Though the above question may sound trivial to many people, I don’t take it as such especially when it is coming from God. I can sense the compassion in God’s heart when he asked this question from Adam, having discovered he was no longer where he ought to be. Therefore, the need for us to personalise this study, not looking for any Adam to ask the question. Whereas Adam is long gone from the earth, there is still an Ayo, a David and an Esther… etc. that need to personally respond to this question from our caring father. The Lord is so much interested in us as individuals first before considering us as a body. The Lord has taken it upon himself to confront us with this question at such a time as this when the love of many is waxing cold and there is a falling away; times when many have become lovers of self and iniquity; times where true worshippers of Christ are silenced and ostracised even among the so called believers. Where are you my brother/sister in the purpose of God for your life?
We cannot go ahead with the study without first of all considering the background of the study viz:-
- What was the original intention of God for man
- The fall of man
WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENTION OF GOD FOR MAN
The creation story reveals the original intention of God for man. It shows us the keen interest that God has in man. In fact, anytime I consider this story, I cannot but ask like the psalmist in Psa: 8v4-6
What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and has crowned him with glory and honour. Thou hast made him to have dominion over all the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.
God came to work in an earth without form and void and covered with darkness just because he has a man to create. God could not rest until he had established the man whom he has made.No wonder the devil is so much interested in this man God created. He knows that once he can take out the man of God, the whole purpose of God’s creation would have been a waste.It is my prayer at this point that the Holy Spirit will help us with understanding as we approach this study.
So God created all things because he has a man to create. As a very responsible Father, he does not want the man to ever be at a disadvantage. Even when this man needed a suitable helpmeet, God took it upon himself to create the exact helpmeet needed by the man he created. Gen: 2v21-23
So my dear brother, what is man that God is so much interested in him? Who am I that God will not just allow me to go? Why will God just not leave me alone? Why is he always drawing me to himself even when I choose to go my own way? Why would he not allow me to be eternally damned after being born in sin? Why would he send his only begotten son just to redeem me?
Beloved, before we go ahead, I think you should first ask yourself this question “who am I that God is so dearly interested in me?
Now back to the original intention of God for man. We will see this in Gen: 1v26-30
26And God said, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.28and God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth 29and God said, behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you shall it be for meat.”
The first striking thing to note in Gen: 1v26 is that the creation of man was solely the initiative of God and therefore, he alone knows why he created man. No man ever took the initiative to ask God to create him/her. God is our Sole Proprietor/ Manufacturer.
Hath not the potter power over clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Rom: 9v20
Shall the things formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? Rom: 9v20
Many ignorant and gullible atheist / evolutionists / philosophers are still in confusion over how and why they were created. They are yet to realize that it is God who determined their creation even while they were yet unborn.
13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!Psa:139v13-17
So it is entirely God’s prerogative to make man, therefore he determines who and what the man becomes in life.
I can see some persons still struggling with the will of God in several spheres of their lives because thy have refused to understand that the manufacturer of the product always have an intention in his mind before manufacturing that product, thus the need for an operating manual in order to achieve that aim.
So if God has the prerogative for creating man, then what was his original intention for creating man?
The first intention and thus the most important of them all is still in that Gen: 1v26
And God said, let us make man in our own image, after our likeness…
MAN MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE AND AFTER HIS LIKENESS
The description given of the man created by God is the one of resemblance and similitude with God. Though man was to be the image and likeness of God, he was not created without the ability to make decisions of his own. It was not a robot that God created. Now as long as man remains in the image and likeness of God, he has the full capacity to dispense the nature / authority of God over every creature. This is the original intention of God for man: to be made in his image and after his likeness. No wonder Adam was able to dispense such capacity in a sense as described in Genesis chapter 2.
This original intention of God for man was truncated because Adam chose the tree of knowledge of good and evil above that of the tree of life (which depicts the spirit of God now in dwelling man). He choose to obey the instructions of the devil rather than obeying God. He decided to jettison the plan of God for his life by embracing the suggestion brought to him by that old subtle serpent. This was the greatest undoing of Adam.
Now, many of us are quick to blame Adam because we have not allowed the light of the word of God to shine upon our hearts. In real fact, we have jettisoned the genuine love of God expressed to us in Christ Jesus in pursuit of worldly affection/ desires and mundane things. The lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life has relocated us out of the original intention of God for our lives. We have become pawns in the hand of the devil because we are living in disobedience to the instructions of God.
If Adam had eaten of the fruit of the tree of life, he would have become a perfect man whom God would have allowed to multiply and subdue the earth. Although Adam was allowed to reproduce his kinds; his kind only brought voidness and darkness upon the face of the earth. God was disappointed in the fruit that was emanating from his life.
