Genesis 3:15 says that the woman’s seed would be in enmity with the serpent’s seed. Although the Bible reveals that the woman’s seed is Jesus and Christians that go to heaven with Christ, it does not identify the woman directly. Who is she? We at JW believe that the woman is symbolic. Paul referred to her as “our mother” in Galatians 4:26.
The Genesis 3:15 woman.
by Fisherman 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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TonusOH
I don't remember for sure, but she represented god's spiritual organization in its entirety? Which is how her seed could be Jesus.
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Vidqun
Yes TonusOH. That seems to be the case. In the past God viewed Israel as His wife. She became unfaithful by pursuing other gods. This Hosea had to reenact in real life. Paul explains it in Gal. 3, using the drama of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar as demonstration. I believe this is to be the woman of Rev. 12. Quite a few commentators view her son as Jesus, but I think the Society is closer to the truth with him symbolizing the kingdom or more specifically, the conceptualization of the kingdom. This fits in with Satan's seed, being his following as a whole, at least a third of the angels, and of course his earthly followers.
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BoogerMan
(Galatians 3:16) “...the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It says, not: “And to seeds,” as in the case of many such, [i.e. 144,000] but as in the case of one: “And to your seed,” who is Christ.”
If the 'woman' represented God's heavenly/spiritual organization, it must be pretty feeble to have to flee from Satan. (Revelation 12)
Could the 'woman' picture the entity of Christianity?
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Fisherman
And to seeds,” as in the case of many such, [i.e. 144,000] but as in the case of one: “And to your seed,” who is Christ.”
Paul explains:
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It says, not: “And to seeds,” as in the case of many such, but as in the case of one: “And to your seed,” who is Christ.
26 YOU are all, in fact, sons of God through YOUR faith in Christ Jesus.
29 Moreover, if YOU belong to Christ, YOU are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.
Could the 'woman' picture the entity of Christianity?
“The Jerusalem above is free and she is our mother.”
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BoogerMan
Looks like Paul is creating a small contradiction with his 'seed' references.
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Jerryh
It is written (Galatians 4:22) it is written that Abraham had two sons
(Galatians 4:27) . . .the children of the desolate woman are more numerous. . .
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Vidqun
BoogerMan, I think Rev. 12:17 might be referring to Christianity as a whole.
17 And the dragon was angry against the woman: and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Bible, Translated from the Latin Vulgate (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), Re 12:17.
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Fisherman
Looks like Paul is creating a small contradiction with his 'seed' references.
Throw God’s word out then but the scripture cannot be invalidated.
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Fisherman
I think Rev. 12:17 might be referring to Christianity as a whole.
But if the seed( as Paul explains) refers to Jesus and Christians that go to heaven, the new Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, then the woman cannot be the same entity.