The Snake-Crusher

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 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.” (Genesis 3:14-15 NIV)

It sure looked like the devil had won. God’s perfect world was ruined. God’s beloved people were ashamed, hiding, and blaming. What could God do? How could the Creator possibly fix this mess? Certainly, he’d have to destroy them and start all over again. It looked like the devil had won.

Until God turned to that serpent and pronounced his sentence. Serpents would crawl on the ground and eat dust. Snakes still do that today! There was so much more, however. To the devil, God decreed, “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.” One of Eve’s descendants would crush the devil’s head.

We’re blessed to know the rest of the story. Who was that “Snake-Crusher”? Jesus! Jesus—the great, great, great… grandson of Eve—came to do all that we’ve failed to do. Jesus was tempted by the devil in every way, but did he give in? No way! He answered every temptation with God’s Word.

Then Jesus died in our place to pay for everything we’ve done. That’s an interesting way to crush a snake, isn’t it? Jesus let himself be bit and crucified. He suffered every punishment for every sin, and then he rose from the dead to destroy death and the power of the devil. For “just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:18-19). Jesus gives us his righteousness and takes away our sin.

It isn’t enough to understand where sin comes from. God wants you to understand where sin goes. God wants you to know where hope and life and forgiveness are found. In the Snake-Crusher. In Jesus!

In the midst of sin, there is forgiveness. In the midst of death, there is life. You don’t have to hide from God. Or lie. Or blame others. Go to Jesus. He came to save you and forgive you. When that snake tries tempting you, tell him to go back to where he came from. You’re with the Snake-Crusher!

Dear Jesus, thank you for crushing the devil’s head and saving me from my sins. Amen.