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heartAnd the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created on the face of the earth, both man and beast and the creeping things, and the fowls of the air, for irit repenteth me that I have made them.But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Gen: 6v5-8
So this became the state of God’s creation following the fall of Adam. God became dissatisfied with everything he had created first because the man Adam missed the purpose for which he was created. Can you see that though disheartening, it does not cost God anything to destroy any man that has lost his primary place of purpose? Beloved don’t think you are indispensable in the Kingdom of God. You can only remain so as long as you maintain your placement in Christ Jesus.
It is my prayer at this point that you will not miss the purpose for your creation in Jesus Name.
HOW DID ADAM ARRIVE AT THE POINT OF HIDING FROM GOD’S PRESENCE?
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they heard the voice of the LORD GOD walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD GOD amongst the trees of the garden. Gen: 3v6-8
This was the end result of a series of conversation that took place between the woman/ man and the “serpent” (the devil).
Anytime a man begin to communicate or converse with the devil, the fall of that man is actually iminent.
No wonder the scripture says,
Submit yourself therefore to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.Jam: 4v7
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour:Whom resist steadfast in the faith...1 Pet: 5v8-9
The devil is so subtle and cunny that he cannot be trusted. For Christ to overcome this old serpent, He had to accurately use the scripture to refute the devil’s claim.
Many people have become the devil’s prey because they do not have an accurate knowledge of God’s instructions to them. We can see that in the conversation between Eve and the devil.
Let us x-ray this in a moment:
And the woman said unto the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Gen: 3v2-3
Compare with Gen 2:16-17 (the original instruction)
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
From the above scripture, we could see that Eve was not conversant with the Word of God, she was adding and omitting some vital portions in it.
It is in Rev 2:7 that we will discover which tree is exactly in the midst of the Paradise of God.
… To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the the Paradise of God.
The Paradise of God can never be centered on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is not possible. It is centered on the tree of life.
And this is eternal life that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. John: 17v3
God is in the midst of the Paradise of God. So Eve does not really have a good grasp of God’s command to them, no wonder they fell headlong.
But thanks to God for the second and the last Adam who was always responding with “It is written…” He was conversant with all the instructions of God to him.
How I wish that Eve had realised that the instruction was a command from the LORD GOD and that it is non-negotiable. When a man begins to reconsider God’s command to him, then disobedience is inevitabe for that man. This is what has led to the fall of several vibrant brethren because a command form God was treated as mere suggestions.
Now the question to us today is that: what value do you place on the commands of God to you? Are you in doubt of the authenticity of God’s instruction to you?
Are you considering outright disobedience to God’s command because the devil has suggested and substituted another juicy alternative for you? This will only lead you to eternal sorrow and darkness. Why not go back and reconsider the nitty-gritty of God’s instructions to you.
So since Adam and Eve were no longer sure of the authenticity of God’s command to them, they decided to embrace the suggestion of the devil.
In the seemingly little disobedience to God’s commandment I could see a man who craves independence from this creator; I could see a man who wants to be in charge of his life; a man who wants to make decisions about everything that happens to him; a man who wants to be the God of his life, overriding the authority of his creator.
This was the same attitude the devil possessed that made him loose his position in God’s presence. Let’s see Isa: 14v12-15
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Whenever the above thoughts begin to rise in your heart, know that you are closer to becoming an enemy of God – the devil.
So because of their lust of the flesh and eyes and the pride of life they became fugitives in their own Eden. They became sinners in the presence of God.
They could not stand the presence/word of God because their nakedness has been exposed by disobedience. As God was approaching them, they were running away, hiding away in sin.
I would have thought they would have taken responsibility for their wrong doing and open up to God but rather they choose to hide in the shadows of the trees from which they ate.
How I wished they understood what to do and go ahead to do it. It would have been a great deliverance then. But the nature of the natural man is to always want to hide from God, not knowing that God cannot be mocked and that everything is open and laid bare before him.
So Adam and Eve jeopardized their future and that of their descendants by outright disobedience and defiance to God’s instruction.
Now the question is:
ADAM, WHERE ARE YOU?
Beloved this question is a personal question for you and I. We cannot just gloss it over as if it doesn’t concern us.
And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, where art thou?Gen 3:9
Can you hear God calling out your name at this moment and asking you same question, where art thou? I could see God longing for a communion with Adam as usual but Adam was no where to be found. He is hiding away behind the tree despite the make shift aprons they have made for themselves.
Beloved, you know that you are out of the radar of God’s presence due to your disobedience to God’s instruction, but instead of you to open up to God, you are there covering up with artificial apron that cannot cover your nakedness before God. Won’t you open up to God who has the permanent remedy for your situation?
Maybe you are hiding away in the sin of immorality with that brother or sister that you claim to be in courtship with and thus you are out of the radar of God’s presence. Brother or Sister where art thou? How long will you hide your nakedness from the Lord God who is willing to help you?
