The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 3: The Beginning of Time • 111

Preacher beamed proudly, having asked the question himself. “Of course, God could have simply denied the serpent existence,” Justin Martyr continued, “yet since He knew that it would be good, He created angels and men free to do that which is righteous; and He appointed periods of time during which He knew it would be good for them to have the exercise of free-will.” 46 “The passage announces Good News,” added Mentor, “since our God promised to make hatred the enduring mark of the relationship between the woman’s offspring, Christ, and Satan. This means that the reign of evil will not last forever, because a time will come when the Savior of the world, born to one of Eve’s descendants, will be the one to bruise the serpent’s head!” 47 The seated witnesses shouted “amen!” “Christ has summed up all things,” added Irenaeus, “waging war against our enemy and crushing him who had at the beginning led us away as captives in Adam, trampling on Satan’s head, just as you read in Genesis, ‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed.’” 48 Jonah and the Big Fish As Mentor concluded The Time Before Time , announcing the upcoming theme— The Unfolding of Time , Preacher

46 Same as previous note.

47 Mentor’s statement is based Susanne de Dietrich, God’s Unfolding Purpose , 37.

48 Irenaeus, Against Heresies V.21.1 (ANF 1,548).