Nakedness

Gen 2:25

25 Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame. NLT

We do not know much about the state of the human race before the fall but what we know is very important. It is only 10 verses from this one that we come to where the major change happened.    

Gen 3:7

At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. NLT

When Adam and Eve sinned it forever changed the way we see each other and the world that we live in.

In amplifying the Hebrew here the translators say this.

    Gen 3:7

…and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apron like girdles. AMP

I say this not to be funny or stupid but there is no doubt in our minds which part of the body they covered. We know that they didn’t make shoes or hats because of what our inner nature tells us about life. As degenerate as our country is we still have laws on our books that call this indecent exposure when we go in public uncovered in this area.

And the thought of a strip club coming to our area causes all the decent people in the community to revolt against it and wonder why it is allowed.

When man disobeyed god something new was awakened inside of him that gave him a different look at life. The new living translation is the only one that uses the word shame because it seems to be implied by the text in the fact that they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

What was there with only 2 people man and wife that caused them to have shame. And what is shame.

Was it because of each other that they covered themselves or was it because they knew that God was on his way there.

I believe that shame is the sense of being exposed. It is a sense that people can see you as you actually are. But it seems to be linked to the uncovering of this part of your body as well.

Listen to Tamar trying to convince Ammon not to rap her.

2 Sam 13:12-16

12 "No, my brother!" she cried. "Don't be foolish! Don't do this to me! Such wicked things aren't done in Israel. 13 Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me."14 But Amnon wouldn't listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. 15 Then suddenly Amnon's love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. "Get out of here!" he snarled at her.16 "No, no!" Tamar cried. "Sending me away now is worse than what you've already done to me." NLT

As you read these verses you see that Tamar has instant shame at this action. Although the sin is not her own sin but rather Ammons sin against her. And the immediate human reaction to it is a code of silence but intense rage both by her and her brother.    

2 Sam 13:20

20 Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, "Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he's your brother. Don't you worry about it." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house. NLT

It is interesting how this concept of being uncovered in a wrong way can bring such devastating harm to a person. When a child for example is sexually abused it will change the way  they look at themselves and the way they think that others look at them forever. Because in spite of their best efforts to keep it secret there is always the feeling that everyone else that looks at them know what has happened to them and they always feel as if they are uncovered after that in public so that they have trouble getting close to people and looking you in the eye. Until they are healed of this awful thing they can never have proper intimate relationships with a spouse and as Tamar they often live desolate lives.

Because this sin has such devastating effects on its victims the penalty for it in the Old Testament was death.

    Lev 18 lists all the people that you should not see naked in a sexual way.

And 20 says this is the penalty.

Lev 20:11

11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. KJV

When Noah got off the ark in the process of time he got drunk and went in his tent and uncovered himself. His son Ham came in and seen him and went and told his brothers. They backed into the tent and without looking at him covered him up. When he awoke he cursed ham for what he did and the curse followed his descendants.

We could talk all night about the sin of being uncovered either by force or by coercion. Let me say this in passing and it is a very serious thought. There is such an inner drive if this has happened to you to not bring it to light ; to keep it silent or to allow yourself to be filled with rage because of it. You have been sinned against to the very core of who you are. It was the very first part of the effect of sin on the planet. But you need to find help. As awful as it seems there are people who can and will help you. You are not alone. Others have come through this and been healed and god knows how to heal you without leaving scars.

I believe that when Jesus died on the cross he paid for this sin and covered the healing from this sin as well as every other sin.

I believe that when Jesus died on the cross he was crucified naked.    

Heb 12:2

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. KJV

I believe that when Jesus went to the garden to pray before the cross it was the humiliation and shame that he despised more than the nail and the thorns. But because sin leaves us exposed it had to be dealt with that way.

The only way Jesus could heal our shame was to carry it for us. He was disgraced and despised and humiliated and shamed more than any man and he went to the very bottom of sin so you and I can be healed.

At the cross he took the penalty of our sin he guilt of our sin he carried the shame of our sin and he broke the power of our sin so that you and I may be free.

Last week I awoke in the night with this verse that I knew so well but never seen the meaning of before.    

Rom 8:35

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? KJV

There is no limit to what the cross can heal because it covered all my sin.

Amen, God Bless You & Your Family

Pastor John Stewart