Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-25; Genesis 3:15
Review: One final element of God's plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed concerns the vulnerability of the offspring of the woman to the consequences of the Fall. After God tells the serpent that the offspring of the woman will ultimately crush his head, He states: "and you shall bruise his heel." In other words, the serpent will somehow strike a blow against the offspring of the woman, involving him in the realities of pain and struggle, realities associated with the sentence of death. Matthew 1:18-25 alludes to this simply by announcing the coming of the Savior-King as a human baby. Human babies are vulnerable to the very real consequences of the Fall, including pain, struggle, and death. In Jesus' case, the announcement of his birth is followed immediately by a story (in Matthew 2) of Herod's determination to put him to death. Of course, we know now that ultimately the bruising God had in mind in Genesis 3:15 was not the threat from Herod, but rather the execution of the promised Deliverer years later on the cross (see also Isaiah 53:10).
Reflection Questions: Look back over the elements of God's plan laid out in Genesis 3:15. How does knowing that God is a planner affect the way you interpret history and today's news stories? How does it affect your life personally? What words would you use to summarize God's plan for your life here and now (in other words, beyond simply saying "God plans for me to be with Him someday after I die")?
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