Coats of Righteousness
January 17th, 2020
“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Gen. 3:21 - KJV)
The time of innocence has ended with Adam and Eve partaking of the "Tree of knowledge of Good, and Evil." What was it about this tree that was so appealing to the first couple? The Word tells us that after Eve heard the deceptive words of the Serpent that she "saw it was good for food...pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise..." (Gen. 3:6 - KJV) Until this point in Genesis the expression “saw that it was good” has only been used of God. Now, instead of God, it is the woman that “saw that it was good.” Let it be understood that it is only God who can recognize what is truly good! Even though wonderfully created by God in righteousness and holiness Adam and his wife Eve were still finite in their understanding, and their decision (Adam’s in particular) to eat of the tree has resulted in a world of turmoil and heartache! Thank God Jesus Christ is about to return and undo all that Adam did!
The results of Adam and Eve’s sin were immediately felt as they “knew that they were naked” (Gen. 3:7 – KVJ). It is believed by some scholars that Adam and Eve were clothed in light, and as a result of sin lost the light of God’s glory that had surrounded them. Therefore, Adam and Eve find themselves not only having lost their garments of light if you will, but naked and ashamed (Gen. 3:7-10). Quickly, they begin to “sew fig leaves” together in order to cover their nakedness. Now, please notice that the verse of our focus says the Lord God made “coats of skins, and clothed them.” This tells us several things: #1. What Adam and Eve did by the work of their hands in “sewing fig leaves” together was woefully insufficient to cover them. #2. The Lord had to slay the animals and shed their blood #3. The Lord furnished the skins of the animal, fashioned them for Adam and His wife, and then clothed them. #4. The word “coats” here in Hebrew means a tunic, or a long shirt like garment usually made of linen. This "coat" that God made represented what one can only receive through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ i.e. “a pure spotless righteousness” (Matt. 22:11-13; Rev. 19:8) (It is my opinion that at this time the Lord explained to Adam and Eve the manner in which He could be approached, which would be through the shedding of animal blood. This manner of approaching God would be continued until the all sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ was made - Heb. 10: 1-14).
Can I tell you dear believer that men are still trying to cover their own sin and shame today! Man has not changed, and in fact man is very religious, and will do all he can to cover himself with his own righteousness. Yet, all of man’s attempts to cover himself before God are done in vain.
Quite a number of years ago I had a man ask me a question about the church I attended, his question was simple, “What is the name of the church that you attend?,” I proceeded to tell him with his response to me “well that is not the church that Jesus founded,” and continued to tell me how we were wrong because of the name over the door. In truth this man’s faith was not in Jesus Christ, and his great sacrifice, but rather in his religious organization. Faith that is not 100% in the Cross of Jesus Christ is viewed by God as “fig leaves!” Someone can say I am Baptist, I am Assembly of God, I am Methodist, I am Church of Christ, but it is all “fig leaves” - what matters is if their faith is in the shed blood of Jesus Christ for righteousness! (Gal. 2:21)
God’s Luv & Best to you!
In Christ – Clint
