”And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” If news media had existed in the day of Adam and Eve, the headlines would have read “Eden-Game Over!” The first indication that things have changed is this simple but horrible statement. Where has God gotten the skins with which to clothe Adam and Eve? Some animal has had to die, shedding its blood. Although we don’t hear about blood sacrifices until the story of Caine and Abel, God is the One who offers the first blood sacrifice; innocent animals die so their skins can be used for clothing. Now everything in nature has also changed and animals that were previously herbivorous have become carnivores. Sin has entered the world, and the ripple effect has changed all creation.
Why has God allowed one lousy decision by these people to blight the entire world? By rebelling against God, Adam and Eve have allowed Satan to use them as conduits of evil. Adam is serving as the pinnacle of God’s creation; God has allowed him to name all the animals, as well as naming Eve. Had Adam resisted, it’s barely possible that this catastrophe might have been avoided; however, Adam has caved in and capitulated. When top leaders and top executives commit crimes, they doom their organizations and inspire others to commit criminal acts as well.
Romans 8:19-22 tells us, “I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time…”
God has freely allowed creation to be corrupted for a time; however, eventually when Jesus returns to the earth, creation will also be delivered from the ravages of sin. Even now, the land and water bodies respond to righteousness. The “Transformations” videos created by the Sentinel Organization depict dramatic changes in soil fertility and miraculous healing of streams, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean when those occupying the land repent and serve the One True Living God. These changes have been documented in geographically diverse places such as Guatemala, Alaska, California, Colombia, and Fiji.
“Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…”
Why is God worrying about this now? The tree of life was always there, and God never forbade Adam and Eve from eating from the tree of life; however, that was before they disobeyed. Now that Adam has obeyed Satan rather than God, he cannot be trusted.
“Therefore the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.”
We have no idea of the actual location of the Garden of Eden, although many sites in the Middle East have been proposed as possible locations. The only thing we know is that God has completely banished humans from Eden, setting a guard that Satan cannot penetrate.
The story of Eden is a tragic one; however, similar stories continue to unfold. More than one outstanding athlete has been awarded a scholarship to a great school, only to die from an overdose while celebrating his award. For many, this incident might mark the first time they have ever tried drugs. In some cases, the drugs are slipped into food or drink by acquaintances.
Can we sin so horribly that we separate ourselves from God? Yes and no. Yes, we can sin so horribly that we are ashamed and afraid to approach God. Can we shock God? No. God has seen it all and is fully aware of every kind of evil that exists. But God is infinitely loving and kind and will forgive us if we only will repent. God loved Adam and Eve, even after they had sinned, sending Adam and Eve out of Eden for their own protection so that they would not continue to become increasingly evil. Had Adam and Eve remained in Eden and secured eternal life, they could have spawned a race of demon-possessed people that would have populated the entire earth.
1 John 1:8-9 tells us “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Confession of sin demands that we humble ourselves and face the evil in us. Once we are willing to confess our sins, God stands ready to forgive us. God has already made provision for our sins by sending Jesus to die on Calvary as our substitute. But we must confess our sins and believe in what Jesus has done for us. Nothing we do by ourselves will be sufficient to pay for our sins.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have committed many sins and have separated ourselves from you. Thank You for sending Jesus to die in our place for our sins. Please forgive us and clean up our hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment