“I speak of peace, while covert enmity under the smile of safety wounds the world.” – William Shakespeare
ENMITY – is the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. We often use the word enemy to describe a person’s negative posture toward us, but enmity – the term for their hostility and opposition, is not very familiar. Webster’s definition of ENMITY is positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will. That description goes well with the first mention of enmity in Genesis 3. The devil disguises himself as a serpent, deceives Eve, and she eats from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She shares the fruit with Adam who eats as well, directly disobeying God’s command and opening the portal of sin and judgment for all mankind. God declares judgment on them all. In verse 14, He curses the serpent to crawl on the ground in the dust forever. In verse 15 God says, “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.”
There will not be a mutual admiration society between Eve the mother of all living’s seed and the devil’s. Throughout all generations, there will be hostility and opposition—enmity. Satan thought he’d won the war against God and His new human creation, but it was only a skirmish. Genesis 3:15 is called the protoevangelium or ‘first gospel’ because it is the initial Messianic prophecy that points to the coming Savior. Jesus Christ won the victory over Satan, sin, and death at the Cross of Calvary. 1 John 3:8 says, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” There’s a war going on. Maybe in this season, you’re experiencing spiritual warfare, oppression, or hostility. Revelation 12:12b explains one of the reasons why “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” The enemy has anger, fury, and rage because he only has a little time left until his end and ultimate destination, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Rev. 20:10 Despite the warfare you’re currently experiencing, your end is victory! That’s a great part of the Good News!
