Divine Restoration
Jim Byrd

The first man sinned against God in the garden and, as the federal head of mankind, he plunged us into a state of separation from our Creator. Let it be known, however, that the fall of Adam, far from ruining the purpose of God, worked to its fulfillment. It is in the restoration of sinners that God’s greatest glory is manifested and all His attributes are wonderfully displayed.

Note that Adam and Eve, when they heard the voice of God, "hid themselves from the presence of the LORD" (Genesis 3:8). Was the Creator coming to justly pronounce their doom? Would they feel the fury of His anger? Must they perish in their sins? Would the Judge come to them in the heat of His vengeance? Behold the amazing grace of God!

It is not with words of judgment that He comes, but with words of mercy. He approaches them, not to pronounce their eternal woe, but to declare their eternal salvation. The Lord did not proclaim everlasting doom, but everlasting life through a Substitute. Instead of wrath, there is mercy; instead of unending misery and torment, they shall have everlasting joy and happiness.

Now let me ask you, who in their right mind would attribute the salvation of those two guilty, undeserving rebels to their free-will or works? Read the Scriptures honestly. Who is doing the seeking, the sinners or God our Savior? Who desired restoration of fellowship? Who, in His infinite wisdom, devised the way whereby the guilty could be brought back to divine favor? Only a spiritually dead rebel would ever attribute salvation to the will or works of men.

The Lord was in pursuit of the fallen and proclaimed the "Seed of the woman" (verse 15) would come and crush the head of the tempter. And then the Lord illustrated the gospel of substitution and satisfaction. "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (verse 21). As our fallen parents watched, no doubt in horror, the Lord shed the innocent blood of animals, skinned them and then clothed Adam and Eve. The guilty would live, not at the expense of justice, but in a manner consistent with justice.

God had declared death to be the penalty of sin (Genesis 2:17), and the animals died in the stead of Adam and Eve. Four thousand years later, "the Seed of the woman" came, and it is written that Christ suffered for this purpose, "to bring us unto God" (1 Peter 3:18). The Savior died in the stead of His people that "God might be Just, and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).