In the Power of His Might
LESSON 6 The Enmity
After Adam broke his covenant with God, the LORD declared the consequences of the breech:
The woman was placed under her husband s authority (foreshadowing the church s submission to Christ), and told her pain in childbearing would intensify.
Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
The man s labor in life would now be far more difficult than anything he had previously known.
Genesis 3:17, 19 17 cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
But the greatest curse befell the one who had started all the trouble the serpent.
Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: He would crawl on his belly before the one he defied.
Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: Psalm 72:9 his enemies shall lick the dust.
Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: Isaiah 65:25 and dust shall be the serpent's meat
God declared a state of war between the serpent and the woman, and its seed and her seed:
God declared a state of war between the serpent and the woman, and its seed and her seed: Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Between the serpent and the woman, and his seed and her seed the serpent his seed the woman her seed
Between the serpent and the woman, and his seed and her seed the serpent his seed that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan (Rev 12:9).
Between the serpent and the woman, and his seed and her seed the serpent his seed a generation of vipers (Matt 23:33). That which is born of the spirit is spirit (John 3:6) even when the spirit is evil.
Between the serpent and the woman, and his seed and her seed the woman her seed The woman is Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all (Gal 4:26). Along with Abraham, who is the father of us all (Rom 4:16), these are the spiritual parents of God s chosen people.
Between the serpent and the woman, and his seed and her seed the woman her seed In nature, it is the male s seed that fertilizes a female s egg. This reference to her seed points to God s plan for man s redemption: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isa 7:14).
Between the serpent and the woman, and his seed and her seed the woman her seed The woman s seed is Christ. By extension, her seed is all who are of Abraham s seed, which is Christ (Gal 3:16).
It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Satan bruised Christ s heel when Jesus was nailed to the cross.
It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly... (Rom 16:20)
The enmity declared in Genesis 3:15 is the reason for the animosity toward the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The enmity declared in Genesis 3:15 is the reason for the animosity toward the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and because we ve been adopted into this family, the Christians. Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
No matter how it seems, our adversaries are spiritual.
No matter how it seems, our adversaries are spiritual. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Adam s transgression gave birth to another kind of enmity as well, this one between man and God.
Adam s transgression gave birth to another kind of enmity as well, this one between man and God. Sin came into the world and polluted man s heart and mind.
Now it was man s natural inclination to consider the things of God foolishness.
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
It was as impossible for him to please God as it is for a rock to float.
Romans 8:7-8 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
With the new birth, a holy nature is born in man, but the old nature remains. These two natures are in a continual state of war, each one fighting for dominance.
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the After Spirit, the and new the birth, Spirit against the two flesh: natures and war these within are contrary us, the each one one to trying the other: to be so dominant. that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
To walk in holiness, you must refuse the impulses of the carnal nature. How is this accomplished?
Most religions practice starvation rituals. Paul sums them up as, Touch not; taste not; handle not (Col 2:21).
But a hungry dog is still a dog.
Jesus said the problem is what comes OUT of a man, not what goes INTO him.
Mark 7:18b-23 18... Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
David s prayer must be ours as well: Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?
Test Your Understanding of Lesson 6 1. Briefly explain the punishments that were given the man, the woman, and the serpent.
Test Your Understanding of Lesson 6 1. Briefly explain the punishments that were given the man, the woman, and the serpent. 2. What are the opposing sides of the EXTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall?
Test Your Understanding of Lesson 6 1. Briefly explain the punishments that were given the man, the woman, and the serpent. 2. What are the opposing sides of the EXTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall? 3. What are the opposing sides of the INTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall?
Test Your Understanding of Lesson 6 1. Briefly explain the punishments that were given the man, the woman, and the serpent. 2. What are the opposing sides of the EXTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall? 3. What are the opposing sides of the INTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall? 4. What defiles a man what goes in, or what come out?
Test Your Understanding of Lesson 6 1. Briefly explain the punishments that were given the man, the woman, and the serpent. 2. What are the opposing sides of the EXTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall? 3. What are the opposing sides of the INTERNAL enmity that resulted from man s fall? 4. What defiles a man what goes in, or what come out? 5. What needs to change in a man?