Pilate for the death sentence. He moved Pilate to grant a scourging, and finally a crucifixion. Because of his malicious schemes Jesus sweats great drops of blood, is mocked, beaten, spat upon, humiliated, and degraded. Finally Satan struck with all his might, as at the cross, Satan sunk His venomous fangs deeply into Jesus’ heel, as He was nailed to the cross, suffered, and finally died.
He Shall Bruise You On The Head: In the very moment the serpent sank his fangs into Christ at the cross, the other shoe dropped on his head. A bite to a heel is painful, but not fatal. But a blow to the head of a serpent is fatal. In fact, it’s about the only thing that can kill a snake. You can cut his tail in two, but he’ll just grow another one. But if you crush his head, he’s dead! The very thing that Satan used to try to conquer Christ – the cross, was the very thing that brought his own destruction. Hebrews 2:14 tells us that “through death He rendered powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Colossians 2:15 says, “when He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them, through the cross.” 1 John 3:8 tells us, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” As a result of Christ’s mighty death and resurrection, the strong man has been bound, his back is broken, his head has suffered a mortal wound. Just as a snake will writhe in agony if you step on its head, so too Satan is still writhing in agony, but his doom is sure. Christ has conquered over him! Satan thought when he brought death into the world that he had spoiled God’s work. God had breathed life into Adam’s body, but Satan had infused a poison that would cause that body to return to the dust, spoiling the handiwork of the Lord. However, now Jesus rises from the dead, and because He lives, we shall live also! That body may die and return to the dust, but that’s not the end. That body is also going to rise victorious over Satan and all his demonic host.
Ok folks, so what does God want us to learn from this text?
- Be Amazed At God’s Grace! Remember the story. God created the man and the woman and placed them in His Paradise. God gave them everything they needed for their happiness. He even communed with them as a friend. Yet at the very first temptation, they disobeyed God’s one and only command. Then, instead of humbling themselves and confessing their sin to God, they tried to cover their sin with fig leaves. When that didn’t work, they tried to hide behind the trees of the garden. When God calls them, they make excuses and blame everyone else but themselves. Now, what we have expected God to do? I would have expected Him to cast both of them into the hell that they deserved. But He doesn’t do that. Yes, He did banish them from the garden. But before He did, He clothed them with garments of skins, and gave them this promise in Genesis 3:15 that would have provided hope and comfort. With this promise they would have the hope that a coming Deliverer, a Champion, would conquer Satan and restore everything that they had lost because of his temptations. Adam and Eve didn’t ask for any of this. God gave this promise through sheer grace. He gave the promise to unrepentant offenders! If you are here today, and you are not a Christian, I want you to know how good and kind God is. He has provided you a Savior! We don’t deserve one. Come and lay hold of Jesus Christ and His promise of mercy today. Trust Him with your soul, and He will save you.
- Be Victorious over Satan through Christ! Christ has wrought the victory over Satan. If you are in Christ, then you can stand in His victory. That’s exactly what Paul is telling the Ephesians in 6:10-13. Again and again Paul tells them to stand firm. Paul doesn’t tell them to conquer Satan. Christ has already done that. He simply tells them to clothe themselves with Christ and His armor, so that they stand in the victory that He has already wrought. We don’t have to fight for victory, but from victory. We don’t have to gain our victory, but just maintain the ground He has won. Paul says to the Romans, “And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20). John says, “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18).
So, how is Satan attacking you? Is it through some besetting sin? Is it through porn, or anger, or gluttony, or drugs, or sex, or discontentment, or pride, or selfishness, or laziness? Is he getting at you through a difficult marriage, or rebellious children, or an impossible boss, or obnoxious neighbors? How do you handle his attacks? How do you resist him? How do you stand firm against him? Let me give you two words of counsel:
- Be Strong in the Lord: God is not calling us to fight Satan in our strength. Yes, we are to be strong, but not in ourselves. We are to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might (Eph.6:10). Paul tells Timothy, “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim.2:1). Our success in spiritual warfare, isn’t rolling up our sleeves, and duking it out with the devil. It is realizing that our only source of victory is Christ’s victory, and so we hide ourselves in Him.
- Put on the Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in Jesus. The next verse tells us how. “Put on the full armor of God.” Notice that this is God’s armor, not ours. I see a connection between being strong in the Lord and putting on the armor of God. They are one and the same thing. Being strong in the Lord is the same thing as putting on the armor of God. And “the Lord” is the same thing as God’s armor. Paul is telling us not to fight Satan on our own, but to hide ourselves in Jesus. Wrap Jesus around us. Let Jesus and His armor get the victory for us. If you do that, Satan can’t get to you! Notice that every piece of armor is identified with Jesus.
The Belt of Truth – Jesus is the Truth (Jn.14:6)
The Breastplate of Righteousness – Jesus is our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
The Shoes of the Gospel – Christ is the Gospel (1Cor.15:1-3)
The Shield of Faith – Christ is the Object of our Faith (Phil.3:9)
The Helmet of Salvation – Christ is our Salvation (Mt. 1:21)
The Sword of the Spirit – Christ is the Word (Jn. 1:1)
Run and Hide in Jesus: When Satan attacks, run to Jesus. Find your strength in His perfect life, His finished work on the cross, and His mighty resurrection. When Satan accuses you of being such a rotten Christian, just agree with Him. Tell him he’s absolutely right, but run to Jesus and find Him to be your breastplate of righteousness. When he tells you that you can’t possibly be saved, run to Jesus and find Him to be your helmet of salvation. When Satan fills your mind with lies, run to Jesus and find Him to be your belt of truth. When Satan fills you with doubt, run to Jesus and find Him to be the perfect object of all faith. When Satan fills your heart with desire for sin, run to Jesus and find His Word to be perfect weapon. Run to Jesus, and hide in Jesus, and Satan will be no match for you.
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