Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

 “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)

Devotional Thought
When we think of Christmas, our minds naturally drift to Bethlehem—Mary and Joseph, the manger, angels in the night sky, and shepherds hurrying to see the newborn Savior. But the story of Christmas didn’t begin there. It didn’t even begin with the prophets or the promise to David. The idea of Christmas was in the heart of God from eternity past.

Jesus is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Long before the stable, long before the star, before time itself began—God had already purposed redemption. And humanity first heard this promise not on a peaceful night in Bethlehem, but in the shadow of the fall, in the midst of shame, fear, and judgment.

Genesis 3:15 is often called the protoevangelium—“the first gospel.” In the curse pronounced upon the serpent, God unveiled a future hope: an Offspring who would undo the serpent’s deception, crush his head, and reclaim what had been lost. This is the first whisper of a Savior, the first sign that sin and death would not have the final word.

This was not God scrambling to fix a problem. This was not Plan B. God knew the schemes of the serpent and the frailty of the human heart. He knew Adam and Eve would fall. And woven into His righteous judgment was already a promise of mercy. Even as humanity was being driven from Eden, God pointed toward the Redeemer who would one day open the way back.

That Redeemer is Jesus—the Second Adam. Where the first Adam failed, He stood firm. Where Adam yielded to temptation, Christ overcame. He perfectly obeyed the law, defeated the serpent, and secured victory for all who trust in Him.

Our lives can often feel like that moment in the garden—chaotic, broken, out of control. We may feel as though God is reacting to our failures, patching up the pieces we keep breaking. But His work in us is no more reactionary than His plan to save the world. The same God who promised a Messiah in Eden is the God who pursues, restores, and redeems us today. His love is deliberate. His timing is perfect. His salvation is intentional.

And today—just as in Genesis 3—He offers hope in the midst of our mess.

Christmas is the celebration of that ancient promise fulfilled. So what better time than this to receive the One who crushes the serpent’s power, heals our brokenness, and invites us into restored fellowship with God?

Reflection Questions

1. How does it change your view of Christmas to realize it began in Eden, not Bethlehem?
2. Where in your life do you need to be reminded that God works with purpose, not panic?
3. What would it look like to trust Christ as your Redeemer today?

Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You that from the very beginning You purposed to save us. Thank You for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to crush the serpent’s head and restore what sin destroyed. Help me trust Your deliberate love and Your perfect plan for my life. Draw my heart to the Savior this Christmas season. Amen.