by By John Van Schepen
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. — 1 John 3:8
Eve’s name is not mentioned in Matthew or Luke’s genealogy. But it’s important to include her as we reflect on God’s promise to bring the Savior. Having been tempted by the serpent (Satan), Eve disobeyed God, and so did Adam. Sin damaged Eve’s relationship to her husband and her childbearing. Yet there is hope.
Genesis 3:15 includes what is often called the first gospel promise. God promised that one of Eve’s offspring would crush Satan and the power of sin in this world—and yet the offspring would be wounded in the process.
When Eve gave birth to her first son, she may have thought this child would be the promised victor over sin. She named him Cain, saying, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man” (Genesis 4:1). But Cain was not the promised one. Cain only made things worse by murdering his brother (Genesis 4:8).
Many generations later, another woman—Mary—gave birth to a son, and he was named Jesus because he would “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). He, the Son of God and Son of Man, came “to destroy the devil’s work” by dying on the cross to save us. That battle will not be over until Jesus comes again (Revelation 20:11-21:8). What a day that will be when the victory over sin will be complete!
God of grace and peace, thank you for continually working to bring the Savior, Jesus, to crush Satan under his feet. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that one day your victory over sin will be complete. Amen.