Genesis 3:15 – the Protevangelion or the First Gospel 

Today I was enjoying my personal study so much, that I wanted to share this portion with others. 

Most Dispensationalists won’t understand the Old Testament in this way. They often quote John 3:16 as their ‘go-to’ Gospel verse. And while doing so, they wrongfully teach a universal atonement. I know this because I was that person, and I still have so much more to learn, but only by the grace of God so go I.

Back to my study.

In Genesis 3:15 the Lord is continuing His rebuke to Satan. 

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Many believers miss this point. That the words “seed” or “Seed” in verse 15 is an early revealing of the Gospel. This is known as the Protevangelion or the First Gospel.

These two “Seeds” (or seed) are the Hebrew word zera‛ (or זֶרַע), and they are a noun masculine.

This Seed means sowing, or an offspring, and is tantamount to semen virile, or a flow of semen. 

This concept can also be seen with the “Lord’s Incorruptible Seed” in 1 John Chapter 3:1-9. That Seed is the Greek word ‘sperma,’ which is where we get our modern word sperm from. 

As I’ve said before. When the Lord effectually calls a lost sinner to be born twice, figuratively speaking, they are theologically & spiritually being impregnated with Christ’s Seed of salvation. And this is accomplished by the monergistic work of the Godhead. 

These two different seeds in verse 15 represent two different people groups that respond to the Gospel. 

1) “your seed” (the Serpents seed) represents the non-elect, or the wicked, and 

2) “her Seed” (Eve, the wife of Adam) represents Christ and the elect. 

The seeds in this verse depict a violent spiritual war between the Serpent and the woman, between the reprobates and the elect, and/or the world and His church. But a part of this good news is in the end, Christ prevails and victoriously crushes Satan’s head with His bruised heel. This is where God pronounces His future death declaration on the Devil. 

In the meantime, His elect is engaged in this warfare. That is why we must never look at the spiritual warfare mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-20 as a mere analogy of the pieces of a soldier’s armor. But instead, those pieces represent Christ, as we ‘put on’ the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The greatest places I’ve experienced intense warfare, was while heralding the Gospel at large decadent venues. When a Herald hits the streets and loudly preaches the Glorious Gospel, we are throwing and sowing this Seed mentioned here in verse 15. And it is the Lord who chooses which Seed takes root, and which seed does not. It’s analogous to seeing the parable of the Sower played out before us. 

Reformed Evangelists understand this. And so, we ought not to get discouraged when we see so many seemingly ignore or reject the Gospel Seeds that we throw or sow. 

So, whether the Gospel Seeds are preached to 150,000 at the idolatrous Comic Con in San Diego, or the inside or outside of Casinos in Las Vegas, or to 70,000 souls at a Satanic music festival in Southern California. How they will respond to this Seed is decreed by Almighty God indeed.

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