Strength to Overcome

LEAH DAVIS (COMMISSIONED THE PIECE):

"My desire was to share this image with others searching for hope in overcoming addictions. We do not have to battle this evil serpent on our own. The Savior through His atonement has crushed the head. It is through this blessing that we and our loved ones can support, withstand, and faithfully seek the strength to overcome. I am grateful that James had both the patience and talent to work with me to beautifully portray what had blessed my mind in a time of great sorrow and trial as I watched my best friend struggle with addiction. I am a believer that hope should be shared."

Leah Davis, who is a single mother of 5, attends BYU-Idaho and will graduate in April '10 in Communications. Leah plans to pursue a Masters Degree in Instructional Design.

The proceeds from original artwork and print sales will help towards our graduate programs.

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS FROM THE ARTIST'S STUDY/PERSPECTIVE:

This piece has been one of the two hardest paintings I’ve ever completed up to this point, mostly because of the difficulties associated with turning a very abstract concept, involving unique elements, into a concrete though metaphorical reality in paint. It was a pleasure to work with Leah Davis, who commissioned the piece. She had a clear vision of this image which has given her much hope during great adversity, and wanted to bear her testimony through getting the image onto canvas with my help. It has been a mutual effort, and I have certainly contributed enough to feel I too am testifying of Christ through the piece. Ultimately, it was made very clear to me however that I did very little of myself and that the Lord has blessed the work and strengthened the hands that made it. I can truly testify of both the opposition as I worked on this painting, and also the feeling of Christ overcoming discouragement, doubt, and fear. In everything from a little case of lack of motivation to the most heinous sins and fiery tribulations, Christ has overcome all enemies to our salvation and joy through His atonement and redemption, if we will but turn to Him.

SCRIPTURES

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
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.
* Hebrew: He, referring to the Savior (see quote by James E. Talmage below)
** Hebrew: To crush, grind.

CES INSTITUTE MANUAL, JAMES E. TALMAGE

(Heading of section in CES Pearl of Great Price Institute Manual, p.14) "Moses 4:21. The 'Seed of the Woman' Refers to the Savior, Jesus Christ"
" 'Adam, the patriarch of the race, rejoiced in the assurance of the Savior's appointed ministry, through the acceptance of which, he, the transgressor, might gain redemption. Brief mention of the plan of salvation, the author of which is Jesus Christ, appears in the promise given of God following the fall—that though the devil, represented by the serpent in Eden, should have power to bruise the heel of Adam's posterity, through the seed of the woman should come the power to bruise the adversary's head. 3 It is significant that this assurance of eventual victory over sin and its inevitable effect, death, both of which were introduced to earth through Satan the arch-enemy of mankind, was to be realized through the offspring of woman; the promise was not made specifically to the man, nor to the pair. The only instance of offspring from woman dissociated from mortal fatherhood is the birth of Jesus the Christ, who was the earthly Son of a mortal mother, begotten by an immortal Father. He is the Only Begotten of the Eternal Father in the flesh, and was born of woman.' (James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p.44)"

BRUCE SATTERFIELD (BYU-IDAHO RELIGION DEPARTMENT), EMAIL 23 JUN 09

As noted, the Hebrew word can mean either to crush or to strike at. What is being portrayed is the antagonism between man and snakes. The snake strikes at man’s heal while man strikes back by trying to crush the head of the serpent. That is the symbolic portrayal.

The Hebrew word in question in this passage is pronounded shuf or shoof. Shuf is used in regarding both the serpent and Eve's seed. The passage could be translated, "He shall strike (crush) your head and you shall stike (crush) his heel."

The word shuf is found in three passages in the Hebrew bible. The first is the one you are considering: Gen. 3:15. The second, is in Job 9:17 which translates the word as "breaketh": "For he breaketh me with a tempest [storm]". The third is in Psalms 139:11 where it is translated "cover": "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me." That gives you a lexical idea of how the word is used.

Certainly the Genesis passage is fulfilled in multiple ways. At first, the contest is between Eve's offspring (mankind) and the Serpent's offspring (wickedness and any who participate in wicked things). Note the similarity between Nephi's vision of the last day an these verses. In 1 Nephi 14:10, Nephi saw the Church of the Devil. The angel described this church as "the mother of abominations." That is, Satan's kingdom produces abominations or wickedness. Therefore, in one sense, the seed of the serpent is wickedness. The serpent would continually be attacking the heels of Eve's offspring (mankind) through wickedness. The heel could represent the foot or feet which symoblizes the direction or course of life which men persue. The Lord places enmity or natural hatred and conflict between Eve's seed and the serpent's seed. This is initially accomplished through the light of Christ which creates a natural contrary nature in man with evil. Man is always in conflict with evil because of his conscience.

Secondly, the Genesis passage is fulfilled in Gethsemane, on the cross, and in the tomb where Christ (the seed of Eve) battles the consequences of the fall of Adam and each man's individual fall. We could say Christ "crushes" "breaks" or "covers" (using the three ways the bible uses shuf) mankinds sin as well as Satan's battle against mankind. In this battle, Christ must battle the advesary (the Hebrew word is Satan) and crush his works.

Thirdly, the Genesis passage is fulfilled at both the second coming and at the end of the millennium. Upon the second coming, Satan and wickedness are delivered a crushing blow when his influence is not longer felt during that thousand years of peace. And at the end of the millennium, the final crushing blow is delivered when Satan and his followers (the Serpent and his seed) are cast off forever (see Revelation 20 [particullary verses 7-10], D&C 29:22-23; 88:110-111].

FROM THE INFINITE ATONEMENT BY TAD CALLISTER AND FINAL THOUGHTS

Shortly after I commenced the painting in earnest, and before it was completed, I read in full the marvelous book The Infinite Atonement by Tad L. Callister. Therein, he described the atonement in an interesting way that I had never thought of before, and which I feel relates very much to the nature of this painting. He said that the Savior's "suffering must have been more than a resigned submissiveness or a fist-clenching 'taking of the stripes.' It must have been more than a defensive 'holding of the fort' or raising of the shield to ward off the fiery darts of the Evil One. Part of the Savior's atoning quest must have included an element of conquering, an offensive struggle of sorts. ...There was a need to rescue and deliver souls from 'the chains of hell' (Alma 12:11). This part of the battle may have necessitated an invasion of Satan's turf, perhaps even an intrepid trespass into the dark abyss of the Devil's domain. ...The Savior's redemption was a one-man rescue mission to deliver the prisoners of all ages from death and hell, of which Satan was the ever-so-vigilant guard." (p. 129 of The Infinite Atonement)

Truly, never did Satan more bruise the Savior's figurative heel than during the awful hours of His atoning sacrifice. Never did the Savior more resolutely and completely crush the serpents head than during that very same ordeal, after which He rose to glory, having redeemed us all. Thank God for Christ’s victory over fear and death, and may we “contend…morning by morning” (D&C 112:5) on His side!