While the Lord Jesus was destroying the serpent on the cross, the serpent bruised His heel. This means that Satan wounded the Lord Jesus by nailing His feet to the cross (Psa. 22:16).
Who are the overcomers? As we have seen already, the woman in Genesis 3:15 firstly is Eve and secondly is all the people of God, including the virgin Mary, as signified by Eve. Hence, the seed of the woman is mainly the Lord Jesus who was born of Mary. However, more regarding the seed of the woman can be seen in Revelation 12. The woman depicted in Revelation 12 and signified in Genesis 3:15 is a universal woman, and within her is a part called the manchild (Rev. 12:1, 2, 5). In a biblical sense, woman represents weakness, for the woman is the weaker vessel (1 Pet. 3:7). The man, especially the manchild, represents strength. The universal woman of Revelation 12 has two parts: the outer part, which is the woman herself, and the inner part, which is the manchild. The outer part, the woman, is the weaker part; the inner part, the manchild, is the stronger part. All the people of God are the woman, who is somewhat weak, but among all the people of God is a stronger part, which is the manchild, the overcomers. In the churches some of the saints may be comparatively weak, being a portion of the woman, but other saints may be quite strong, being a portion of the manchild. This manchild may also be considered as a part of the seed of the woman. The manchild is the stronger part among the people of God. The entire people of God are the woman, and the stronger part of the people of God is the manchild. Therefore the manchild is also a part of the seed of the woman.
I like to compare Revelation 12 with Genesis 3. In Genesis 3:15 we have three main items: the serpent, the woman, and the seed of the woman. We find the same three items in Revelation 12, where we see the old serpent, the universal woman, and the manchild. Have you seen how these two chapters correspond to one another? The "ancient serpent" of Revelation 12:9 is the serpent of Genesis 3, the universal woman of Revelation 12:1 is the woman of Genesis 3:15, and the manchild of Revelation 12:5 is a part of the seed of the woman that is also mentioned in Genesis 3:15. If you do not understand Revelation 12, you will not be clear in full about Genesis 3:15. In this small verse three major items were unfolded—the serpent, the woman, and the seed of the woman. It is difficult for us to understand these three items without reading through the entire Bible until we come to the book of Revelation. As we come to Revelation 12 we discover that the serpent of Genesis 3:15 is the Devil, for Revelation 12:9 speaks of "the ancient serpent, he who is called the Devil and Satan." The woman is not only Eve, but all the people who put their trust in God, including the virgin Mary, for God's people occupy a feminine position before Him. Furthermore, we see that within the woman is a stronger part called the manchild. Therefore, the manchild of Revelation 12 is a part of the seed of the woman mentioned in Genesis 3:15.
Some may ask who the manchild is. There are different schools of teaching in Christianity regarding this. Some say that the manchild is the Lord Jesus. I agree with this in a sense because the Lord Jesus is the Head, the center, the reality, the life, and the nature of the manchild. However, this manchild is not individual; he is corporate. Since the woman herself is not individual, but universal and corporate, her child must also be universal and corporate. This corporate manchild includes the Lord Jesus as the Head, center, reality, life, and nature of the manchild. This can be proved from the Scriptures. Psalm 2:8-9 prophesies that the Lord Jesus, God's Anointed One, will rule the nations with a rod of iron. Revelation 2:26-27 says that the overcomers in the churches will rule over the nations with a rod of iron. Now in Revelation 12:5 we are told that the manchild will rule all nations with a rod of iron. Therefore, according to the record of the Bible, both the Lord Jesus Himself and His overcomers will rule over the nations with a rod of iron. Thus, the manchild in Revelation 12:5 includes both the Lord Jesus and the overcomers in the churches. Furthermore, Revelation 20:4 says that Christ and the resurrected overcomers will reign as kings for a thousand years. Hence, the manchild in Revelation 12 is neither the Lord Jesus individually nor the overcomers separate from Him, but the Lord Jesus with the overcomers. Christ Himself is the foremost overcomer (Rev. 3:21). As the leading overcomer He is the Head, center, reality, life, and nature of the overcomers. Among the people of God on earth there is a stronger part which includes the Lord Jesus and the overcomers. Thus, the Lord Jesus and His overcomers compose the manchild.
The enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed mentioned in Genesis 3:15 is fully manifested in Revelation 12. In Revelation 12 we see that the old serpent tries his best to damage the manchild and the woman (vv. 4, 13-17). The enmity of Genesis 3:15 is thus fulfilled to the uttermost.
Although the Lord Jesus was a manchild, He was born of a woman. What does this mean? The spiritual significance of this is that the Lord Jesus was born of a source that trusted in God. The woman is the source of the seed, and the seed, part of which is the manchild that defeats the enemy, is stronger than the woman. The source of the manchild is a woman, not a man. His source is the one who trusts in God, not the one who declares independence from God. The manchild is the seed of a woman who trusts in God and depends on God. The Lord Jesus was the seed from such a source.
Likewise, we all need to be the seed of the woman, the seed from a source that depends on God. If we claim to be a man before God, we are finished with God and are no longer of God. Anyone who is of God must be a female before Him. If the leaders in the churches should say, "We know how to do things," they are no longer the woman before God, but have assumed the position of a man. The leading brothers should say, "O Lord, You know how weak we are. We depend upon You. Apart from You, Lord, we can do nothing. We trust in You for everything." If the leading brothers have this attitude, they are truly the woman before God. Genesis 3:15 does not mention the seed of man, for only the seed of woman, not the seed of man, has the position before God.
On the one hand, we are the woman; on the other hand, we are the seed of the woman. We are the ones who trust in God: this is our source. We also are the seed of this source that trusts in God. Therefore, we can become strong. Only the seed of the source trusting in God can be strong, not strong in themselves, but strong in God. The Lord Jesus Himself took the lead to be such a person. He is the Head of the manchild. Now He is also the center, reality, life, and nature of the manchild. How the enemy, Satan, fights against this manchild!