One Great Step for Mankind

The [Christian] message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity – hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory – because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross. - J.I. Packer

(For the next four weeks I will reflect on hints of Christmas in the Old Testament.)

As God meted out the punishments after Adam and Eve’s sinful action in the Garden of Eden, He foreshadowed the reality and results of a future Christmas.

Several curses were pronounced, and the sentence directed toward the snake is fascinating and prophetic. “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.”(Genesis 3:15)

Generations downstream, Jesus would fulfill this glorious prediction and crush Satan’s head with His dramatic and decisive victory on Easter morning. The empty tomb will forever signify Christ’s ultimate triumph over Satan.

The price of victory would be painful. When Jesus set foot on Earth on Christmas Day, 2,000 years ago, His heel was exposed to the serpent’s strike. He won Easter’s victory with the pain of Good Friday. The cross will forever remind us of Jesus’ pain when His heel touched Earth.

However, during this Christmas season, we celebrate. In a few months we will reflect on Christ’s bruised heel and revel in Satan’s crushed head. But today, we enjoy the grand entry of our Savior into the world. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Excelsior,

Dan Bolin

Author & President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc