The Need for Sacrifice

Genesis 3:20-24

“And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:20-21)

When doctors speak of a disease such as cancer as being in remission, they do not mean it is cured, but that it is not presently active, that it has been temporarily neutralized. Hebrews 9:22 informs us, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” The effects of the sin could be temporarily covered and postponed by the sacrifice of an animal, and God killed and an animal to cover their nakedness and postpone judgment, making them clothing from the hides of animals. Unfortunately the sacrifices of animals could only postpone judgement according to Hebrews 10:4. “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Only when Christ came would the sin actually be removed.

Man is unable to fix the Problem

“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:22-24)

In the process of trying to be like God in his knowledge of good and evil, man had messed up his likeness to God in other areas such as righteousness and holiness. His nature became sinful and self centered. God chose not to put up with that forever.

God had not forbidden man to eat the tree of life, which would have guaranteed life forever. To prevent man from taking it and perpetuating sin, God drove him from the garden and effectively locked the door. It is probable that at the time of the flood, the Garden of Eden sank and is now covered by the Mediterranean Sea,or the Red sea, with the result that the rivers now flow in the opposite direction, since t Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” We may have once been but we are no longer. We haven’t just stopped doing the sin, the Christian is no longer a sinner. He has been changed, and sin no longer typifies him. As the song puts it, “I was once a sinner, but I came…”

As a result of sin. Man became dependent on his own efforts for survival. For the man who trusts God, that focus can be changed, as we see in Matthew 6:31-33. “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

The risk to the woman in childbirth resulting from sin are overcome according to I Timothy 2:15. “Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” She is again recognized as equal with man according to Galatians 3:27-28. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

During the thousand years of Christ’s reign on earth, the whole world will be restored to it’s original state, and there will be no carnivorous animals according to Isaiah 11:6-8. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.”

Revelation 2:17 promises, “… To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 22:2-3 describes the new city in the new world that the Christians will inhabit. “In n childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” She is again recognized as equal with man according to Galatians 3:27-28. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

During the thousand years of Christ’s reign on earth, the whole world will be restored to it’s original state, and there will be no carnivorous animals according to Isaiah 11:6-8. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.”

Revelation 2:17 promises, “… To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 22:2-3 describes the new city in the new world that the Christians will inhabit. “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse…” Even access to the Tree of life will be restored.

Genesis 3 describes Satan’s initial effort toe destroy God’s plan and it’s consequences. Ultimately God will restore everything to it’s original state. What a wonderful and powerful God we have. At the end of the earthly thousand year reign under conditions similar to those in Eden, Satan will be freed for a little season. According to Revelation 20:7-9, the majority again choose to follow Satan’s deceit, proving God was right in his assessment of mankind and his decision to prevent their living forever in their unrepentant state. They will be judged accordingly.