35.k. “The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this”

 

 

Genesis 3:14  The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. 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.”

 Isaiah 29:4    And you will be brought low; from the earth you shall speak, and from the dust your speech will be bowed down; your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost, and from the dust your speech shall whisper.

 God passes sentence; and he begins where the sin began, with the serpent. The devil’s instruments must share in the devil’s punishments. Under the cover of the serpent, the devil is sentenced to be degraded and accursed of God; detested and abhorred of all mankind: also to be destroyed and ruined at last by the great Redeemer, signified by the breaking of his head. War is proclaimed between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. It is the fruit of this enmity, that there is a continual warfare between grace and corruption, in the hearts of God’s people. Satan, by their corruptions, buffets them, sifts them, and seeks to devour them. Heaven and hell can never be reconciled, nor light and darkness; no more can Satan and a sanctified soul. Also, there is a continual struggle between the wicked and the godly in this world. A gracious promise is here made of Christ, as the Deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan. Here was the drawn of the gospel day: no sooner was the wound given, than the remedy was provided and revealed. This gracious revelation of a Saviour came unasked, and unlooked for. Without a revelation of mercy, giving some hope of forgiveness, the convinced sinner would sink into despair, and be hardened. By faith in this promise, our first parents, and the patriarchs before the flood, were justified and saved. Notice is given concerning Christ. 1. His incarnation, or coming in the flesh. It speaks great encouragement to sinners, that their Saviour is the Seed of the woman, bone of our bone, Heb 2:11,14. 2. His sufferings and death; pointed at in Satan’s bruising his heel, that is, his human nature. And Christ’s sufferings are continued in the sufferings of the saints for his name. The devil tempts them, persecutes and slays them; and so bruises the heel of Christ, who is afflicted in their afflictions. But while the heel is bruised on earth, the Head is in heaven. 3. His victory over Satan thereby. Christ baffled Satan’s temptations, rescued souls out of his hands. By his death he gave a fatal blow to the devil’s kingdom, a wound to the head of this serpent that cannot be healed. As the gospel gains ground, Satan falls.(Henry)

From the very beginning Satan is a tempter, liar, and searcher of souls to confound, win over, and lead away from listening to, obeying, and following God. We do well to understand nothing has changed in satan’s determination to destroy God’s communion with mankind and their devotion to Him.

Doer of Good

“But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him”

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalms 106:1  Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?  Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

 Romans 11:33    Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

 Job 26:14     Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

 Job 5:9     who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

 John 14:23     Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

 Romans 2:7    to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 

 Galatians 6:9    And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 Revelation 22:14    Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.

 James 1:25    But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

God is powerful and mighty.  His steadfast love endures forever. He does so much more than we can comprehend.  What we see of Him is but a vapor of His unsearchable wisdom, knowledge, and majesty.  His promises are to those who love and honor Him.  We are encouraged in scripture to have patience in doing good, not growing weary of doing good, and to not just be hears of His word but doers with action.  Give thought today on hearing the whispers of guidance from God and being a patient doer of good for His glory and honor.

My Mouth Will Tell

 “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.”

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Psalms 40:5  You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

Psalms 136:4   to him who alone does great wonders,

Exodus 15:11   “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Job 5:9   who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number:

Job 26:14    Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Psalms 92:5   How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!

Psalms 139:6    Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalms 139:17  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

What is our thoughts about God and His love, mercy, power, and grace?  Do we think about this?  Are we living close enough to Him that we experience it? Do we acknowledge Him and what He has done, is doing, and will do?  The creator has not only reach out to us and made Himself known, He has given us great precious promises so that we through faith would have hope, joy, peace, rest, love, forgiveness and eternal life with Him.  Why are we content with living on the edge of this?  What keeps us from desiring to be in and always experiencing His presence in our daily lives?  Scripture says out of the abundance of the heart our mouth will speak.  What goes in is what comes out.  Stay close to Him.  Stay in His word.  Meditate on it. Proclaim it. Desire it.