What was God’s Plan for Christmas? When did this plan come to being? Why was it needed? Jesus was the result of God’s plan for the world!
God’s Plan for Christmas: The Beginning
God had this plan since the beginning of time. After the serpent deceived Eve, there were consequences to the sin. The list includes the serpent having to slither along the ground (vs.14), women having pain in childbirth (v.16), and work will be hard (v.17-19). However, in this list of ramifications, there is a hidden gem. When I learned this during a study of Genesis, I was in awe of how the gospel is in the first book of the Bible, and I had missed it before.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring;
Genesis 3:15 ESV
he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
This first part of this verse addresses Satan himself. And there will be hatred between him and mankind throughout the generations over the centuries. If you aren’t for God, then you are against Him and are in Satan’s camp.
The second part of this verse predicts that a Messiah will come to the world and be the seed or child born of a woman.
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.
Isaiah 7:14 NASB95
And He will bruise the serpent. Bruise in Hebrew means to strike down or crush. As we know, hitting, beating, or shooting a person in the head can be deadly. The reference to the head here means that Jesus will repay Satan for his evil deeds.* He will be stricken down (Revelation 12:9).
And Satan will bruise the heel of Jesus. Because the serpent slithers along the ground, a person’s heel is the closest target. Jesus’s body was bruised, broken, and bleeding for all of us.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 ESV
His death was foretold in the garden of Eden. And the Garden of Gethsemane was where He prayed to be released from the upcoming pain.
Note: The summary of this verse is based on David Guzik’s commentary, the Blue Letter Bible app, and the *Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon.
God’s Plan for Christmas: Fulfilled in a Humble Manger
In the New Testament, the fulfillment of that prophecy was quoted by the angel who spoke to Joseph concerning his fiance, who was pregnant.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21 ESV
And the birth of a baby lying in a manger was fulfilled in a humble stable.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
Luke 2:11-12, ESV
God’s plan for All: The Why
God’s Plan shows His love for us! He wants to spend time with us for all of eternity!
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 ESV
He chose to send His Son to become a man. This was so we could live forever with Him! What a great promise to have at Christmas!
What about this Christmas?
Spend time in God’s Word to prepare yourself to be content at Christmas. Enjoy the wonder of the birth of the baby born for you! Be thankful to God for having a plan with a baby promised centuries ago to overcome evil and bring us eternal life! If you don’t know about peace with God, you can go to this page for more information.
Prayers for you to enjoy the birth of Jesus this Christmas!
