Genesis 3:20-24 The Covering for Sin CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Every person who has ever lived is a descendant of Adam and Eve, since Eve is the mother of all living (v. 20) and Adam was the first man (1 Cor. 15:45). God had told Adam, “…in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” As a result of their sin, Adam and Eve died (Gen. 5:4-5) and all of their offspring die (Rom. 5:12). Consequently, it was necessary for God to do something to cover Adam and Eve’s sin or else no man would ever have eternal life.

The provision of the Lord was an innocent substitute, whose blood was shed, and whose skin made a covering for Adam and Eve’s nakedness. In allowing an animal to die in their place, God showed his mercy and established some universal truths regarding salvation.

• God provided a Lamb – The animals whose skins clothed Adam & Eve were not mentioned. However, they were undoubtedly lambs, foreshadowing the death of the Lord Jesus Christ (Gen. 4:4; Gen. 22:8; Ex. 12:3-6; Jn. 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
• Blood was shed – “Without shedding of blood is no remission,” (Heb. 9:22). It is the blood of Christ that cleanses sin (1 Jn. 1:7). Adam and Eve’s fig leaves were inadequate because there was no blood shed in their covering.
• A Substitution was made – The Lamb satisfied the justice of God that required death for eating the forbidden fruit. Likewise, the sacrifice of Jesus justifies us (Rom. 5:9; I Cor. 6:11). The innocent dies in place of the guilty.
• God would not accept Adam’s work (fig leaves sewn together) – Salvation is a free gift, not a result of man’s work (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). All religions require men to work in order to earn salvation. In true salvation, however, work is unnecessary because Christ said, “It is finished,” (Jn. 19:30).
• Adam & Eve received God’s provision – They willing gave up their fig leaves to accept the skins as their covering. Likewise sinners must turn from their own righteousness (Is. 64:6) and receive the Lord Jesus in order to be saved (Jn. 1:12).
• Adam & Eve didn’t profess that fig leaves were better – Many sinners turn down God’s gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ by professing that their religions are better than His free gift (Matt. 23:15).
• The blood of lambs is limited compared to the blood of Christ – If the covering provided by the skins from these lambs had been enough, there would have been no reason for Jesus to die (Heb. 9:13-14; Ex. 34:6-7).

After God provided an acceptable covering for Adam and Eve, He kicked them out of the garden. That’s because sin never leaves you better than it finds you and there are always consequences of sin both here and in eternity (Gal. 6:7-8). Furthermore, God kept Adam and Eve away from the tree of life so that they wouldn’t eat of it and live forever in a corruptible body. God’s restriction was actually merciful. Now, by receiving Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we can have fellowship with God while here on earth (1 Jn 1:3-7) and live with Him eternally in a glorified body after our time on earth (I Cor. 15: 49-55).