I have to share with you this morning that I may never in my life take another shower on Sunday morning. You know, I've been spending a week getting ready for the message today and I got in my shower and I'm going over it and it disappeared. And I says, what in the world? And then the Lord gave me a message.

Now this is one that's more seasonal than the one I had. And I probably will shower again on Sunday. You know, as I was thinking about this, it is so hard for us to comprehend much about what creation was like before the fall. We just can't get there from here because of our nature. Even in a regenerated state, we carry around with us that old nature, and it's hard for us to comprehend what it would be like to be when there was no sin, when there was no upheaval of the great flood, when things were as God created them.

We do have one couple, there was a couple, only one, that was permitted to know what it was like to be in the creation before the fall. That's our first parents. Now I'm just going to share this up front. You either believe that Adam and Eve were the first ones God created that were human beings or you don't. Now, if you have been given the grace to believe that, it is by grace and grace alone. It is not a problem for me to visit with people who believe in evolution, because I know their problem. They have a problem. They're not regenerate. I know what it is to visit with people who are in sin. I've been there. And that's just the problem that we inherited from our first parents. Sin is a problem.

Would you turn with me this morning to the book of Genesis chapter 3. In the book of Genesis chapter 3 we have an event that took place that changed the world. Now I'm so thankful as we look into the scriptures that the God Almighty was not changed by this change. He was not caught off guard. He was not having now to put in plan B. He was not disappointed in the sense that having nothing else to think about or do because we find out that God had great plans before he ever created Adam and Eve and put them in the garden. He had a plan of redemption. He had the plan of redemption of Adam's descendants, many of them.

So here in the book of Genesis chapter three, and I'd like to begin reading with verse six. And it says, and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened. Now I've said this in the past, and I want to emphasize it again. When Eve ate that forbidden fruit, nothing happened. Nothing happened to her except she tasted some fruit. But when she gave it to the responsible party, when she gave it to Adam, who was the responsible party, and he ate, we find that both of them, the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.

Not only did their eyes open, but darkness fell upon them. A darkness of sin, a darkness of death fell upon them. At that moment, they were starting the line to their deaths. But at that moment, they also died spiritually, instantaneously. Their fellowship with God was over at that moment. Because it tells us that they made themselves fig leaves to cover their nakedness. And then it says, they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves. You know, it's a wonderful thing about the church. God's people, God's saved people, they love to approach the throne of grace boldly. Because God is the friend of the church. God is friendly to the church in his son, Christ Jesus. So there's nothing between my Lord and me. He has taken care of it all and completely.

All right, it goes on and says, the Lord called unto Adam, verse nine, and said unto him, where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. And he said, who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, the woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me to the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the servant begot me, and I did eat.

Well, we have a trail back here of blame, blame, and more blame. And it's certainly a natural tendency, isn't it? We like to blame people for our problems. We don't like to face up to them. You know, the most difficult thing that we go through is when God forces us to come to the conclusion about ourself. Lord, I'm a sinner. It, to me, was the most difficult thing that I'd ever had to do. And then you find out how thankful you are that God ever revealed to you that you were a sinner. because that's who he saves.

All right, going on here now, it says, and verse 14, and the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, above every beast of the field, upon thy belly shalt thou go, and thus shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. Now, verse 15. As God speaks to us in verse 15, he is speaking not to Adam and to Eve, He is speaking to that serpent, but aren't you glad that Adam and Eve got to hear this message? Just as you and I get to hear this message, that God is going to do something, has done something, will do something about the problem that this world faced in an instant when Adam and Eve ate that forbidden fruit.

It tells us there in verse 15, I will. Now that's an interesting study. As you go through the Bible to notice how many times God says, I will. I put an article out one time that says, or the name of a message, it's not God I wished, it's God that I will. God never wished for anything. God willed everything. That's him, that's God. So he says, I will put enmity between thee and the woman. and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head. Now the seed of the woman is going to bruise the head, going to bruise the head of the serpent. The seed of the woman is not going to escape unscathed though. In order to deliver his people, he is going to have to face what we read there, shall bruise his heel. He will not get out unscathed. He must take upon himself the sin of his people and be put on the cross.

Now we must remember that God did not have plan B. We must remember that he didn't have a contingency plan. He had plan A, only plan A, and would fulfill plan A completely.

Turn with me, if you would, over to the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation chapter 13. I love the book of Revelation because the heart, key, and message of the book of Revelation is found in Revelation chapter 1 and verse 1. If you make the rest of the book agree with verse one, you'll find out this is happy days are here again. It's not a drudgery, it's not harsh, it's not hard, it's victorious. And it tells us in Revelation chapter one and verse one, this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is the opening up. This is the enlightenment about Jesus Christ.

Well, here in the book of Revelation chapter 13, we read this in verse eight, Revelation chapter 13 and verse eight, that God did not have a contingency plan. He had a plan. and a purpose, and he's going to carry it out exactly as he had planned ahead of time. Before he had created Adam, before he had created Eve, before he had created the world, before he created the Garden of Eden, he had a plan. He is not going to be stopped or stumped and wonder, what will I do next? You ever had your car break down on the edge of the freeway? Boy, what am I going to do now? Well, I'm thankful that God didn't have to go through that because he is God.

All right, here in the book of Revelation, chapter 13, verse 8, it says, and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him. This is the beast. You know, the worst thing that natural man has to worship is himself. I don't have to go find an idol. I don't have to go find a beast. I don't have to go find anything. The worst thing that natural man worships is himself. And he believes, and we do by nature, believe that we can take care of the problem on our own. and it takes the grace of God to convince us you cannot take care of the problem on your own. I am the taker care of the problem.

All right, it goes on to tell us here, it says in verse eight, all of those whose names were not written in the book of life of the lamb. Now notice the rest of that verse. How long had this lamb been prepared for slaughter, if you please? It tells us there, the Book of the Lamb, if your name is not written in the Book of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. Before God created Adam and Eve, he had a lamb. Before he created the heavens and the earth, he had a lamb. In eternity past, he had a lamb, already assigned to do what would be required to deliver his people from their sins.

The book of Hebrews, turn with me back to the book of Hebrews, if you would, chapter 13. In the book of Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20, we read this. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 20. It mentions an everlasting covenant. You know, it's wonderful when we get into the scriptures and find out that God, before the world began, had a covenant or an agreement. Now, he's going to have a covenant or agreement with national Israel, and guess what? After how many years? of prophets, priests, and kings, God finally said, I regarded that covenant not. They've just washed up the fact that they cannot keep the covenant. That covenant they could not keep.

Now, God is so merciful to the church in the fact that he made a covenant on their behalf before the world began. And you know they're in complete agreement. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in complete agreement in an everlasting covenant purpose to save a people from their sins. And he said, we're not going to allow these folks to enter into this covenant for an agreement. We'll take care of that for them because we know they'll fall on their own. We'll make them accepted in the beloved. We will cause them to have salvation. We will be their advocate. We will do what is necessary. And that's exactly what he did.

All right, here it says, now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant. In the everlasting covenant, he promised his blood to redeem his people from their sins. He has redeemed us with his own blood and given us the forgiveness of sins. Book of Ephesians chapter one. So we have this.

And then if you turn with me back just a little bit further into the book of Acts chapter two. In Acts chapter two, the apostle Peter, Acts chapter two, verse 22, the apostle Peter is bringing out this message on the day of Pentecost. And in it, he brings up this glorious subject. Acts chapter two, verse 22 and 23. Ye men of Israel, Acts chapter two, verse 22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know. Him being delivered by what? The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.

Before there was anything, there was God. And in that time of nothingness, God had an everlasting covenant and he also had a determinant counsel and foreknowledge about what is necessary to save people from their sins. That's his promise. He's taken care of it.

Now, As we look at this, go back, if you would, to the book of Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. Nancy and I were listening to some music on the TV the other day, and a trumpet came on. I'm telling you that trumpet overpowered everything else. It just came through so loud and clear, and we both commented how a trumpet just takes the scene. You know, there's a trumpet right here in this verse of scripture that takes the scene.

In the book of Genesis, chapter three and verse 15, there's a trumpet sound. It just goes out and there's no resistance to this sound. It's like that trumpet on the day of Jubilee. A clear, distinct sound went forth by the voice of Almighty God when He spoke here in the book of Genesis chapter 3, when He said with such clarity, I will bruise, I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed and it shall bruise thy head. The seed of the woman is gonna bruise the head. Dismantle if you please, put away, destroy, completely overcome the head of the problem, sin.

Now the son or the seed of the woman is going to have his heel bruised He will pay a price. that price will be taken care of and he will come forth from the dead. I will, God's absolute decree about what is going to take place here. Her seed shall overwhelm the head of all sin. From that sentence till the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem, all the prophets declared someone is coming. Here in the book of Genesis chapter three, someone's coming. Someone's coming to take care of the problem. Someone's coming to take care of the head of the problem.

Now, the one who takes care of the head is called the seed of the woman. Now, before we travel over into the New Testament, stop by the book of Isaiah chapter 17, excuse me, chapter seven for just a moment. In the book of Isaiah, chapter 7, we find that the prophet, just like the prophet Isaiah, is going to be like all the prophets of the Old Testament, declaring someone is coming. Now he's not here yet because if he is here, he would fulfill what was required to take care of the sin of the people. God ordained that through Israel, they would offer thousands and thousands and thousands of sacrifices that were pictorial of what Jesus Christ would do, but not one of them ever took care of one sin, not even of the high priest. The next year he had to go through the same thing. The next day he went through the same thing for the people. It is not by the blood of bulls and goats that God determined to save anybody. It's a type, it's a shadow and it's a picture, but it was never salvation. It was a shadow of good things to come, but not the substance.

Here in the book of Isaiah chapter seven, we read here in verse 14, these glorious words of the prophet, Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign. You mark this down in your book, that when a virgin conceives and bears a son, and his name is Emmanuel, someone is here. Now up to that point, someone's coming. What's it say? Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign. This is God Almighty saying, this is exactly according to my purpose. There shall be in this order. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and natural man steps back and says, how is that possible? Well, I'm thankful that the Lord told Mary, with God, nothing shall be impossible. This is how it has to happen. Because if it's natural man that produced that seed, then he passed on natural sin. And Jesus Christ had no sin. The Savior cannot have sin. In order to give his life a ransom for sinners, he cannot have sin. Now he was given our sin, he was imputed our sin, but he's not a sinner.

Here we have, shall call, shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Now from the New Testament, we know what that word means. If you look that word up, you'd get the same meaning. God with us. God come in the flesh, God with us.

All right, just a couple other chapters from that point. Over in the ninth chapter of the book of Isaiah, verse six, we read this. Isaiah chapter nine and verse six, here again, the prophet is saying, someone's coming. And look for this when he comes. And you know, to God's people, they can see this. To the world, He's just, you know what the Pharisee said? Don't we know his mother and his father's a carpenter and his brothers and his sisters, don't we know them? Yeah, they did. From a fleshly standpoint, they're looking at him. From a spiritual standpoint, this is who he is. It says, for unto us a child is born and unto us son is given. So there's gonna be that baby, but he's also ever been the son. How he came in that miraculous way is a process known unto God but the church is so thankful that God came in the flesh for the ransoming of his people. Here it goes on to say in the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called. Now isn't it interesting it doesn't say names His name shall be called. Just put some hyphens in there and we have a better understanding. It says, his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Well, who else can it be talking about except God? So God is going to come in such a miraculous way.

Now, it is interesting to me that we do not ever have any record of the Lord Jesus ever calling his mother Mom. He never called her mother. Now it doesn't take very long for us to figure out why. Because there in the book of Genesis chapter three and verse 15, it says, the seed of the woman.

Now travel with me to the book of John chapter two, if you would. John chapter two. In John chapter two, Verse one, there is a marriage. And Jesus and his disciples have been invited to this wedding. And his mother is there. The third day there was a marriage. John chapter two, verse one. The third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called and his disciples to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine.

Now look at Jesus's words about this conversation. Woman, what have I to do with thee? My hour is not yet come. What did he call her? Not mother, not mom. Now, the writer of this book shares with us, in verse one, the mother of Jesus was there, and in verse three, when they had wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, but when it came his time to converse with the woman that brought him into this world, he does not use mom, he does not use mother, he does not use Mary. He uses woman.

Now he's giving us a direct link right back to Genesis chapter three and verse 15. He's telling us this is she.

