As soon as Adam and Eve had taken the fruit, their eyes were opened, and the conscience which they received by their sinful act made them feel their nakedness. So they made aprons out of fig leaves to cover themselves. This is just like men and women today, who try to cover their sins by their own good works, but although such things may look very good in their own eyes, and perhaps in the eyes of others, we know that nothing we can do will put away one sin from the presence of God. “The wages of sin is death,” and God was about to teach them that the only way they could stand in His presence, was in a covering which He Himself provided through the death of another, a substitute.
God Seeking His Fallen Creature
While clothed in these fig leaf-aprons they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden, and they hid among the trees. They were afraid of God, and their aprons did not make them suitable for His presence, and they knew it. Are you hiding from God? Do you feel like running away when someone asks you if you are saved? It is because you are a sinner and need the robe of righteousness which God has provided through the death of His Son. “He hath made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
But God loved His fallen creature, and He began to seek him. Isn’t it wonderful, that the first words God spoke to Adam after his fall were, “Where art thou?” And God has been seeking man ever since, even though men continue to run away and hide from Him. If you are unsaved, God is seeking you and wants to save you.
Blame and Responsibility
God asked Adam some questions because He wanted him to confess his sin, but Adam blamed his wife for it. Perhaps you are trying to blame someone else, or even worse, you may be blaming God as many people do today. But remember this, putting the blame on someone else will not take away the dark stain of sin. Stop blaming others at once, and come to God as a guilty sinner, and you will have all your sins removed. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Then you will not be thinking of who is to blame, but your heart will be filled with thankfulness to God for what He has done for you.
Eve was like her husband, and she blamed the Serpent (Satan). God then cursed the Serpent for what he had done, but He allowed Adam and Eve to hear the wonderful promise that the Seed of woman would bruise the Serpent’s head. The Lord Jesus who was born of a virgin was the promised Seed, and when He died on the cross, He defeated all Satan’s power. Satan is a real person, with real power, but for the believer he is a defeated enemy who cannot harm us as long as we walk in obedience to the Word of God. Soon we will be completely delivered from his power when the Lord Jesus comes and takes us to be forever with Himself.
Further Meditation
1. Why did Adam and Eve hide from God among the trees?
2. I suppose that Adam and Eve thought the fig leaves would help them hide their sin from God in some way, but that was obviously foolish. How did other Bible men and women try to cover up their sin? What, for example, did Jacob’s sons do to hide their evil ways with Joseph?
3. You can find lots more on the subject of trying to hide ourselves from God by searching bibletruthlibrary.org. One article entitled Fig Leaves, from Things New and Old, would be a good place to start. You can find it by typing the article number 50451 into the library search box.