What do you think this really means?

Question

What if this really meant He would put an enemy between her seed (Eve) and his (Satan)? That would make 3 entities - right? What's your take on this?

Genesis 3:15
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%203:15;&version=31;

Answer 1

What the Prophecy Means

3 To appreciate its significance, consider the various elements of the prophecy itself. The one addressed at Genesis 3:15 is the Serpent—not the lowly snake but the one who used it. (Revelation 12:9) “The woman” is not Eve but Jehovah’s heavenly organization, the mother of his spirit-anointed servants on earth. (Galatians 4:26) The Serpent’s “seed,” is Satan’s seed, his offspring—demons and humans as well as human organizations that manifest the traits of Satan and that show enmity toward the “seed” of the woman. (John 15:19; 17:15) The woman’s “seed” is primarily Jesus Christ, who was anointed with holy spirit in 29 C.E. The 144,000, who are “born again . . . from water and spirit” and who are heirs of the heavenly Kingdom with Christ, are a subsidiary part of that seed of promise. These began to be added to the woman’s seed from Pentecost 33 C.E. onward.—John 3:3, 5; Galatians 3:16, 29.

4 The literal serpent in Eden was used as a mouthpiece by the one whose deceit led to mankind’s loss of Paradise. Genesis 3:15 pointed forward to the time when the one who manipulated that serpent will be crushed. Then the way will again be open for human servants of God to inhabit Paradise, free from sin and death. What a joyful time that will be!—Revelation 20:1-3; 21:1-5.

5 Following the rebellion in Eden, individuals and organizations began to appear that manifested traits like those of Satan the Devil—rebellion, lying, slander, and murder, coupled with opposition to Jehovah’s will and to those who worship Jehovah. Those traits identified the offspring, the spiritual children, of the Devil. Among these was Cain, who murdered Abel when Jehovah favored Abel’s worship instead of Cain’s. (1 John 3:10-12) Nimrod was one whose very name identified him as a rebel and who became a mighty hunter and ruler in opposition to Jehovah. (Genesis 10:9) In addition there was a succession of ancient kingdoms, including Babylon, with their state-sponsored religions built on falsehood, and these cruelly oppressed worshipers of Jehovah.—Jeremiah 50:29.

“Enmity Between You and the Woman”

6 During all this time, there was enmity between the Serpent and Jehovah’s woman, between Satan the Devil and Jehovah’s heavenly organization of loyal spirit creatures. Satan’s enmity was shown as he taunted Jehovah and sought to disrupt Jehovah’s heavenly organization, enticing angels to forsake their proper dwelling place. (Proverbs 27:11; Jude 6) It was manifested when Satan used his demons to try to interfere with angelic messengers dispatched by Jehovah. (Daniel 10:13, 14, 20, 21) It was outstandingly evident in this 20th century when Satan sought to destroy the Messianic Kingdom at its birth.—Revelation 12:1-4.

7 There was also enmity on the part of Jehovah’s woman, the body of loyal angels, toward the symbolic Serpent. Satan had slandered the good name of God; he had also called into question the integrity of every one of God’s intelligent creatures, including all the angels, and he was actively trying to subvert their loyalty to God. (Revelation 12:4a) Loyal angels, cherubs, and seraphs could not do otherwise than feel a loathing toward the one who had made himself Devil and Satan. Yet, they have waited on Jehovah to handle matters in his own time and way.—Compare Jude 9.

Answer 2

No; not 3 entities. Has nothing to do with the notion of 3 entities.

It means that God would put enmity (a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; antagonism) between the woman's seed (Eve's seed, meaning eventually Jesus would be born and would be a seed of "woman", a woman we now as "Mary"), and Satan's seed, meaning Satan and any demons that followed Satan.

Satan would think he destroyed Jesus when the Jews and Romans crucified and murdered Jesus, but Jesus arose from the dead, thus this means Satan only "bruised Jesus in the heel" because Jesus arose from the dead and ascended back into heaven.

We know that Jesus will leave heaven to conduct God's war, Armageddon, against all the wicked in the earth that includes Satan and his seeds (demons). This is where Satan is "bruised in the head" meaning he will be permanently destroyed.

By the way, Bunnies explained it the pretty much the way it should. Mine was a condensed version, lol.

Answer 3

After Satan deceived Eve, then later Eve deceived Adam, this caused anger by God towards Satan for his crimes.

And God proceeded to say to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life. And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel. (Genesis 3: 14 - 15)

This means that here Jehovah God formed a new purpose, and he announced it. The lying Satan the Devil had risen up, and it now became God’s purpose to raise up an Anointed One, a Messiah. (Daniel 9:25)

God spoke of this Anointed One, this Messiah, as the “seed” of “the woman.” God would put enmity between this Anointed One and Satan the Devil, now symbolized by the serpent. This enmity would also extend itself to being between the Anointed One and the “seed” of the Great Serpent.

The enmity foretold was to result in a battle that would have painful effects, but it would end with victory for the “seed” of “the woman” (Jesus). Like a snake that strikes at the heel of the leg (Genesis 49:17), the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil, would cause a heel wound to the woman’s “seed.” This heel wound would not prove fatal (when Jesus was crucified, but arose from the dead). It would be healed, to enable the woman’s “seed” to bruise the Great Serpent in the head fatally (Armageddon when Satan, his demons and all wickedness in the earth will be destroyed). Thus the Great Serpent would perish, and his “seed” (demon seeds) with him.

A vital thing to be noted about this conflict is this: For the woman’s “seed” to bruise and crush the head of the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil, the woman’s “seed” would have to be a heavenly spirit person, not a mere human son of a woman on earth. Why so? Because the Great Serpent is a superhuman spirit person, a rebellious heavenly son of God.

A mere human “seed” of an earthly woman would not be powerful enough to destroy the invisible Satan the Devil in the spirit realm. So the Anointed One of Jehovah’s purpose must be a heavenly Messiah; in other words, Jesus.

Let me know if you still need further dialogue on this one. Hope this has helped.

Answer 4

Actually it's not "enemy", it's "enmity" which means putting a "feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; antagonism" between Eve's offspring and Satan's offspring. Hope that clears it up for ya.

katiefish <><

Answer 5

Enmity, not enemy.

Reading comprehension FTW...

It means that humans and serpents won't like each other... The serpent will bite men, and men will crush snake heads.

Personally, I think it's a commentary on how the author felt about snakes, but that's just my opinion

Answer 6

Wow, Bunnies. Couldn't have spelled it out any better myself. Very well stated and with facts and information to back it up.

Answer 7

Enmity mean deep-seated hatred or ill will.

And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel."

Answer 8

Could have something to do with new borns crawling

Answer 9

Not an "enemy" - "enmity." Which simply means "animosity." It means, apparently, that all future men will hate all future talking snakes, and vice-versa.

Answer 10

The word is "ENMITY", not enemy. It means anger, dislike.