We started reading through The Golden Children's Bible in school today during writing practice time. Its the first "subject" we do in the morning and its a great way to be in the word with the kids every day.
Of course we started in Genesis, since that's where the cool people start reading their bibles, and even though I've read that part dozens of times, its so awesome to see Jesus there in the very beginning. It blows my mind to think that every story, every chapter in the Old Testament points to Jesus in the New Testament.
Like when Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden for eating the apple, and
"The Lord made garments of skin for Adam and for his wife and clothed them."
It seems like such a simple statement, not anything special. But oh, how awesome it is! Because it is such a picture of Jesus on the cross and what he did for us.
Adam and Eve didnt know they were naked until they ate from that tree God told them not to eat from. They disobeyed.
And sin came into the world for the very first time.
And then they realized with shame that they were naked, so they hid and sewed themselves coverings made of leaves. And God walked through the garden and asked where they were ( like He didnt know) and listened to the whole story, which mainly consisted of them blaming someone else for causing them to sin.
Then he gave them their punishments and made them clothing from animal skins so they could hide their nakedness and sent them on their way to live out their days in sweat, blood, and tears.
"The Lord made garments of skin for Adam and for his wife and clothed them."
God took the life of an animal. He killed it so that Adam and Eve could be clothed by it and not feel the shame of the sin that caused them to realize they were naked. The bible says that before the Fall, the animals in the garden ate of the plants and grasses there, they were all vegetarians. There were no predators and prey. God took something innocent and slaughtered it for His people who didn't deserve to be clothed in good things. But He did it because they were his children, even if they were sinners, and He loved them.
How beautiful a foretelling of Jesus' sacrifice that is. Jesus, whom God dearly loved, who never sinned, who was completely innocent, was nailed on that cross to be our covering. The sin that causes us to realize how naked we are before the Almighty God needed an atonement. It needed to be covered over in good things so we could once again be able to come before God in all His holiness. And God took something innocent and slaughtered it for His people who didn't deserve it, because they were his children, even if they were sinners, and He loved them. Jesus' robes of righteousness cover every sin, every shame; past, present, and future.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-9
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 1 Peter 1:18:20