Maybe you were called of God into a ministry that should change your generation but because of your unfaithfulness in several matters like finances, relationship with women, Bible study etc, you have become a byword among many people. Man of God, where are you?
Why have you abandoned your call for mundane things/worldliness? Your generation is in darkness and wickedness because you have lost the presence of God in your life. Many people have become pawns and prey in the hand of the devil because they have indulged themselves in occultism and fraudulent activities. Husband and wife are no longer truthful to themselves and hence the kind of society we have today. Leadership role both in the church and secular world are all for selfish reasons. And we have refused to sincerely come to God who have the solution to our nakedness.
Beloved, wherever you are hiding away and you think God is not watching/seeing, he is asking you this solemn question – where are you?
Where are we in the body of Christ today? Is the bride of Christ ready for his glorious appearing in garments without blemish, holy and unspotted?
Is the body of Christ still occupying her position in the comity of nations or are we hiding away behind the tree of knowledge of good and evil, away from the presence of God?
The bible says “for all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.”
Adam sinned and fell short of the glorious destiny that God had for him and his descendants. It was indeed a colossal fall.
God took time to actually ensure that Adam was properly settled but all he could do in return was to “stab God in the back” by disobeying him.
Death was brought to us because one man sinned. “For the wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.”
So whenever you decide to journey down to “Jericho” out of God’s will for your life, it is going to be an experience marked by woes of death. Luke: 10v30-35
Therefore, if you have exposed yourself to such a downward disobedient journey out of God’s will, there is a good Samaritan in the person of Jesus to cover your nakedness and bound up your wounds.
THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Prov: 28v13
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.9Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.15But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
17For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.Rom: 5v8-9,12, 14-15,17,19.
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Heb: 1v2-3
And the Lord God clothed Adam and his wife with garments made from skins of animals.Gen: 3v21
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And without shedding of blood there is no remission. Heb: 9v11-12,22
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all. Heb: 4v15-16
God in his mercy does not want any man to perish but that all should come to repentance. God is not interested in the death of a sinner. Though God is not excited whenever we put our hands to sin. He always long for us to repent whenever we go astray. No wonder the bible says in 2 pet: 3v9 that – The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
This was the same love that God demonstrated to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Despite the fact that they were hiding themselves away in their nakedness, he still reached out to them. What a loving Father He is?
The first thing I want you to realize today is the genuine interest of God in restoring you back to himself; he is not interested in your destruction/death. He is interested in your restoration. So you could see him carefully doing all to restore Adam and his descendants.
The Bible says – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” It is God that first demonstrated his love to us by giving us his son, not just his son but his only begotten son.
So what should be your appropriate response to this kind of love divine, all loves excelling?
First is to open up your “nakedness” to God. Do not hide away in darkness and shadows, the bible says “he that covereth his sin shall not prosper” O! If Adam had just come to God to open up, I know he would have obtained mercy but rather than seeking the help of God, he choose to hide away in darkness. Therefore, beloved of God, no matter the depth of the darkness that is in you, can you open up to the light of the word of God? Can you come to the throne of grace just as you are in order to find grace and obtain mercy from God? Stop giving excuse, God is here to help you.
Secondly after opening up in confession to God is to forsake your sins without any intention of going back into them. The problem Adam had was because there was no grace for them to actually forsake their sin. They couldn’t live without sin because they actually carry the sinful nature.
Now when we consider the prophetic statement God made with the covering of their nakedness with the animal skin, we would see the fulfilment of this in Christ Jesus. God was only saying that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. Therefore justifying the reason why Christ had to shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins.
And by application of his blood to our lives we are set at peace with God, our sins are blotted out. The blood will cover our nakedness and give us a place in the presence of God. That is what actually gives us boldness to approach the throne of grace. So after confessing and forsaking our sins we obtain mercy from the Lord.
Now in these last days, God is speaking to us through His Son Jesus Christ who is the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person. He said this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.
This means that the original intention of God to make men in his image and after his likeness is realized in Christ Jesus who is now the first born amongst many brethren and we are joint heirs with him. Alleluia.
The bible says if they had known they won’t have crucified the Prince of glory. The wisdom of God in bringing to fulfilment his original plan for you and I was realised in Christ Jesus. And we are complete in him who is the head of all principalities and power. So beloved,
"if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ." Rom: 5v17.
CONCLUSION
BELOVED, WHERE ARE YOU?
Where are you in God’s purpose for your life? Is your love for God beginning to wax cold? Are you gradually backsliding from where you started?
Are you investing God’s resources wrongly in what you are doing presently? Why are you hiding away in the shadows of darkness and compromise?
Why are you hiding yourself in temporary make-over?
Glory to God who has decided to come down to seek you out in His mercy. Won’t you just embrace his love and open up to him in order for you to be restored back to him in perfect communion.
Let us pray.
