Throughout the Old Testament, Israel was always looking forward to their promised Messiah – the anointed One of God who would reclaim the world and redeem us from sin. We can look all the way back to Genesis and see that God always had a plan for our a rebellious group of people who could never save themselves. As we’ll see during these days leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth, history was always leading toward the incredible moment when God would take on flesh, dwell among us, and eventually be slaughtered by the very people He created.
Christ in the Old Testament
And I will make enemies
Of you and the woman,
And of your offspring and her Descendant;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise Him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15)
The moment Adam and Eve chose rebellion over obedience to their God, all of humanity was doomed. There was no possible way we could save ourselves, and God would have been good and just to leave us to what we deserved.
At this time, Satan thought he had successfully interfered with God’s plans. He had tasted a moment of triumph as the capstone of God’s creation rejected Him in order to pursue their own desires. Yet not only was this always part of God’s plan, we see Him promising that all of Satan’s apparent success would be undone. A Messiah was coming who would be bruised, but not defeated. Satan thought he’d won, but even humanity’s fall would bring ultimate glory to God.
Fulfilled in the New Testament
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Romans 16:20)
Christ was victorious on the cross when He took our place under God’s wrath and resurrected on the third day, proclaiming His power over death. Yet not only that, but He takes those of us who were once enemies of God and lets us share in that victory. We reap the benefits of God’s promise in our salvation, but also in giving our lives over to Jesus Christ.
We get to take part in Christ’s victory by telling others about the One who was promised by God long ago. We can show others why they, like all of humanity, have no hope of salvation apart from the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. God allows us to serve Him by showing others their slavery to sin and the undeserved freedom offered by Christ.
No part of this victory came by accident. God always had a plan for Christ, and He has a plan for those of us who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Let us rejoice in our salvation, but may we always remember that our lives belong to Jesus Christ.
