OPINION:
When you think of Jesus, what image comes to mind? Is He a baby in a manger, a man on a cross, the King of heaven? What if Jesus is greater than you imagined?
What if His birth carries more than sentiment and tradition? What if there’s more to His story and its connection to our lives than we ever dreamed?
These are the questions we explore in “Tracing His Promise,” a journey to uncover the bigger story of Jesus and what that means for us.
During Christmas, it’s easy to linger on the baby in the manger and forget that Christ’s birth was far more than the story of a young couple’s unexpected son. Rather, Christmas is about the culmination of a promise — first whispered in Eden, spoken to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and then echoed to millions of people over thousands of years.
A promise perfectly fulfilled in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.
Many of the promises we know: a virgin conceiving, a Son given, a Prince of Peace reigning. And yet, nestled in Bethlehem’s cradle lies the fulfillment of hundreds of promises regarding Christ’s coming. And so, to strengthen your faith and settle your soul in the busyness of the season, we’ll uncover five of these lesser-known promises, all pointing to the brilliance of His birth.
Below is the first in a series of excerpts from “Tracing His Promise,” which guides readers through the promise of Christ in the Old Testament, making it a meaningful addition to the Advent season.
Man’s Sin, God’s Promise
Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:9
Of course, God knew where they were. But through these words, God signaled to Adam, Eve, and every heavenly host watching that He would not abandon the man and woman who had rebelled against Him.
Adam and Eve hid their presence, but God revealed His.
There would be consequences and curses, yes. But through the question “Where are you?” God expressed His unfailing love. He desired relationship. He wanted them to know their broken responses — running, hiding, and pretending — were not needed.
Can you relate to Adam and Eve’s response? Are you ever timid before God because you know your failures? Or do you ever find yourself wanting to camouflage behind the wilting leaves of good works, religion, busyness, or distraction?
It’s easy to distance ourselves from God when feeling shame or regret. But the all-seeing, all-loving God who called to Adam and Eve in the garden calls to you and me.
Whatever your situation, don’t think that what you’ve done or what’s been done to you keeps you from God’s loving arms. If a holy and perfect God could forgive us of the wrong we’ve done, how much more should we forgive ourselves and walk free from the weight of guilt and shame? Even when we fall to the Enemy’s schemes, we don’t need to run. We can know God is there, drawing us back to a relationship with Him.
How can we know? Because of what we’re about to see God do next.
A Covering
In the misery of the moment, Adam and Eve tried to conceal what they couldn’t hide. But God was behind the scenes, preparing something for them.
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” – Genesis 3:21
God Himself made clothes and covered them.
Let’s pause and consider how this would have happened. In that lush and beautiful garden among the grazing animals, the holy hand of heaven would have fallen and struck the life of an innocent animal. Through that death, God covered the nakedness of the man and woman and revealed that relationship with Him is not based on human efforts. From the opening pages of the Bible, we see God move in breathtaking pictures of redemption.
Isn’t this a picture of what Jesus did for you and me?
Thousands of years later, the holy hand of heaven would fall again. But this time it wouldn’t strike an innocent animal — it would strike God’s innocent Son.
The shedding of blood. Sacrifice. Innocent for the guilty.
And through faith in Jesus, our shame is covered, and we are placed in right standing with God.
The First Gospel
While the garments of skin point to Jesus, nestled in the following passage is a promise that may be less familiar. A promise glistening with hope of the coming Christ. Speaking a curse to the Serpent, God said:
I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. – Genesis 3:15
God announced there would be a conflict between the serpent and the woman and between their respective offspring. This describes the battle between the seen and unseen world that has continued through the ages. The reality of what’s behind the wall.
But God didn’t stop there. He continued by revealing what would ultimately happen between these opposing forces. Describing the offspring, God said:
He will strike your head, and you [Satan] will strike his heel. – Gensis 3:15
What was God saying? Though the enemy successfully deceived Adam and Eve, God would one day strike the head of the Serpent through the woman’s descendant. And the descendant? Jesus. The One who would crush the Serpent’s head, redeeming us from the curse and bringing ultimate victory over sin and evil. Incredible.
Sin broke our relationship with God in a way we could not fix, yet to the very first couple on the planet, God promised He would restore what was broken. Theologians refer to this promise as the proto-evangelium, meaning the “first gospel.”
That’s precisely what it is. The first mention of the good news of Jesus. Genesis 3:15 begins a thrilling line of prophecies, promises, and stories that point to the good news of Jesus — prophecies and promises we’ll discover through our journey together.
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Donna Amidon is a speaker and author with a passion for engaging others in the rich truths of Scripture. A graduate of Southern Evangelical Seminary, Donna has served in diverse roles as a Bible teacher, worship leader, and small group director. Donna’s book, “Tracing His Promise,” guides readers through the promise of Christ in the Old Testament, making it a meaningful addition to the Advent season. In her role at Back to the Bible, Donna provides biblical teachings that inspire others to center their lives on Christ.
Visit her at www.donnaamidon.com or on social media at https://www.instagram.com/donnaamidon_/ or https://www.facebook.com/ignitetheheart
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