WOMEN OF THE GARDEN AND THE TOMB

The Women of the Garden and The Tomb

Gen 3:15 “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." NIV

Author's Note: In the process of preparing a sermon regarding the resurrection of Jesus, I was captured by a thought about the verses in Genesis 3:15, specifically the idea that the seed of Eve would crush the head of the serpent. This initial thought caused me to think about the other women in the bible, their amazing contributions, accomplishments, and tragic involvements with men of the same scriptures. It is deeply unfortunate the body of Christ is so ignorant of these amazing women and their contributions to the Christian faith and more directly, the Kingdom of God. On rare occasions, I will recommend books and this is one of those occasions. Lost Women of the Bible by Carolyn Custis James, this book is an honest look at the hidden lives of women in the Old Testament and the New Testament. I so appreciated this book because it was much more than the “Eve Syndrome” The “Eve Syndrome” being women are secondary or untrustworthy because of Eve’s choices in the Garden of Eden. Rather, the author gives us a perspective based on scripture about the lives of these women in real-life terms and conditions. I read this book a few years back and maybe its words, coupled with the Holy Spirit, birthed this sermon.

PLANTING THE SEED OF VICTORY

On this great Resurrection Morning, I bring a special message of sowing and reaping, of mercy and grace, of condemnation and redemption! I bring a sermon of a woman’s desperate hope in her tomorrows because of an act committed in her past. When reading Genesis 3:15, we discover the greatest story of intercession: God going in between death and all humanity. In equally significant terms, God declares that Eve’s seed, her female seed, will be in direct partnership with God in destroying the very cause of the fall, by the crushing of the serpent’s head.

There are times in our lives we find ourselves desperate because of the choices we have made or because of choices made by other people. In those circumstances, we hunger for remedies, we scourer our minds for answers, and we ponder possible solutions. Adam and Eve found themselves in this very situation after their commission of sin. Together they discover their nakedness and cover themselves with leaves. Then hearing the voice of God calling, they attempt to hide. Eve is immediately aware of their sin, the pending consequences, and both are completely desperate for a solution. The pronouncements of judgment were severe and direct. However, Eve hears the words of salvation woven in the awful curse about to befall to them from God. God plants the seed of salvation in Eve, a seed that will take eons to spring forth, but the seed is planted deep in her body and heart. And every woman thereafter hungered for the germination of that Seed (Gen 3:16 “…Your desire shall be for your husband…”).

SEEDS OF HOPE

In the curse against the serpent, God speaks of a man in the future who would crush the head of the serpent. In her hunger for the fulfillment of the seed, Eve hopes in her sons Cain, then Abel, then Seth and grandson Enosh. Early we see this anticipation in the words of Eve in the birth of three sons:

Gen 4:1-2 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." NKJV

Gen 4:25-26 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed." 26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD. NKJV

From this point on Eve’s life is hidden, but her hunger for the seed of salvation is passed on to every woman thereafter and every man as well.

Between Eve and Mary of Nazareth, there is a heritage of women deeply involved and exercising great influence on the lineage of women eventually leading to Mary of Nazareth. In between, we find the histories of Sarah, Hagar, Leah, Rachel, Tamar, Hannah, Esther, Naomi, Ruth, and the millions of other women whose lives were obscured in scripture. The silent lives of these women are the threads of an amazing tapestry leading to Mary of Nazareth and the other women of the Gospel history.

“Birthing the Seed of Victory!”

