At our evening service last night we returned to Genesis 3...that part of the Bible that is so foundational to our whole understanding of God, humanity, and this world.

In Genesis 1 & 2 everything was created “good.” “Very good.” In fact, at the end of chapter 2 the resulting paradise is described with these words:  “the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” But then something terrible happens in Genesis 3.  Something that we (humanity) did. And now we cannot undo it. And from this terrible thing that we wrought proceeds everything that is corrupt in this world:  sin, devastation, disease, alienation, disaster, ruination, sorrow, death, shame, etc.  Now the man and his wife are naked and ashamed. But you know what happens to their shame?  God covers it up!  After making the first announcement (in 3.15) of the One who would one day appear to redeem them from this huge mess, we read that “God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them” (3.21).

God himself covered their shame.  He did so through the death of these animals that provided the skins.  The death of another to cover human shame.  Here we have the foundation of the Old Testament sacrificial system… the seed of substitutionary atonement. Ultimately this points to how God would eventually take our shame upon Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.  He Himself would be the Substitute whose death would cover our shame.  “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5.21).

Got shame?  If so, then take refuge in Christ.  Because you’ll never be good enough to cover your shame.  You’ll never be successful enough to cover your shame.  You’ll never be disciplined enough to cover your shame.  Or sorry enough or spiritual enough or knowledgeable enough or committed enough.  Only God can cover human shame.  He does so through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.