All these posts have elements I have often pondered. This is my 2 cents worth. In the garden, Eve was deceived by the serpent. Out of all the bag of tricks the devil could use, he picked the one thing he knew would be deadly "Did God not say?" and before Eve could discern what was taking place, the devil supplied his own answer which caused Eve to take her eyes off God and doubt His goodness and warning. This is the opposite of faith. Her faith was attacked. She then looked at the fruit and her carnal desires were awakened. It all started with the thought process. The devil went on to further slander God by saying that God was withholding knowledge from her as he stated she would be like God, knowing good from evil. The devil was telling Eve she could be on the same level as God. She listened and believed the lie. She was deceived. The devil then confused the issue further by stating emphatically that she would not surely die. He gave her a half truth which is a full lie. He knew she would die physically because the penalty for sin and disobeying God is death. But the devil's truth was she would not die as she has a mortal soul, and it was going to live on forever, either in Heaven or Hell, and the reality of Hell is not life but spiritual death. The devil conveniently left that truth out as he does when he perverts and distorts God. If Adam had been on the job, he would have interceded with the Father to forgive Eve as she was deceived and needed His forgiveness. Adam would have been imitating Jesus by reconciling Eve back to God as the High priest of the family. But he chose to willfully disobey God, maybe presuming on God's Mercy and Grace. That is why the seed of sin is born by the man, and not the woman. Even though Adam was the head of Eve, they are both equal in God's eyes. The were in a perfect environment with only one command to obey.
Where was Adam when all this was going on? Why wasn't he with his companion? I also believed Adam did not want to lose Eve's companionship, since he willfully disobeyed God. He was not deceived. He knew full well the penalty. Now in sin, they experienced fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. So they hide themselves from God and to cover their nakedness, they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. They sought works within themselves to cover their unrighteousness. How often have we done the same thing?
God knowing all, did not ask the question of where are you as He knew full well where they were. They were out of fellowship with their Father. How often have we hid from God our secret sins because we would have it so instead of running to God for help. God asked the question to get them to think about why the relationship status changed. It was disobedience, sin, fear and death. We were never made to know those things, such as fear. We fell from grace and out of position for the blessing and into the curse. But our Father knew this and being the Good and responsible parent that He is, has a remedy in Jesus the Christ. God would give of Himself to pay the sin debt.. Many time I have often heard people ask if Adam and Eve are in heaven. I believe they are because God replaced the fig leaves with the skins of an innocent animal, another death. They must have been repentant when they realized the full extent of what they had done, or why would God have covered them as He changes not and a repentant and contrite heart is required for forgiveness of sin. A consequence of sin is hurting the innocent. So when we sin, we not only injure ourselves, but hurt the innocent. God's way was that innocent blood had to be shed for remission of sin. Since the plan of God still was being worked out in Jesus, God used animals as a down payment, if you will, and the shadow of the once and for all sacrifice that Jesus would give in order to satisfy His holy nature of justice while keeping His mercy and grace at the same time. The creation, especially the angels, could not experience Salvation as they were fixed in their eternal status of elect or fallen. That is why God is demonstrating to His whole creation His perfect attributes without compromise. The angels marvel how an imperfect creature who has free will such as them, being sinful and fallen, could by the supreme sacrifice and choice of Jesus, Could choose for God and be reconciled Holy without compromising God's attributes.
We come to the first quoted Word to man by God in the bible. Genesis 3:9 states in quotation "Adam, where are you?' Upon our first awareness of God, the first question everyman is confronted with is the same, since we were all children of Adam, conceived in sin. It is where are we in relation to our Father. We are out of fellowship and God asks everyone the same question to provoke the same thoughts as He did with Adam and Eve.
Thank God He does not leave us without Hope and remedy. It is found in Jesus. I have often pondered this question and love all the insight provided by everyone here. God Bless!
Shalom,
Chris