All right, another time, John chapter 19. In John chapter 19, verse 25, we read this about the Lord Jesus speaking to his mother. John chapter 19, verse 25. In John chapter 19 and verse 25, we read this. Jesus is on the cross. He has been nailed to the cross. He is going to endure the punishment for the sin of the church. He is going to be imputed all the sin of all his people. and he is going to lay down his life, a ransom, a payment price for them. But notice in John 19 verse 25, now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciples standing by whom he loved, he saith unto her, Not mom, not mother, and not Mary, but what? Woman, behold thy son. And he saith he to the disciple, behold thy mother. And from that hour, that disciple took her into his own home. So we think it was John. No name is listed. But no name is listed here, but Jesus Christ speaks to this woman who was used of God to bring him into this world and called her woman. Oh, the seed of the woman. Now we're looking straight at him. We're looking at the seed of the woman. Here he is, he identifies himself.

Turn with me back just a little bit in the book of John to John chapter one, if you would. In John chapter one, beginning with verse one, we read the account that God gives to us about this one person who said, woman. twice with regards to his mother. We know her as Mary. We know her as the mother of Jesus. We know her as a very special person, but never once did she ever encourage us to worship her. He never encouraged us. She would never encourage us to pray through her. She was a sinner like the rest of us and needed salvation like everyone else needs and she knew him as her Savior and Lord. So she was just a child of Adam like the rest and God in his great purpose of grace made a choice of her before the foundation of the world to be the one that would bring his son into this world.

Now we can go back to the very beginning and Eve, I believe she thought she was the one that was going to bring the Savior into the world because when she had her firstborn son, she says, I have gotten a man child from the Lord. What was in her mind? Here's the answer. Well, he wasn't the answer, and the next generation wasn't the answer, and generation after generation after generation, there was no one to fulfill the exact example and purpose that God had until finally the time came, the appointed time came. And he shares with us that in the book of Daniel, you could have figured this right out when he was going to be here. No, I can't figure it out. And when scholars tell me they can figure it out, I just say, oh, maybe not. But God had it figured out exactly when this was gonna take place.

It tells us in John chapter one, verse one, in the beginning was the word, the word was with God, the word was God. And that's who we're talking about here. We have the word, we have God Almighty coming. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him. And without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

Now it tells us about John the forerunner coming, but if we drop down, we find in verse four, in him was life, and the life was the light of men. And then in verse 14 of that chapter, it says, and the word was made flesh. and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The word was made flesh and dwelt among us."

Now, why was that necessary? Turn with me to the book of Hebrews, if you would, Hebrews chapter 10. In Hebrews chapter 10, we have beginning with verse one. I was sharing with Mike this morning, before the Lord saved me, Hebrews and Leviticus were about the same kind of book. They were flyover books. You had to read through the Bible in a year. You had to have all the tick marks. All the books of the Bible had to be read in a year. But you know, I look back, And I couldn't tell you after reading a chapter what anything was in there that had any meaning. I was just doing it to satisfy the tick marks. But after the Lord saved me, Hebrews became a different book. Hebrews is the explanation for so much of the Old Testament, particularly about the priests.

Well, here in the book of Hebrews 10, verse one, for the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never, with those sacrifices which were offered year by year continually, make the comers there unto perfect. They couldn't take away one sin. Not one human sacrifice could take away sin. Not one animal sacrifice could take away sin. Not one priest ordained by God offering an animal sacrifice could take away sin. It was only pictorial.

Goes on to say, for them would not, they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshipers once purged should have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance, again, made of sins every year. Now, did you notice there in verse two, the benefits of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ? For then would they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshipers once purged should have no more conscience of sins? What's that mean? I'm free. See, it has been put away. I don't have to go through this process. Jesus doesn't have to go through this process anymore. Once for all time did he do that.

For it is not, verse four, it's not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith sacrifice and offering, thou wouldest not. But notice verse five, the latter part of verse five. but a body hast thou prepared me. Now God come in the flesh is that body that was prepared. There's just some way in God's eternal purpose that he could not take care of sin in his own person. He had to have someone to put this sin on He couldn't forgive it. He couldn't love it away. He couldn't forgive it away. He couldn't throw it away. It was there as a great gob against the people, and it was a stench in his nostrils. So there must be someone, and God purposed it this way, his son would come in the flesh. that Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit would come upon her in a powerful way and she would conceive and bear a son. A body was prepared. Now his name is Emmanuel, God with us. He is the God-man. I can't explain the God-man, but I know this, he was 100% God and he was 100% man. And he came through this world for 33 and a half years after his birth in perfection. Not one sin went through his mind. Not one thing did he ever do wrong. He never went into a store and says, I don't have enough money to buy that. I should just take it. Never did he sin. And at the appropriate time, he laid down that perfect body. for the sin of his people.

Goes on to say here, a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure. Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will, O God. Above, when he had said sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin, thou wouldst not, neither hast pleasure therein which he offered by the law. Then said Eloi, come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the witch will, we are sanctified to the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. By the body of Jesus Christ.

Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Matthew, chapter one. In the book of Matthew chapter one, we have the Lord Jesus described in this wonderful manner. The son, the fruit of the woman. Here in Matthew chapter one, verse 23. Now this is the only time we have a, we mentioned it over in the book of Hebrews, we have a, once here in the New Testament, that his name is Emmanuel. Now to the church, every step he took, his name is Emmanuel. Everywhere he went, his name is Emmanuel. When he came up to a woman taking an adultery, you know what his name is? Emmanuel. When he came to the woman at the well, his name is Emmanuel. Never once did he give up that very person that he was. He is the God man. He is God with us. Here it tells us in chapter, the book of Matthew 1 verse 23, behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. Every step he took, He is declaring Immanuel. Every miracle he performed, every step he took on the waves, every time he calmed the sea, every time he spoke to somebody, every time he healed somebody, every time he brought somebody up from the pit, he is Immanuel, God with us. And then we find out he was given another name. You shall call his name Jesus. for he shall save his people from their sins. What a name. So we have Emmanuel, the Lord Jesus.

Now, in closing, would you turn with me to the book of John again, chapter one. The book of John, the seed of the woman shall bruise his head, shall take away, shall deal with, shall put away sin for time and for eternity. the seed of the woman. As we noticed, he never called, to our record at least, and I don't think he did, ever called his mother mom, never called her mother, never called her Mary. Every time he had opportunity, he called her woman. You are the one that has brought the vessel into this world, the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1, verse 35, notice this with me, John 1, verse 35, There's some comments going on here. John says, I knew him not, but that, verse 35, that's what it was.

Again, the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples, and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, behold, the Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi, which is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? And he saith unto them, Come and see. And they came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard John speak and followed after was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon and said unto him, we have found the Messiah, which is being interpreted the Christ. Now that word Messiah was a term that everybody here at this time understood as an Old Testament statement about the seed of the woman, the Messiah, the promised one, someone is coming.

And then it goes on to tell us here, and he brought him to Jesus, and when Jesus beheld him, he said, thou art Simon, son of Jonah, and thou shalt be called Cephas, which is a, by interpretation, a stone. And following day, what would go forth into Galilee, findeth Philip, and saith unto him, follow me.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, and the city of Andrew and Peter, and Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him. Now notice what he had to say. This is by revelation. This is not by common knowledge. This, you just can't get this unless it is given. We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets.

Now, who did God use to write Genesis chapter three and verse 15? Moses. Moses was the secretary. The Holy Spirit was the author and said, we have found him of whom Moses wrote in the law and the prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. We have found him. We have found the seed of the woman. We have found the Messiah. We have found Him who all the Old Testament was written about. We have found the answer to the problem. We have found the one that God had promised to send, and He was going to come in a very specific and special way. He would come as the seed of the woman.

Now, God in His great matchless grace came upon Mary, the mother of Jesus, in a very, very special way. No one else has ever had that kind of birth. She gave birth to the perfect Son of God without any influence from the human part. The natural man was left out of the equation, and it is absolutely essential that natural man be left out of that equation. She brought forth her firstborn son. He was the seed of God Almighty. The Holy Spirit came upon her in a very special way that he never came upon anybody else.

We do find record in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament that women had children long after it was their time to have children. And that was a miracle, but they still needed the seed of the man. But this birth was exempt. This birth was from God. This birth is Emmanuel. This birth is the seed of the woman.

And can you hear him say, There at the creation of that wine, at that wedding feast, can you hear him say from the cross, as he identified this one, woman? Brother Mike.