You know that picture you see of man in
a sinful state beside a chasm or deep void with God on the other side. Somehow that picture always stayed with me when
I read Genesis chapter three and the ‘fall’ of man. I imagined Adam and Eve outside of the garden
on the other side of that void unable to be in God’s presence because of his
sin, but that wasn’t so- God immediately made a way.
The Lord came back, knowing what they’d
done, to walk in the garden and talk with them while in their sinful state and too ashamed to be seen by Him. Adam and Eve decided to throw the blame on
others and lie to the One who created them and whom they were obviously used to
walking with. Then after He kicked them
out of the garden (consequences remained), He still met with mankind outside
the garden and they talked.
…And Adam and his
wife hid themselves from the presence (Strong’s 6440) of Jehovah God… Gen. 3:8 (The Lord still came and talked with them,
and clothed them.)
And Jehovah said to
Cain… Gen 4:6,9 (Cain spoke back to the
Lord. v. 9,13)
And Cain went out
from the presence (6440) of Jehovah Gen. 4:16
And Jacob called
the name of the place Face of God; for I have seen God face (6440) to face
(6440)… Gen. 32:30
And Jehovah would
speak to Moses face (6440) to face (6440), as a man speaks to his friend.… Ex.
33:11
God’s presence/ face was still available
to Adam, his children, and later generations as seen in Jacob and Moses. 6440 in the TWOT* is the word panim or
face. The face is characterized by some
personal quality, and is extraordinarily revealing of man’s, or in these cases,
God’s emotions, moods, and dispositions.
There are some impressions you can get by a person speaking over the
telephone, but to fully read their emotions, mood and disposition, you need to
see them in person.
But your iniquities
have come between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you… Is. 59:2
Jesus said to him,
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.
Jh. 14:6
So man has the potential to be forgiven
by God and to be in His presence. Adam
and Eve were clothed by God with the first dead animal skin- blood sacrifice
covering sin. Cain and Abel brought
sacrifices. Obviously early on they
understood the repercussions of sin and
the forgiveness of God. We can still be
in God’s presence today all because forgiveness is available by the blood of
Jesus Christ. (The cross in the chasm… God put it there.)
I also like to think we can still see the
Lord face to face, but so far He hasn’t blessed me that way. Still, I strive for it knowing that if it
never happens while I am here in this flesh, it will surely happen when I awake
in Heaven and I will be fully satisfied to finally see Him. (Ps. 17:15)
*Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament