Angelic Conflict part 98: Human history – Gen 3:15-16; 2Th 2:1-12; Dan 9:26; Heb 2:14-18; Rom 16:20; Joh 16:21; 1Ti 2:15.Title: Angelic Conflict part 98: Human history – Gen 3:15-16; 2Th 2:1-12; Dan 9:26; Heb 2:14-18; Rom 16:20; Joh 16:21; 1Ti 2:15.
Provisions of the Adamic Covenant are in 4 categories: the serpent, satan, the woman, and the man.
Second provision: The animosity will persist in human history through her seed (independent mankind) and Seed (TLJC) and his seed (religion and the antichrist).
There are many that see this as Antiochus only, or as antichrist only, and I am confident that it is both. We have types of Christ and here in Antiochus, we have a type of the antichrist.
The true antichrist in person is the little horn of Dan 7:8.
Antiochus as a type of antichrist: Great power but not his own Destroy mighty men and Jews and he will prosper Succeed by shrewdness and deceit Great arrogance Murder the unsuspecting Oppose Jesus Christ He will be destroyed, but not by a human
*Defiles the temple *Sets himself up to be God *Places an idol in the temple *Murders thousands of Jews
The point to make here is that he is a type but he is also a part of one of the greatest prophecies in the Bible since it has been completely fulfilled already.
Paul mentions the antichrist in his second letter to the Thessalonians.
The young church at Thessalonica, since they had received Paul’s first letter, had experienced false teaching on the part of some who came to visit the church. In addition to the persecutions they were facing from unbelievers, they now were dealing also with confusion and division in their midst.
2Th 2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him,
2Th 2:2 that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
The false teaching was that “the day of the Lord” had already begun. This phrase includes the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Second Coming, the Millennium, and the GWTJ, 2Pe 3:10-11.
It begins with the Rapture of the Church and ends with the GWTJ. It comes like a thief because it begins with the Rapture and no one knows when that will occur. The entire period before and after the second coming of Christ will constitute a special divine intervention and rule of righteousness on the earth in the way that is not being experienced in the present age.
2Th 2:3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
2Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
The day of the Lord doesn’t progress very far until the man of lawlessness is revealed. This is the “little horn” (Dan 7:8) or the antichrist.
Paul is making the case that he didn’t teach that the day of the Lord would come without these things being revealed and of course the Rapture happening first. Once again the forerunners of the antichrist do their damage with false, heretical teaching. They were likely told that the Rapture would occur at the end of the Tribulation and that they were destined to go through it, which Paul denied. This is called posttribulationalism which puts the Rapture at the Second Coming. This is taught still today.
He will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it, Dan 7:23.
He will make a covenant with Israel for 7 years, which he will break halfway through and severely persecute her, Dan 9:27.
After breaking the covenant he desecrates the temple and persecutes Israel and sets his image up in the temple as god, Mat 24:15.
Since the Rapture hadn’t occurred and none of this had occurred then the day of the Lord had not begun.
2Th 2:5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
2Th 2:6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed.
God the Holy Spirit restrains the wickedness of the world, which restraining will be removed at the Rapture. He cannot be removed [omnipresent].
The restraining ministry of the HS will be greatly reduced during the Tribulation, and God will allow the wickedness of the wicked to have full display.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;
At the second coming the lawless one, (little horn, antichrist, abomination of desolation) will be destroyed.
Yet he is allowed to do what lawlessness he can. This is not done by God but allowed that He may reveal the perfection holiness and righteousness and the depravity of those who reject and oppose Him.
2Th 2:9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
2Th 2:10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth [gospel] so as to be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false,
2Th 2:12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
The antichrist (abomination of desolation) will stand in the holy place half way through the Tribulation and set himself up as God, Mat 24:15-21.
The antichrist (first beast) is given power by satan, Rev 13:2. He is slain and resuscitated, Rev 13:3. All worship him by pain of death, Rev 13:8.
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.
Gen 3:15 is the first messianic prophecy in the Bible and refers to the First Advent of our Lord, specifically His crucifixion and resurrection.
Notice that it does not say that there is enmity between satan or his seed and God. God can never be an opponent since He cannot lose anything or change in any way.
The conflict is between satan and man, specifically the humanity of Christ and all who would believe in Him.
Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
It is not normal to refer to the Messiah as the seed of the woman since in the scripture the seed is always traced through the male line. The genealogies throughout the Bible, including those in Genesis, always give the male line. However, with the Messiah alone this is going to be different. It won’t be until many centuries later that Israel will know why. It is unknown whether Moses knew of this virgin birth by means of this statement alone. For to say that He is the Seed of the woman definitely implies a supernatural conception.
The Seed of the woman, unique title, refers to the virgin birth, unique incarnation. The Messiah will have no human father:
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Since the Messiah’s lineage can only be traced through the mother, satan attacks women in an attempt to corrupt the Seed in Gen 6:1-4.
The second seed mentioned in verse 15 is the seed of satan. This is the antichrist, but since he doesn’t come on the scene until the Great Tribulation we can safely assume that religion and the world system which stands in great opposition to God throughout history is also the seed of satan.
The seed of satan = religion, world system, and the antichrist (his false messiah).
Some believe that the antichrist of Revelation will be a spawn of satan in which he will some way copulate with a woman. This is also conjecture and has no value to us. No matter what his source it is what he does that makes him formidable in conquering the world and establishing a one world religion and government.
It would appear from Dan 9:26-27 that he will be of Roman origin, but remember, the Roman Empire spanned most of Europe and the near east, so one cannot say that he is Italian.
Antichrist of Roman origin: Dan 9:26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
The third provision of the satanic curse of the Adamic Covenant is that He shall bruise you on the head.
In the ancient world a snake was killed by stomping on its head before it could reach up and bite. A crushed head would kill it and then the head could be severed with a knife. However, even a severed head is dangerous since it still contained the venom. Therefore the head had to be buried. If it was just tossed to the side someone could come along later and step on it and if it punctured his skin he could die. This is a very interesting fact since the bruising on the head is in two parts.
Her Seed will bruise you on the head – initially this was His death and resurrection (satan can still sting during history), and finally when He throws satan into the LOF.
Heb 2:14 Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Heb 2:16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
The bruising of the head of satan is also yet future, Rom 16:20, and is fulfilled in casting him into LOF, Rev 20:10.
Rom 16:17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
Rom 16:18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
Rom 16:19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.
Rom 16:20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Rev 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
The fourth provision is: “You shall bruise Him on the heel.”
The bruising of the heel of the Messiah will occur at the crucifixion. It is painful but not terminal.
Ironically, crucifixion is terminal, but not at the hands of satan, but rather through a willing substitute, a Savior, who would recover all that man had lost, and even much more.
Combining the third and fourth provisions, the figure is based upon the way one kills a poisonous serpent in the Middle East and in Israel. The way to kill a poisonous serpent in not to step on its tail or the main part of its body, but to step on his head and crush the head against the ground. A picture is being conveyed by this.
As the heel of the Messiah is coming down on satan’s head, satan, the serpent, leaps up and bites the heel, causing pain, but not a fatal pain of eternity. Meanwhile the heel continues to come down (Christ carrying His cross though marred more than any man), finally crushing stan’s head. Initially satan’s head is bruised by the Messiah’s death and resurrection; and, ultimately, satan’s head is crushed when he is cast into the LOF.
Gen 3:15 contains the proto-evangelium, meaning the first gospel.
Gen 3 is the logical place to find it since it contains the origin of human sin, and the purpose of the Messiah’s coming, which is to deal with the problem of human sin.
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