The Gospels introduce us to Mary of Nazareth, revealing her lineage, character, and deep spirituality. Yet in the Protestant church, she remains a mystery. It is interesting to note that from the Garden of Eden to this episode, biblical history is replete with the accomplishments and failures of men. While men are the most common instruments of God in biblical history, at this most critical point in the plan of salvation, the annunciation of and the conception of the Savior, not a single man is either present or directly involved. The process rests with an angel, Mary of Nazareth, and the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:30-31 “Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you, have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. …34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Eve sensing the weight of her sin, the shame, and guilt, looks forward to the birthing of the Seed of Salvation. Mary hears the words Eve longed to hear, “Do not be afraid, Mary for you have favor with God.” I am not sure Mary understood immediately the significance of these words for all women before her and all to come after her. Every woman’s experience prior to this point was that of subjugation of some type or another because of the “Eve Syndrome.” The announcement that she would complete the promise made to Eve in the curse of the serpent, breaks the yoke of the “Eve Syndrome”. Deliverance from the stigma of womanhood was to be birth through her. Because God pronounced that from the seed of the woman a man would crush the head of the serpent, Mary of Nazareth had been predestined to conceive, bear, and bring forth our Salvation. This would be an experience of the miraculous, of joy, and awe. It was also to be a journey filled with consternation, great pain and sorrow, for Mary of Nazareth loved Jesus of Nazareth, first as a son, then as the Messiah, and again as son while he was on the cross and finally as Savior at His accession. Even in this state of “favor with God” Mary, like Eve, endured sorrow, conception, pain in childbirth, and totally dependent on the provision and protection of Joseph, as Eve was with Adam. However, in one unique way, these sisters differed greatly from each other.

How is the seed planted, if not by a man she wondered aloud to the angel? The declaration the seed was to be “quickened” by the Holy Spirit was sufficient for Mary of Nazareth. In deep contrast to Eve who heeded the words of the serpent, Mary heeded the words of the angel saying in Luke 1:38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.” In direct contrast to both men and women, Mary of Nazareth in voluntary obedience embraces her destiny.

GROWING THE SEED OF SALVATION

As the weight of sin on Eve was heavy, so was the weight of salvation heavy for Mary:

• Initially no husband

• Community stigmatism

• 3 major journeys

o Bethlehem

o Egypt

o Calvary

• Infants and toddlers murdered

• The life of Jesus in her very presence

o Undisciplined disciples

o Religious and political antagonists

o Traitors

o Arrests

o Convictions

o Punishments

o Crucifixion

o Burial

For Mary was all lost with the crucifixion of her son, Jesus? The Song of Mary and all the words inspired by the Holy Spirit, were they meaningless? Was Jesus not the Messiah, their very salvation? At the end of the day, had the serpent won again? This crucifixion of Jesus was not just a mother's lost for Mary of Nazareth, but also for the other women who were equally disciples alongside the men who followed Jesus. Even in these historical events making up the life and times of Jesus, the women remain hidden, obscured in the scripture. However, what little information is revealed is most significant and speaks to the promise God made regarding Eve’s seed!

THE HARVESTED SEED

I remain amazed at the number of sermons preached on Easter Sunday that when addressed speak of only two women, Mary and Mary at the tomb. While it is true these two were involved at the tomb, scripture identifies more than four women. I am curious as to why sermons are never preached about the women of the tomb or the woman in the garden? Could it be that our male gender only sees what it wants to see and conveniently ignores the significant subtleties? In our own male hunger for significance, we have missed the fulfillment of a promise that began in eternity, finds its fulfillment in eternity and returns to us in the continuance of eternity, all in the embodiment of Jesus the Christ!

If Jesus of Nazareth as the Seed of Salvation was promised to Eve, should not the women who followed Jesus from Galilee be the first to hear of the resurrection?

Luke 23:55-56  “And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.” Luke 24:1-7 “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'"

If Jesus of Nazareth as the Seed of Salvation was promised to Eve, should not the women who followed Jesus from Galilee be the first to worship the risen Savior, Jesus

Christ!

Matt 28:9 “And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Finally, if liberated from the curse of the “Eve Syndrome” should not the women who were the first to witness and worship Jesus the Christ be the first to share the Gospel of the Resurrected Christ!

Matt. 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

“DO NOT BE AFRAID…”

To the woman in the Garden, to the women of the tomb and to every woman in between and thereafter, the Risen Savior declares to the daughters of Eve, “Do not be afraid…Go and tell the Adams of this world to go to Galilee and there they will see Me.” (Paraphrased) With the daughters of Eve caring out this command, they complete the first great commission:

Gen 3:15 “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." NIV

The second great commission is for the Church of Christ to complete!

Matt 28:18-20 “18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

by Grace Alone!