Hiding from the presence of the Lord

This message on hiding from the presence of the Lord expounds on what Adam and Eve did after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  We act much the same way.

They heard the voice of the Lord God.  God’s voice is heard all over the world.  Ps 19:1-3. Rom 10:17-18. Rom 1:20.  His voice is heard and the invisible things of him are clearly seen in creation.

Walking in the garden.  Prov 8:1-4.  God comes to where you are.  You’re here in church and you can’t help but hear his words in here.  But he’ll speak to you out there where you are.

In the cool of the day.  Ps 46:10.  You can hear his voice at a time when you should be still.  The world has ramped up activity in the city where the voice of the Lord is present but drowned out by the din of commerce.  You’ll hear when you are still.

Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God.  If you have to hide to do what you do, you are doing wrong.  At first, people hide to smoke, hide to drink or drug, hide to commit sexual sin, hide to steal, hide to surf certain sites on internet (delete the history), and hide to watch something bad on TV (pull the curtains).

Prov 15:3.  Heb 4:12-13.  You can hide from other people (Adam and Eve used fig leaves) but you can’t ever hide from the Lord.

Amongst the trees of the garden.  Men are likened to trees… cedars, fig, olive, vine tree.  The blind man who began to recover his sight said, “I see men as trees”.  People try to hide here in church among “the trees”.  People feel safe from the voice of the Lord when they can hide in a crowded church.  The voice of the Lord comes to you like you’re the only one the preacher is talking to.  That’s why more people aren’t in here right now.

Where art thou?  God knew where he was.  He was trying to draw Adam out of hiding.  And the Lord is trying to draw you out of hiding.  It’s like the game of hide and seek.  Come out, come out, wherever you are.

An altar call draws you out of hiding.  That’s why you don’t want to come.  Like a preacher said, with this question, God’s not checking on your geographical location; he’s checking on your spiritual condition.

I heard thy voice.  An admission of truth.  I hear you, Lord.  I can remember the midnight when I heard his voice and nothing else around me mattered at the time.  Listen for him and to him.

I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.  The Lord simply asked “where art thou”?  He wanted Adam to come out of hiding. The answer could have been “Over here”.  But instead, Adam confessed everything.  I was afraid.  I was naked.  And I hid myself.

When you truly come before the Lord, you tell it like it is.  There is the emotion, fear.  There is the condition, naked.  And there is the reaction, hid.  When you are in this case before God, it’s time to come out of hiding and stand before the presence of the Lord.

Conclusion: You can’t hide for ever.  Come out and stand in the presence of the Lord.  He has some questions he wants to ask you.  He has some things he wants to say to you.  And he has something he wants to do.  God was very merciful to Adam and Eve.  He made coats of skins and clothed them.  He’ll help you, too.  Come out of hiding.