Genesis 3:21

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Once upon a time, in a far away garden called Eden, Adam and Eve communed freely with their Creator. Then, the enemy – the most cunning creature in the garden – caused them to doubt God’s word and his very attributes. Perfection ended with a bite of the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3 describes the tragic story of man’s disobedience.

Even then, sin did not have the last say in the Garden of Eden. Both God’s holiness and mercy were displayed in the way he sought Adam and Eve in their shame (v. 9-10), cursed them for their sins (v. 14-19), and provided for them garments of skin (v. 21).

While man initially chose a self-made cover up (v. 7), God furnished him with a much better solution. Fig leaves signify man’s efforts in dealing with the consequences of his actions. But, God knew that it would never be enough. Fig leaves cannot cover the whole body and no amount of leaves sewn together can ever make man right with God. For this reason, God graciously provided garments of skin for man to fully cover the guilt of his sin.

In making the garments, bloodshed and death had to happen. Behind those garments of skin was a life which was being sacrificed. Early on in the Garden of Eden, God made a way for the redemption of our sins. The garments of skin foreshadow God’s future provision to cover our iniquities through the blood sacrifice of an unblemished and spotless Lamb (1 Peter 1:18-19).

In the fullness of time, God allowed the brutal death of Christ and the shedding of his blood so that we may be fully clothed with righteousness – with his righteousness. Through his blood, we can be totally free from the weight of our sins. Only the perfect and all sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ can make us right in the eyes of God.

God’s redemptive power and work of salvation was foretold to us through his provision of garments of skin. Let’s continue to be clothed with the garments of skin and always choose the blood of Christ.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Isaiah 61:10

Father God, thank you for covering me with garments of skin, was soaked with the blood of Christ. Allow me to always be thankful for and mindful of the sacrifice of Christ. As a response, lead me to always live under your holy and righteous ways. Amen.