Mary. What is going through her mind as she takes her place near the manger? Certainly, the recent visitation of the angel has given her much to think about. And yet, the foundation of her hopes and dreams extend much further back than that angelic visitation.
In fact, it goes all the way back to Genesis. Right after the bite and the fall. Yes, there as God begins to dole out punishments for the disobedience shown in the garden, he also proclaims great news for fallen humanity. The news is actually pronounced as a curse to the satanic snake, but it stands as the greatest blessing ever given to humanity. And what was this news that meant death for the snake and life for humans? It was this: One would come who would do Satan in by smashing his slithering skull. He would set right what the sin has made wrong.
And graciously, this Savior would be the seed of Eve. Yes one born of the woman who Satan had tempted would crush his head in the end. No, it would not be a powerful archangel that would defeat him, but a simple man of flesh, one born as a tiny infant.
With this promise, God made the devil fearful of every woman. At the same time, he filled every woman’s heart with hope that through childbearing she could be integral to God’s plan of salvation. Eve herself could be known not only as the one who fell but also as the mother of all the living. In fact, when Eve has her first child Cain, she proclaimed, “I have gotten a man of the Lord.†Luther believed that Eve said this in full expectation that Cain would be the one to crush Satan’s head. She hoped her first seed would be the seed. Of course, he was not. He turned out to be a murderer rather than the Savior.
But ever since that point, each God-fearing woman held this hope first given to Eve. With every birth, there was the possibility that their child would be the Child. Throughout the centuries of prophecy, the prophecy became more specific. But the basic idea never changed. Salvation would come from the seed of woman.
That truth gave hope to women of God throughout the centuries. All the way down to a virgin named Mary who lived in Nazareth. Mary was engaged to be married. And that meant that the likelihood of her soon being with child was great. She too could soon carry the crusher inside her womb as a young wife.
And then there was the visit from the angel which changed the whole timeline. The angel announced the special birth. The Holy Spirit came upon her. The power of the Most High overshadowed her. From that point forward she was known as Mary, who was with child.
And to be an Israelite woman with child was to be with hope. Hope not only for a new life with a new child. But possibly hope that that new child would mean new life for all humanity. And in her case, not only was she with child like all the women before her. She was a virgin with a child of the Holy Spirit.
Yes Mary, comes to the manger with hopes that run so deep they find their roots back in the garden of Eden. Hope for a bundle of joy far surpassing anyone born before. Hope for a man of human flesh who would crush the head of Satan. Hope that humanity could once again live with God like they once did in Eden before the fall.
This is the back story of Mary. She is an Israelite woman who is looking for the one to be born who will smash Satan’s slithering skull. She is looking for the fulfillment of God’s oldest promise. Come let us go to Bethlehem to see this Child, the Smasher, be born. Amen.
