In Genesis 3:15 we see the wonderful promise that God made to man after the fall. "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." This promise certainly is good news.
The background of God's promise was that man had been tempted by the serpent and had fallen into sin (v. 13). At that time man was under the fear of God, waiting for the sentence of death (vv. 8, 10). However, God did not condemn him. He judged the serpent (v. 14).
In Genesis 3:15 God said to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman..." We do not like the word enmity because we do not want to be involved in fighting or warfare, but God said that He would put enmity between the serpent and the woman. God did not relinquish control of the situation and He did not allow the woman and the serpent to fend for themselves. God seemed to be saying, "I will manage this situation. I will maintain control over everything. I will put enmity between you and the woman." Shortly we shall see who the woman is. In Genesis 3:15 God continued to say that He would put enmity between the serpent's seed and the woman's seed, that the woman's seed would bruise the serpent's head, and that the serpent would bruise the heel of the woman's seed. This reveals that the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman will be enemies, that the woman's seed will bruise the serpent's head, and that the serpent will bruise the heel of the woman's seed. To bruise the head of the serpent means to destroy and kill him. According to Genesis 3:15, the seed of the woman would destroy the serpent, but the serpent could only injure the heel of the woman's seed.
Like most of the items mentioned in Genesis 1 through 3, Genesis 3:15 is a seed, a tremendously significant seed of the gospel. It was in Genesis 3:15 that God first proclaimed His full gospel. Therefore, we need to spend considerable time on this verse to see who is the woman, who is the seed of the serpent, and who is the seed of the woman. We must become familiar with three classes of people—the woman, the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman. Firstly, let us see who the woman is.
As I have previously mentioned, nearly everything in Genesis 1 through 3 is a seed as well as a sign or symbol. Thus, we need to allegorize this portion of the holy Word. After reading the foregoing message we should realize that the proper position of human beings is that of a woman. Whether we are male or female we all have the position of a woman before God. If we claim that we are men before Him, we will immediately be devoured by Satan. Undoubtedly, the woman mentioned in Genesis 3:15 is Eve, and Eve signifies all the people of God, the people who take the position of a woman trusting in God. As long as we trust in God, we are His people, His wife. Hence, the woman of Genesis 3:15 is firstly Eve and secondly all the people who rely upon God and who put their trust in God. In brief, all the people of God are the woman. Therefore, the enmity between the serpent and the woman is the enmity between Satan and Eve, between Satan and all of God's people. Eve signifies all the people of God.
In Revelation 12:1 we see the sign of a universal woman. This woman, a great sign, is clothed with the sun, has the moon under her feet, and has a crown of twelve stars upon her head. Therefore, this woman is not a single, local, individual woman; she is a universal woman, a sign that symbolizes all of God's people from Adam to Abraham, from Isaac to Moses, from Moses to the apostles, and from the apostles to the present time. All the people of God compose this woman and are included in her. The twelve stars represent the patriarchs such as Adam, Abel, Enoch, Abraham, and Jacob. Those patriarchs were stars, not yet formed as a unit. Following them we have the people of Israel. Since they lived during the dark night they are represented by the moon. However, when the Lord Jesus came, day dawned and the sun shone brightly. Thus, the church people are represented by the sun. Hence, all of God's people—the patriarchs, Israel of the Old Testament, and the church of the New Testament, including all the believers—compose this universal woman. The universal woman of Revelation 12 was symbolized by the individual woman, Eve, of Genesis 3:15. Eve in Genesis 3 was a symbol of this universal woman.
In the glad tidings which God announced in Genesis 3:15 God said that He would put enmity between the serpent and the woman. This means that throughout the centuries Satan, the Devil, has been fighting against all the people of God. The serpent not only fought against Eve, but has also fought against the people of God in every generation. An illustration of this is the murder of Abel by his brother Cain. According to 1 John 3:12, this act of murder was not merely a crime perpetrated by Cain, but a deed performed by the wicked one, by the serpent. The serpent used Cain to kill Abel. If we do not put our trust in God, we are not the people of God. If we are not the people of God, we are in the same category as Satan, and he will not fight against us. However, once you turn to God and become a person who trusts in God, the serpent will immediately attack you. This is the enmity between the serpent and the woman.