Between a Rock and a Hard Place


 Between a Rock and a Hard Place



Title: The Revelation of the Seed Through Covenant

Throughout Scripture, God reveals His redemptive plan through a series of covenants. Each covenant that includes a mention of the "seed" doesn’t just affirm the coming of Christ—it unveils a new layer of His identity and mission. As if piecing together a divine mosaic, the covenants progressively describe who this Seed is and what He will do. And at the very center of this mosaic stands the Mosaic Covenant itself—not as a revelation of the Seed’s nature, but as a light that exposes our need for Him.

Separator

Covenant: Mosaic (Galatians 3:19, Romans 7:7–13)

"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made..." (Gal. 3:19)

The Mosaic covenant is unique. Unlike the other covenants, it is conditional and does not carry a direct promise concerning the identity of the Seed. However, it powerfully reveals the nature of Yahweh—that He is just, holy, and righteous. The giving of the Law at Sinai showcases God's moral perfection and His demand for holiness among His people. The law reveals the sinfulness of sin and the impossibility of attaining righteousness by human effort.

In this way, the Mosaic covenant functions both as a divine mirror—reflecting our inability to fulfill God’s standards—and as a screen or separator, distinguishing the proud from the humble. It prepares the way for the New Covenant by exposing our need for grace. The Mosaic covenant filters the self-righteous and points the humble to the only hope of salvation: the Seed who fulfills the law perfectly. Yet far from being absent of revelation, the Mosaic covenant unveils a critical dimension of the Seed by revealing the very character of Yahweh. It declares His holiness, justice, and righteousness, setting the standard by which all sin is exposed and judged. The law not only teaches moral clarity—it magnifies God's perfection and our desperate need for grace. As a divine mirror, it reflects the distance between God’s righteousness and our fallen condition. As a screen, it divides the proud from the humble, exposing the futility of self-righteousness and directing the brokenhearted to the only One who could fulfill the law on our behalf—the Seed.

Warrior

Covenant: Adamic (Genesis 3:15)

"And 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."

This first covenant, given after the fall of man, is the initial declaration of hope. God speaks of a coming Seed from the woman who will crush the serpent's head, though He Himself will suffer in the process. This is often called the protoevangelium—the first gospel. Here, the Seed is revealed as the Warrior, the one who will engage in battle with evil and emerge victorious. This sets the stage for every covenant that follows.

Preserver

Covenant: Noahic (Genesis 9:9)

"And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you."

Though the Noahic covenant is often seen as universal and general in nature, it includes a seed reference and serves a profound purpose in the unfolding story of redemption. After the flood, God makes a promise not just to Noah but to his seed—to preserve life on earth. This covenant is not redemptive in the way others are, but it is foundational. It guarantees the continuity of creation and humanity, ensuring that the story of redemption can move forward. In this way, it reveals the Seed as the Preserver of life, sustaining all things until the fullness of time.

Blessing

Covenant: Abrahamic (Genesis 22:18)

"And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

Here, the promise becomes more specific. Abraham is told that in his seed, all nations will be blessed. Paul interprets this directly in Galatians 3:16, saying the singular "seed" refers to Christ. This covenant introduces the global scope of redemption. The Seed is not just for one people but is destined to bring salvation to the world. In Abraham’s covenant, the Seed is revealed as the Blessing—the one through whom God’s favor and salvation are extended to all humanity.

King

Covenant: Davidic (2 Samuel 7:12–13)

"I will set up thy seed after thee... and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever."

The Davidic covenant narrows the promise even further. The Seed will come from David’s royal line and will rule forever. This is a messianic prophecy pointing directly to Jesus, the Son of David. The Gospel of Luke confirms this when the angel says to Mary that Jesus will reign on the throne of His father David and His kingdom will have no end. Here, the Seed is shown to be the eternal King—not only ruler of Israel but of the entire cosmos.

Priest

Covenant: Phinehas (Priestly Covenant) (Numbers 25:10–13)

Though not typically counted among the redemptive covenants, the covenant with Phinehas grants an everlasting priesthood. This office foreshadows the role Christ fulfills perfectly. In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is identified as our great High Priest, not after the order of Aaron, but after the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek. This reveals that the Seed is not only a king but also a Priest, making atonement for sin and interceding on behalf of His people forever.

Redeemer

Covenant: New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34; Luke 22:20)

"This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."

In the New Covenant, all the previous roles and promises converge. The Seed becomes the Redeemer—the one who mediates a new relationship between God and humanity. This covenant brings about the forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the sealing of believers for eternal life. Jesus doesn’t just fulfill the promise—He is the promise. The Redeemer is the final revelation of the Seed, the fulfillment of every covenant that came before.

🌿 Conclusion:

What began in the garden as a vague prophecy of a Seed who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15) unfolds through time in stunning detail:

  • Separator in Moses

  • Warrior in Adam

  • Preserver in Noah

  • Blessing in Abraham

  • King in David

  • Priest in Phinehas

  • Redeemer in the New Covenant

Each covenant adds a piece of the puzzle, revealing not just that the Seed will come—but who He is. Jesus is the culmination of every promise, every office, every hope.

Our confidence in this redemptive tapestry is not built on shifting sand, but on the unchangeable character of God’s purpose. As Hebrews declares:

“So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable (immutable) things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.”
—Hebrews 6:17–18

Because God cannot lie, and because His promise and oath stand eternal, we know that the Seed has come, and that our hope is already secured in Christ.

He is the Seed. He is the Savior. He is the Covenant fulfilled.

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