The first mention is the first time a subject is mentioned in the scriptures. When you look for that you will better understand the Bible.
It is useful to understand the context of a prophecy or what lesson can be drawn from an event. And since Genesis is the first book of the Bible, you will probably find what you are looking for.
An online Bible concordance like https://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/ can help you find the first mention or the first time someone talks about the subject.
Let’s take an example of a first mention
In Genesis chapters 2-3 we read the story of creation as well as man‘s fall into sin. We find the first mention of the temptation process. It wasn’t a big deal if they would simply trust the goodness of God. But being human, God equipped them with something we all appreciate…free will. Yes, they had the choice to obey or not!
But we will explain the process another day. What we want to talk about here is the first mention of the plan of God to save humanity. We notice that God was not unprepared! In Genesis 3.15 He says to Satan (not to Adam) that a Messiah (the Chosen or anointed One sent to deliver) will come.
Genesis 3:15 « And I will put enmity (conflict)
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.
This means war for thousands of years between your offspring (descendants) (the demonic multiplication of evil that can make humanity suffer) and
Her descendant, Jesus the son of the Almighty God who will be the “last Adam” and will not allow Himself to be tempted by disobedience to his Father. His mission will be to save all humans and he didn’t choose the easier path of “personal convenience”. The cross will be the place of the ultimate defeat of Satan because Jesus will crush his head. How?
How Satan uses the principle of the first mention
Because of the sin of Adam, all following generations were contaminated. (The devil understood the principle of the « first mention » and where to strike. It is also why he attacks young people when they have big decisions to take for their lives. If he can pervert their thinking at that age, the rest of their lives will be contaminated by those decisions).
Looking at history, we see how he was able to instill evil in the hearts of all men even though they supposedly have the possibility to choose (free will). And so he has the legal right to send all men to death as soon as they sin for the first time.
However, God is still in control
However, God still is the master of his creation and suspends the sentence for a probation period so that men have time to seek salvation. This is God’s way of leveling the (justice) playground.
“For the wages (we deserve it) of sin is death”, (Romans 6.23)
The only human Satan had no right to apply the death sentence to was Jesus.
Even the Roman judicial system had found no reason to sentence Jesus to receive capital punishment. “I find no basis for an accusation against this man”. (Luke 23.4)
But he is there, at my mercy. They whipped him and ridiculed him, and he didn’t even react. He didn’t even call in the 12 myriads of angels available to intervene. His disciples have abandoned him. What an opportunity for a fatal blow to God’s plan to save these worms who he wants to give access to heaven. Whereas I was thrown out like a dirty kleenex.
Luke 10:18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning
How Satan fell into temptation
And Satan (thinking he was God – at least of this world) gave himself permission to disobey the Divine Law. As for the first Adam who only had one tree he could not touch, for Satan, there was only One Man he could not touch. Satan cannot strike at God since God is Spirit. But he can strike a man who is in His image…
The opportunity was too good to miss. And the devil allowed himself to be … tempted!
Jesus’ weak point (the heel) was taking the risk to die at the very hands of his creation. He was in danger of dying many times from early childhood to manhood. Satan tried to kill him when he was a baby but also at other moments in his ministry when people wanted to lapidate him for his teaching. But the enemy could not touch him until His mission was accomplished. This allowed God to crush the head of Satan who did not see the trap he was falling in.
Suddenly, there was a man who took upon himself all the sins of every man who had ever lived. And each man could benefit from it. God has the legal right to grant a “presidential pardon” to any man who accepts that Jesus paid for the ransom required to free us from every sin ever committed. And the bonus is eternal life.
How God was legally able to give us eternal life again
… but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord
You find all that in one prophetic verse of the Bible !? Well Yes. It took thousands of years for this prophecy to happen, but at just the right moment, God sent forth His Son… (Galatian 4.4)
Galatians 3:22 But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
What do you think? Does this principle of “first mention” help you to better understand the Bible?
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