After Adam and Eve sinned against the Lord God, they heard his voice as he walked, in the garden, in the cool of the day; and they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God. And the Lord God called out to Adam and asked “Where art thou?” To this Adam responds, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked and so I hid myself.”
Now God’s question to Adam, “Where art thou?” In a way, puts into question the omniscience of God. Did God not know where Adam (and Eve) was?
From Adam’s response, we can learn that Adam and Eve were hiding themselves from the presence of an Lord God, but the scripture informs us that the Lord God is omniscient (all-knowing) and that there is no place where anyone or anything can hide from him (Job 28:24, 1 John 3:19-20, Hebrews 4:13, Psalm 139:1-10).
From this, we can exposit that God, despite his omniscience, wanted Adam (and Eve) to acknowledge and recognize that disobedience (sin) causes a severance in the relationship, one has, with God. This God makes evidently clear, through his prophet Isaiah, who recorded, ‘Our iniquities separates us from God and our sins have made him hide his face from us (Isaiah 59:2).’
Adam and Eve were hiding from the presence of a searching and seeking God who loved them. They were hiding, because their willful disobedience had cause a break in the relationship man had with God which made God have to search and seek them by calling out “Where art thou?”
Points to ponder:
Even today, there are many who are futilely trying to hide behind human efforts (fig leaves), from the presence of the Lord God. And he is searching and seeking and calling out for you, asking “Where art thou?”
“Where art thou?” asks God, not because he does not know, but because he wants you to confess with your mouth your very state and place in your relationship with God.
What is your response going to be? Is it going to be “I am here, Lord” or is it going to be “I heard your voice, and I hid myself, because I was afraid?”
Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have no reason to be afraid or to hide themselves. Do you believe?
God is calling out to you now saying – Where art thou?
Genesis 3:8-10 (KJV)
8 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.
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Psalm 139:2-10 (KJV)
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Hebrews 4:13 (KJV)
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
