WE WOULD DO WELL TO KNOW THE ANSWER

It all began in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s first command and sin entered our world. God had said to Adam, “Thou shalt NOT eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. When you do, you will surely die.” Gen. 2:17

This was not physical death, of course, for Adam and Eve were to populate the earth.

So what did it mean?

Adam was made in the Image of God. Gen.1:26,27. God breathed the breath of LIFE into him and he became a living soul. He had a God consciousness, a communion with God that Animal life did not have.

Now we have Satan coming into the picture. (Chap.3) He entered the most subtle and cunning of the beasts of the field. (3:1) I have often imagined Adam and Eve enjoying their time with the animals, just as many enjoy being with their animals today. On this particular day, this attractive animal came to Eve, placing doubt in her mind regarding the Word of God, their Creator Father. Satan (through the animal) said to her “Did God really say, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Eve confirmed the truth of the statement. Satan replied that God was not telling the truth, “You shall not surely die: for God knows that in the day you eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” 3:4,5.

Eve Looked....she Took.... she Gave....and Adam took. (3:6) Now they knew good and evil and were ashamed of their nakedness. They did the best they could do in their own way (like us) and covered themselves with fig leaves.

The next time God came to visit them in the Garden, they were frightened of Him and hid among the trees. When God called out to them, Adam answered, “....I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.” Their sin of disobedience made them immediately aware that they had lost their fellowship and oneness with God their Father. The separation of DEATH had taken place.

At this point, everything in the Garden was different, even strange, from previous times. The peace and joy that Adam and Eve had always known was gone and fear was present with them. When God questioned Adam about what had happened he blamed the Companion that God had given him. When Eve was questioned, she blamed the animal that had deceived her.

Sin always has consequences and God pronounced judgment. To the serpent He said, “ You are cursed more than all the cattle, and more than every beast of the field. On your belly you shall go and eat the dust, all the days of your life.” Gen. 3:14 The beautiful animal now became the snake as we know it today.

To Eve, God said, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception: In pain you shall bring forth children....” 3:16

To Adam, “ ..... Cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil (work) shall you eat of it all the days of your life. In the sweat of you face you shall eat bread as long as you live.....” 3:17-19

(We have already seen, Doubt, Blame, Disobedience, Sin, Judgment and Death)

Our hope of Eternal Life in heaven was lost when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command regarding eating from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He said you shall surely die, and they did. They lost the Life that God had breathed into them at Creation, the “Life in His Image”. Eternal Life !

But God had a way to bring them back to Himself. He made coats of skins and clothed them to cover their sin and shame. (3:21) Their fig leaf covering wasn’t sufficient.

The covering for sin demanded another life to take the place of the one they lost and blood was shed in the process.

Leviticus 17:11 Helps to clarify this truth. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

Two illustrations, among many are: First, the difference in the offerings of Cain and Abel. Abel’s was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice. Cain’s was from his garden and was rejected. Second, when God delivered His Chosen People from their 400 year bondage in Egypt, it was the blood applied on the doorpost of each household, that signaled the Death Angel to pass over and the life of the eldest son was saved.

From now on and for all days to follow, to come into Fellowship with God, there had to be a blood sacrifice. All through the O.T., we read how Altars were built and sacrifices offered when men came into God’s presence for fellowship with Him. In Hebrew 9:22 Paul says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin”.. Paul should know. He was reared as a strict keeper of the Law.

According to God’s plan, He sent His own dear Son, Jesus, to be our PERFECT SACRIFICE. He came from heaven’s glory, born as a Baby and spent 33 years sharing His life with humanity. He told again and again who His Father was and their relationship with each other. He explained about his last days on earth and what would happen, about His death and resurrection and why.

Then in fulfillment of His words, He gave His life on Calvary’s Cross and shed His Blood, THE PERFECT SACRIFICE. We don’t build altars and offer sacrifices today. The invitation is given to us to accept the Sacrifice that Jesus made for us...and when we do, our fellowship and Life with God is restored. We need not hide from God any longer.

John 3:16,17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

Aren’t we thankful that God made Provision for our SIN PROBLEM? PRAISE HIM !!!

He took care of mine. I pray that you let him take yours also.

Elsie K. Young