And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.
Genesis 3:15
I hate snakes. I’m not phobic about them — I’ve even handled them on the odd occasion — I just hate them. And I’m not alone. According to a 2001 Gallup poll, 56% of Americans fear snakes, and it ranked as the #1 fear, ahead of speaking in public, heights, and spiders.
I’m not going to blame my hatred of snakes on the curse found in Genesis 3, although I’m not willing to rule that out either. But that’s not my point. What I’m interested in here (for the moment) is God’s insertion of Himself in the relationship between Eve (and all of mankind after her) and the serpent (Satan). Look at what He said: “I will put enmity between you and the woman.” The statement necessarily implies that prior to God’s pronouncement there was not enmity between Eve and Satan. In eating the forbidden fruit, Eve had made her choice, chosen her side, and she had sided with Satan. Not enmity, but alliance.
But God, in his love for Eve (and the rest of His children), refused to let that stand. Without asking Satan or Eve what they thought about the whole idea, He unilaterally decided that He would make man and Satan enemies. Not to put too fine a point on it, Eve — and Eve’s children — had no say in the matter, no choice. God did it, solely on His own initiative, in accordance with His will. He didn’t ask anyone’s permission, or solicit their opinion.
We flatter and deceive ourselves when we think we choose God. God chose us, when we were still allied with the serpent.
And then the seed of Eve — Jesus Christ — bruised Satan on the head, just exactly when and how Satan bruised him on his heel — with a cross.
