Words To The Wise: Threads Of Mercy
“Also for Adam and his wife the LORD made tunics of skin, and clothed them.”-Genesis 3:21, cf. Genesis 3:10-23
Why did the Fall happen?
Of course, we know intellectually why it did. Both Adam and Eve disobeyed God, and God punished them - expressing His just character. But experientially, the answer may not seem like enough. The Fall is the cause of everything wrong with the world: death. Sickness. Work turning to toil. Even for us as women, painful menses (to say nothing of pregnancies and its associated problems) make up around 60-72 days of our existence for years.
But I submit to you that even as our world entered the chaos the Fall brought, we still see God’s mercy - his compassion to those in distress, to us in this world. How?
First, even though God did give consequences to both Adam and Eve, He did not curse them as he cursed the serpent-devil and the ground. Genesis 1:28 says that God blessed Adam and Eve, and once God makes a promise, He will never renege on it. Romans 11:29 provides this hope for us as it says that the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. This means that God is trustworthy and is always faithful to what He says. As the president of my alma mater said, “God is faithful. You can trust Him.” To that I would add, you should trust Him.
Secondly, God clothed Adam and Eve with tunics made from animal skin. Remember that when they knew their nakedness, the first couple covered themselves with fig leaves and hid from God. However, in the act of giving Adam and Eve new clothes, God had to kill an animal - the animal thus served as the sacrifice for them both. Also, notice that God knew of their sense of shame. However, he clothed them with something more sufficient to cover it.
And isn’t that what Jesus does for us? On the cross, Jesus was mocked and abused. Prior to His death, he was beaten, forced to carry His own cross, and gambled upon. Such acts are no doubt shameful to anyone with a common sense of decency.
Yet he despised the shame (Hebrews 12:2). He died and rose again, and everyone who believes in Him shall by no means be put to shame, or perplexed - since He has been and is victorious (Romans 10:11, 1 Peter 2:6; cf. Isaiah 45:17).
That, my sisters, is good news. He took our shame, giving us the freedom to renounce its hidden things and live as truly holy and beloved daughters of God (2 Corinthians 4:2). Now, in Christ, we know victory - over the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Finally, God prevented Adam and Eve from living forever with the knowledge they had. Imagine living forever knowing experientially good and evil - and because of human depravity, choosing bad every single time.
It would be terrible. So God sent an angel to guard the tree of life in the garden of Eden. Yes - it is true that we die. Yes - it is true that evil happens in our world. But consider another truth. After God meted out justice, Adam named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all the living - of all of us. I believe that Adam and Eve had faith that God would indeed send someone through Eve’s line who could, and would, crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), even as the victor’s heel was bruised.
And the good news is, that faith can be yours as well, if you call on Jesus. If you have that faith, abundant life on earth is yours because Jesus’ love is better than life. And if not, come to the lover of your soul who will never, ever cast you out.
Discussion Questions
How does this view of God’s mercy impact your view of God?
How does it make you feel that Jesus Christ took your shame upon Himself? How does this liberate you in your walk with Christ?
What is one thing you want to do this week to remind yourself of Jesus’ liberating love for you?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ozi Ojukwu is a girl wildly in love with Jesus. A recent graduate of Cedarville University, she is a Colson-Fellow-In Training, learning about the fundamentals of a Christian worldview and how it connects to all of public life. She recently completed an internship at the Borgen Project, a nonprofit that makes global poverty a focus of US foreign policy. A bookworm to the core, she loves reading both historical fiction and memoirs. Her favorite verse is Romans 1:16.