Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers reading this article! In the earlier article (The Mother Of All Living – Part 1), we observed the very first mother recorded in the Bible – Eve. The name “Eve” is translated from the Hebrew word “Chavvah,” which means “Life” or “Life-giver,” for Eve was “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20).
What does it mean when the Bible says that Eve was “the mother of all living?” In the previous article, we had seen that Eve was the one through whom all of humanity would be descended from. However, an interesting point to note is that when Adam first called his wife “Eve” (i.e. Life-giver), they had not yet had children! (Genesis 3:20; cf. Genesis 4). What did Adam mean then when he called his wife “the mother of all living?”
To understand this better, we must first appreciate the context under which Adam said those words. When God created Adam, He had instructed him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). His wife, Eve, was aware of this prohibition as well (Genesis 3:2-3). However, the Devil (Satan), had taken the form of a serpent and lied to Eve that if she ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, she would not die, but would be “as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5; cf. John 8:44; Rev 20:2a). Eve took of that fruit, ate it, and gave it to her husband Adam to eat as well (Genesis 3:6). Because of this disobedience, God pronounced a curse on the serpent, Eve, and Adam (Genesis 3:14-19), and later Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and separated from the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:22-24)
When cursing the serpent, which the Devil had taken the form of, God said that “I will put enmity (hostility) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This verse is sometimes referred to as the “Protevangelium,” or “first gospel (good news) proclamation.” Throughout the pages of Scripture, we have seen that the Devil would continually seek to attack God’s people. However, Jesus Christ, the “seed of the woman” (cf. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18), would finally “bruise the serpent’s head” and deal a “death-blow” to Satan. Satan, working through Herod the Great, tried to kill off the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:13ff). Satan, working through wicked and deceitful men, attempted to have Jesus stoned to death (John 8:59). Satan, working through the Jews and Romans, had Jesus crucified on the cross (Matthew 27:50). Despite all this, Jesus defeated Satan by rising on the third day as was prophesied (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and is now our King and Great High Priest, living and ruling forever more (cf. Zechariah 6:12-13; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 8:1ff). Indeed, the “seed of the woman” has bruised the head of the serpent!
If we submit ourselves to Jesus Christ’s authority by being baptized into His death (Romans 6:3-4) and live a life of faithful submission thereafter, we too will never die. Though our earthly bodies will decay and perish, our souls will live on in eternity (2 Corinthians 5:1). Indeed, Eve is “the mother of all living,” for from her came “the seed of woman,” Jesus Christ, through whom we can have everlasting life.
Thank God for mothers who teach their children about God and His Son Jesus Christ. Thank God for children who submit to the godly teaching of their mothers. Give thanks to God for your mother, not just on Mothers’ Day, but every day!