Where Are You? – Genesis 3:8-15

• Where Are You?
• Genesis 3:8-15
• God’s First Question
• 8 And they heard the sound 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 among the trees of the garden.
• How does God deal with our guilt?
• Because we all sin, we all need to deal with the problem of guilt
• Man’s solution to guilt
• Moral relativism, complete absence of shame, self-help therapy
• How does God deal with our guilt?
• The story of God’s coming to the first guilty couple shows us God’s solution to guilt
• Hiding from God – A Sign of Guilt
• Genesis 3:7-8
• Background - God’s Directions
• Gen. 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
• Satan’s Subtle Attack
Genesis 3:1-6
• 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
• Deceived by the serpent
• 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
• 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
• Deceived by the serpent
• Satan’s lying strategy
– Get Eve to question God’s goodness
– Instead of the good God had given, focus on what He had forbidden
– Idea she could become like God by defying God’s authority, decide for herself what best
• Historical consequences of the first sin
• Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned –
• 18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
• Awakened Conscience
• 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

• Man’s solution to guilt
• Moral relativism, complete absence of shame, self-help therapy
• Trying to Hide from God
• 8 And they heard the sound 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 among the trees of the garden.
• 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
• God’s Gracious Pursuit – Where are You?
• Genesis 3:9-13
• Purpose of God’s Question
• 9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
• 10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."

• Purpose of God’s Question
• God was not asking for information – He knew the answer
• He asked to cause them (and us) to think
– Where are you ???
– Why aren’t you here with Me?
– Think about where you are as a result of your wrong choice
• God’s Question Told Adam Two Things..
• Adam, you’re lost…
– Separated from God, spiritually dead
• I’ve come to find you
– I still love you, and want you back

• God graciously confronted their sin
• 11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?"
• God’s Gracious Promise – Hope of Victory
• Genesis 3:14-15
• Curse of Satan
• 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this,You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

• Hope of Redemption
• 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."

• Messianic Prophecies
• Genesis 3:15
• Genesis 12:3
• Psalm 22
• Isaiah 7:14
• Isaiah 53
• Micah 5:2
• Zechariah 9:9
• Where Are You?
• God relates to us in the same way He related to Adam and Eve – He seeks us in love
• Where Are You?
• Are you hiding, afraid of God?
– Because of sin in your life?
– Trying to cover your sin with fig leaves?
• God is seeking you, not to destroy you, but to save you, give you life and hope.
– John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
• Where Are You?
• Genesis 3:8-15