Yes — Christ bruised the serpent’s head at the cross by decisively defeating Satan.
Genesis 3:15 promises that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head. Les Feldick identifies that seed as Christ from Galatians 3:16. At the cross Christ defeated Satan and rose victorious, while Satan bruised Christ’s heel through the suffering He endured.
Genesis 3:15 — This verse directly promises that the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent’s head, and Les places that fulfillment at the cross.
Galatians 3:16 — This verse identifies the singular ‘seed’ as Christ, which connects the promise of Genesis 3:15 to Jesus.
Genesis 3:15 records God’s words to the serpent: “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 is the first prophetic promise that the woman’s offspring would deal a crushing blow to the serpent. Galatians 3:16 says, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” This identifies the promised seed as Christ. Scripture does not state in Genesis how or when the head would be bruised, but the promise is clear that the serpent’s head would be bruised.
Les Feldick teaches that Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of the Redeemer, and that the “seed of the woman” is Christ, as Galatians 3:16 confirms. The head-bruising is a picture of Christ defeating Satan at the cross. This is where Satan was defeated; Christ was put to death, buried in the grave three days and three nights, and rose from the dead, which is the power that separates believers from the power of sin and death and Satan. Les also explains that “thou shalt bruise his heel” refers to the suffering Christ went through during the ordeal of the cross. Satan “got his licks in” by bruising the heel of the Redeemer, but it was not the final victory. The cross was the decisive defeat of the serpent, even though Satan is still the god of this world and is not yet under Christ’s feet.
Les Feldick places the bruising and defeat of Satan at the cross. He explains that Christ was put to death, buried in the grave three days and three nights, and rose from the dead, and that this is the power that separates believers from the power of sin and death and Satan. The cross is where Satan was defeated and where the promise of Genesis 3:15 was fulfilled in relation to the serpent’s head.
The last line of Genesis 3:15 — “thou shalt bruise his heel” — refers to the suffering Christ went through through the ordeal of the cross, according to Les. Satan “got his licks in” by bruising the Redeemer’s heel, but it was not the final victory. The head-bruising is the fatal defeat; the heel-bruising was the pain and death Christ endured on the way to that victory.
Galatians 3:16 says the promises were made to Abraham’s seed, singular, and that seed is Christ. Les applies this to Genesis 3:15, showing that the “seed of the woman” is Christ and that the enmity between the seed and the serpent is a battle between the Son of God and the powers of Satan. This is a running enmity seen throughout the Old Testament, beginning when Satan prompted Cain to murder Abel, who was in the line of the seed.
Les says the defeat of Satan was accomplished at the cross “so far as the potential.” Even after Christ was raised from the dead victoriously over a defeated Satan, Satan is still the god of this world, still destroying lives, and is not yet under Christ’s feet. The bruising was a decisive blow, but the full outworking of that victory awaits future completion.
In the Old Testament, the brazen serpent on a pole was a foreview of Christ taking judgment for sin. Les says brass speaks of judgment; when Israel looked at the brazen serpent, God judged their sin and they were healed. In the same way, when we look to Christ, who took our sin and on whom God’s judgment fell, we are healed of our sin problem through forgiveness and salvation. Aaron’s serpent swallowing the magicians’ serpents pictures death being swallowed up in victory at the cross.
The Seed of the Woman Is Christ
This clip shows that the ‘seed of the woman’ is Christ and that a running enmity began early in the Old Testament, with Satan prompting Cain to murder Abel because Abel was in the line of the seed.
The Cross Is Where the Serpent’s Head Was Bruised
Les clearly states that Christ bruised and defeated Satan when He went to the cross, and that the suffering of the cross is what bruised Christ’s heel.
The Serpent Gets His Licks In
This clip restates the prophecy: the seed of the woman bruises the head of the serpent, but the serpent bruises the heel of the Redeemer through suffering.
Aaron’s Rod and Death Swallowed Up in Victory
Les connects Aaron’s rod swallowing the serpents to the victory over death at the cross, where Satan was defeated.
The Cross and the Suffering of the Redeemer
This clip summarizes the whole promise: the seed of the woman will defeat the serpent at the cross, while the serpent causes the suffering of the cross and bruises the heel.
Satan Is Not Yet Under Christ’s Feet
Les explains that even after the resurrection over a defeated Satan, Satan is still the god of this world and is not yet under Christ’s feet.
The Brazen Serpent and Christ’s Judgment for Sin
The brazen serpent made of brass (brass speaking of judgment) prefigured Christ taking our sin and bearing God’s judgment so believers are healed through forgiveness and salvation.
God Addressing Satan in Genesis 3:15
This clip provides the context that God is speaking to Satan in Genesis 3:15 and that the seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.
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 is the original promise that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head and the serpent would bruise his heel.
Galatians 3:16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
This identifies the promised singular ‘seed’ as Christ, connecting Genesis 3:15 to Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:54: So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Les uses the phrase ‘death is swallowed up in victory’ to connect Aaron’s rod to the victory of the cross where Satan was defeated.
Christ bruised the serpent’s head at the cross. That is where Les says Christ defeated Satan; He was put to death, buried three days and nights, and rose from the dead in victory.
The heel-bruising was the suffering Christ went through during the ordeal of the cross. The serpent got his licks in by inflicting that suffering, but it was not the final victory.
The seed of the woman is Christ. Galatians 3:16 says the promised ‘seed’ is singular and is Christ, so the woman’s seed who bruises the serpent’s head is Jesus.
According to Les, the potential defeat was accomplished at the cross and resurrection, but Satan is still the god of this world and is not yet under Christ’s feet.
Watch the Teaching: Understanding the Curse & God’s Promise of a Redeemer