An Introduction And Overview

Enmity An Introduction and Overview Enmity is a peculiar sounding word with its own peculiar meaning. The word, itself, means hatred, not simply hatred, but deep-seated, intense, hatred and hostility. It is manifested when one or both of two opposing forces, having ill will for one another, act out by word, deed or subtly, often physically. Please understand, at the outset, that there are not two different enmities, but rather, one enmity that is manifested in two different ways. Christ placed the enmity to assure our victory and Satan’s defeat. It feeds itself and on itself, growing in one direction (manifesting evil characteristics) or the other (demonstrating the love of God). Although the word is seldom heard in everyday life, enmity is unquestionably present. Enmity is, by nature, latent (hidden), unconsciously influencing one's actions, waiting for an opportunity to exercise itself. It usually denotes antagonism and often causes one, over whom it has control, to act irrationally, even to their own hurt, including forfeiture of life (temporali and/or eternal). Satan’s hatred for God began in Heaven and when he was cast to Earth, the first instance of his enmity against God was expressed in the beguiling of Eve and the disobedience of Adam. The word “enmity” is recorded only eight times in six texts of the Bible, but the relative principle can be clearly discerned throughout Scripture and is a recognizable and distinguishable part of the great controversy that has been raging for nearly 6,000 years; first in Heaven, then on Earth. That enmity does exist, needs no proof, but to identify it and recognize its workings is essential to a correct understanding of what Christ accomplished on behalf of all mankind at the cross. In beginning, we will consider five occurrances of the word as it is used in Scripture. We will consider the other three (Numbers 35:21, 35:22, and Luke 23:12) in a later chapter. Enmity first existed in heaven. It was there that Lucifer’s enmity (hatred against God) was first expressed. Because of the enmity that Satan manifested against God in Heaven, Satan and one-third of his angels were cast to Earth through Satan’s deception, mankind experienced the fall into Sin, and the controversy between man and God began. See Revelation 12:7-9. Satan beguiled Eve and, through Eve, tempted Adam and, in them, mankind surrendered its allegiance to Satan and his mind merged with the minds of Adam and Eve. They yielded themselves as servants of Satan, and we are told, that whoever we yield ourselves servants to obey, his servants we are. Romans 6:16 In Genesis 3:15, after the fall, we find the very first promise made to Adam and Eve, the father and mother of all mankind. The Lord said, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Although it was Satan (the serpent) to whom God was speaking, the enmity that God “put” between his seed and the Seed of the woman was a blessing bestowed to mankind, enabling us to, once again, hate sin and evil. In effect, it returned to us the potential, capacity and capability to overcome Sin in the promise that God would, at some point, intercede on mankind’s behalf. The significance of God putting this enmity between the serpent and the Seed is found in two separate points of realization. One, that it was given immediately after the fall of man and, secondly, it is that which Christ abolished in His flesh on the cross. See Ephesians 2:15 & 16. From the time of the fall onward, enmity would be expressed in all aspects of human life and become a central issue in the battle between good and evil – between Christ and His angels and Satan and his angels, played out in the physical realm of Planet Earth. Enmity is such that it is a natural outpouring (result) of rebelling against God and living in disobedience to (and disregard for) His righteous and oh! so crucial, commandments of love. They are made crucial by the fact that, if we do not submit to them and be subject to them, we are both risking death and forfeiting eternal life. Romans 8:7 After God had established a history of about 4,000, in His dealings with fallen man, Christ came to Earth, the fallen planet, and fulfilled this promise “in His flesh...on the cross.” Ephesians 2:12-16 He is that “Seed” whose heel would one day be bruised. iv

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Temporal: [adj.] 1) earthly, worldly, secular 2) temporary, finite.