A Curse with a Blessing

Once again, I’ve been pondering the beginning, Genesis that is.

I’ve blogged before about golden awareness nuggets, aka epiphanies, that God has revealed in His Word to demonstrate His perfect love. (Check them out here- Holy CPR, & Wisdom Nuggets.) And once again I’m amazed and overwhelmed at how complex and determined He is to save us from evil even when it disguises in the form of a serpent.

Before I explain, allow me a little wiggle room to use my imagination.

We are told in Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made.” And then the temptation of Eve begins.

When I try to imagine this scene in my mind, I’ve always pictured a sneaky snake approaching Eve. But now I believe the serpent must have been different than what we now understand as snakes because in verse 14, God curses the serpent, “So the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.”

It wouldn’t have been a curse if the serpent was already crawling around on his belly, right? So, God must have changed the wicked serpent’s anatomy and hence, his visual view of the world from that moment. Honestly, when I get to heaven, I’m going to ask to see the video so I can see what that deceitful creature looked like before.

But onto the new epiphany.

Verse 15 continues the serpent’s curse. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers: he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

Now we know the “he” is Christ who defeated Satan when he rose from the dead. One act of sacrifice from the Father and obedience of the Son opened the way for us to be justified from Satan’s evil attempt to bring Adam, Eve and their descendants down. Jesus crushed the head of Satan. Once and for all.

And Satan did all he could to prevent Jesus from ever breathing air. One example in the Old Testament Book of Esther is when he tried to have all the Jewish people killed. And in the New Testament when he had Herod kill all the Jewish male babies under two years old hoping to kill the Messiah. Of course, Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness three times in order to try to persuade Him from staying obedient to the Father.  Multiple failed attempts at striking Christ on his heel.

But here’s the point—as God cursed the serpent, He bestowed a blessing. Synchronized curse and blessing. 

Satan led the woman and man astray and thought he doomed mankind forever, but after God zapped the serpent on his belly eating dirt, He set in motion the way for us to be saved from death and despair. Jesus- the Way, the Truth, and the Light.

Tucked deep inside the curse, the Creator blessed mankind with one blow to the head of Satan through Jesus Christ.

Now that puts a smile on my face as gratitude flows from my heart. Snake cursed and I’m blessed.

To God be the glory!

Had any epiphanies lately? Let’s learn and grow in wisdom and hope as we walk this journey called Life.