Friends:  We continue with my good friend and pastor, David Niednagel.   He uses the S.O.A.P method in his morning devotional time.  Study, Observe, Apply, Pray.  If you are looking for a help-method for your daily study time that will help you maximize your fellowship and growth in your relationship with God….try this S.O.A.P method.  😊    

Genesis 3:20-24  Garments of skins

3:20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. ²¹ And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” ²³ therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴ He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.   ESV

Adam’s attempt to clothe himself with leaves was not acceptable to God. God provided animal skins – which meant the animals had to die – a blood sacrifice. God told Adam in 2:17 that if he disobeyed he would die. Here we see the first example of God providing a substitute to cover the sin of a human. The animals had done nothing wrong. Adam and Eve had. The animals were innocent substitutes that covered the guilt of the people – a picture of what the Lord Jesus would do 4000 years later.

So the guilt of Adam and Eve was covered, but they were not allowed to stay in the garden and eat of the tree of life and live forever. To live forever in a world of increasing wickedness would be terrible! Death after many years of that would be better than living with an aging body and burdened heart. So, they were forced to leave the garden and live in a hostile world, full of sin and pain. It was the consequence of their rebellion and it not only affected them, but every human who has ever lived since that time.

Lord, we don’t normally think of death as a good thing – and it isn’t. But I can see Your mercy in it, especially for believers who are welcomed into Your presence to experience YOU and other redeemed people who will no longer sin, and we will also have a new body. I want my life to count as long as possible and bear fruit that will last forever, but more and more I am willing to leave this world behind and I look forward to being with You. Until then, thank You for Your blood shed to cover my sin and guilt! Thank You I can look forward to a wonderful eternity!  Amen