The Pursuit: Jesus in Genesis – Episode 2

Professor Jared Kingsley continues his devotional in Genesis 3:15, praising Christ the Victor but realizing that His victory ultimately came with a cost.

The Bruised Heel

Genesis 3:15 ends with the statement, “And you shall bruise him on the heel.” Christ will win in the end, but not without pain. His victory comes at a price, His own death on the cross. The Old Testament, all the way back to this verse, anticipates that the Messiah will die for His people. Theologians call this corporate solidarity, meaning that one represents the many. Christ both lives for His people and dies for His people.

The Long-Awaited Messiah

In Genesis 4:1, shortly after Eve was told this promise from the LORD, she gave birth to her son, Cain. From the original Hebrew, the verse translates to “I have acquired a man, namely Yahweh”. Eve believes that Cain is the Messiah who was promised to her in the Garden. She has faith and a conviction that God will provide a Savior to His people to reign victorious so that they may share in His victory. But as Genesis 4 unfolds, it becomes clear that Cain is no hero at all. God did not send the Messiah right away, but instead, the story of redemption spans years to come. Redemption is about God and His glory, and everything culminates with Christ.

Our Response

Our response should be just as Simon’s was in Luke 2. Simon knew the Old Testament prophecies about Christ. He was ready for the Messiah to come. He already treasured and loved the Messiah because he knew the Messiah from the Old Testament. Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament should deepen our conviction, strengthen our resolve, and prepare our hearts. The day will come when Jesus will finally crush Satan once and for all, and we will get to share in His victory, so cherish Him now.

This blog post captures the essence of Professor Jared Kingsley’s series on Jesus and the Wells. You may click on the video above to hear more insightful details on Jesus throughout the Old Testament. Professor Kingsley is a professor of Hebrew and Old Testament for The Master’s University traditional on-campus program.