The Lord Jesus Christ- the Promised Seed, True Israel, and Last Adam-Part One

At times, redemptive history seems turned on its head and the wicked seem to outnumber the righteous. However, the continual message of Scripture is one of hope: the meek will inherit the earth (cf. Matt. 5:5), the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will spread throughout the world (cf. Habb. 2:14), the cities of this world will become the cities of our Lord (cf. Rev. 11:15), and unrighteousness will be banished from Zion (cf. Rom. 11:26). While we may at times cry out with Job, "Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power" (Job 21:7), we must remember that Christ is the fulfillment of the Seed Promise and has defeated the Seed of the Serpent.


It is interesting that the two chief moments in redemptive history occur in a garden. Both the first and last Adams faced the pinnacle of tribulation in the same setting. However, it is here where the similarities end. While Adam was tested in Paradise (cf.Gen. 2:9-15), Christ wrestled in the fallenness of Gethsemane (cf. Matt. 26:38). Adam was provided a helper (cf. Gen. 2:22), while Christ was forsaken by his disciples (cf. Matt. 26:40). Adam was confronted with breaking the covenant of life (cf. Gen. 3:1), while Christ was confronted with the daunting task of facing the divine tribunal (cf. Matt. 26:39). Most significantly, Adam broke the covenant of life (cf. Genesis 3:6-7), while Christ kept it for those whom he represented (cf. Rom. 5:18).

Immediately following Adam's trespass, God institutes what is commonly known as the Seed Promise, or the protoevangelium. It is called the protoevangelium because it is precisely that, the earliest mention of the gospel in the Scriptures. It is found in Genesis 3:15:

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.

This promise made to our antediluvian ancestors quickly becomes the theme of the Scriptures and of redemptive history. Our progenitors earnestly longed for the fulfillment of this promise. How merciful the account of the Fall demonstrates God to be! Even after Adam's rebellion, he provides the gospel. He does not wait one generation (though who could fault God if he did) but immediately provides a covering (cf. Gen. 3:21).

So prominent was this promise on our ancestors' minds, that even with the birth of Cain, they were looking for the fulfillment (cf. Gen. 4:1). The events that unfolded would demonstrate, however, that Cain was actually the Seed of the Serpent, who would murder his brother (cf. Gen. 4:8) and go to build a city of wickedness in the land of Nod (Gen. 4:16). This perpetuates the continual conflict between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent foretold in the protoevangelium. At times, redemptive history seems turned on its head and the wicked seem to outnumber the righteous. However, the continual message of Scripture is one of hope: the meek will inherit the earth (cf. Matt. 5:5), the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will spread throughout the world (cf. Habb. 2:14), the cities of this world will become the cities of our Lord (cf. Rev. 11:15), and unrighteousness will be banished from Zion (cf. Rom. 11:26). While we may at times cry out with Job, "Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power" (Job 21:7), we must remember that Christ is the fulfillment of the Seed Promise and has defeated the Seed of the Serpent.

Bearing in mind the Seed Promise as the theme of the Scriptures enables us to see the unity of all of the Bible. When we come to Genesis 17 and the Abrahamic Covenant, it is quite clear that God is not beginning something new but continuing to develop the promise from Genesis 3:15. The Abrahamic Covenant and its direct fulfillment in the emergence of Israel as a nation is simply an expansion of the protoevangelium. We will look at this in greater detail in part two. Soli deo gloria!