THE PLAN WAS ALWAYS JESUS
Jenna Worsham
Today's Scripture: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15, ESV
Theme: The coming of Messiah has been prophesied since sin first entered the world.
CHRISTOPHONIES
According to the Oxford Dictionary, a Christophany is “an appearance or manifestation of Christ [Jesus].” We might quickly think of Christophanies in the Bible, specifically the New Testament – where He appears plainly. Yet, scholars and theologians agree there are quite a few examples of Christophanies as prophesies about or manifestations of Jesus in the Old Testament, including our verse of the day.
THE SNAKE AND EVE’S OFFSPRING
“He shall bruise your head...” is a reference to the crushing blow that Jesus delivered against the powers of darkness. “...You shall bruise his heel” refers to the temporary but painful death that Jesus would have to endure for us. It’s a curse on the snake and prophesy for man and the Savior Jesus. There was never a time that we didn’t need Jesus. As soon as there was sin, God had a way to handle it. We were looking forward to the coming Messiah. The whole story of the Bible--from Genesis to Revelation--is about Jesus. Whether we understand each story, the whole Bible whispers the Good News that Jesus is coming and will set all things right. The story of humanity and the evil that wants to destroy us both starts and ends with Jesus, His Father, and His assured victory.
THE BABY JESUS
In this season, we often think of Jesus as a baby. He was, for a very short time, a baby. We celebrate this because it was God’s entrance into our world, a Child with everything in common with us. While I understand celebrating what Jesus would accomplish for us, I don’t understand celebrating the difficult season He would face. Life is difficult. There is pain, trouble, and death on earth. Yet when Jesus came, peace came, too. The hope of the prophesy spoken against the snake in Eden is the same hope we celebrate at Christmas and always--Jesus. Sin is detrimental without a Savior. However, God provided a Savior from the very start to the very finish. Until that last day, our hope is in the ultimate message of the Bible: The Messiah is here. He wants you. Salvation is ours if we choose it and the battle is His.
Make It Personal: In what way does Jesus appear or manifest in your own Christmas season? How can we better celebrate the Christophanies in the Bible which occur from the Old Testament through the New? Keep an eye out for ways that Jesus appears in the Bible during each weekend message during Christmas at The Cove!
Pray: Dear God, Thank You for Your story and plan of salvation. You always wanted us and always planned to save us. You hold everything together and Your story is complete and beautiful, even when we miss it or misunderstand it. Thank You for sending Jesus to our broken world. Thank You for the peace He brought and left for us permanently. We have tremendous hope because we know that Jesus wins; the end of the story is still about Him. Help us to know You better and to understand Your Word better each day as we seek You.
Read: Revelation 1:8; John 1:1; Romans 16:25-27
Weekly Memory Verse:
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6, ESV