watched a group of young children play hide and seek at my church recently. Strangely enough, there wasn’t anywhere for them to hide without being found easily, but they persisted. One little girl stood behind a piano and another jumped behind a chair. A poofy, colorful dress stuck out from behind a pillar. A white shirt glowed from under a black chair, and little feet poked out from under a gray table. After he finished counting, the seeker looked around, his eyes easily tracking the hiding spots of each of his friends. But instead of tagging them, he acted like he didn’t see them and ran to the next spot. After a few minutes, the game morphed into a chase rather than hide and seek.
In Genesis, God finds Himself in a game of hide and seek. The problem is it is impossible to hide from God. The Psalmist mused, “If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Psalm 139:8, NKJV). Still, God makes His way among the trees and shrubs as if He can’t see His children, as if He can’t read their hearts and anticipate their next moves.
However, He chooses not to expose, embarrass or eradicate them. He walks in the garden calling while waiting patiently. When they finally “come clean” before Him, He doesn’t expel them suddenly from the garden. Instead, they linger, as they experience their sin in the poignant moment when the first dry leaf fell from a tree. They must have watched helplessly as nature grew violent and animals became predators and prey. It must have been a dramatic and vivid display demonstrating the effects of their choice, their sin, and their disregard for God.
Eventually, the first couple was evicted and escorted from the Eden home. For this and other reasons, some argue that God of the past is different than God of today. In other words, God of the Old Testament (OT) promoted the law, judgment and wrath. However, God of the New Testament (NT) presents love and grace.
Remember, after Adam and Eve sinned it is God who came to look for them in the garden. He knew they were naked, afraid and guilty. Yet, He provided animal skin for their clothing. In other words, He had to spill blood to cover their nakedness, even then.
“And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife” (Genesis 3:21, NLT).
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).
The Bible reveals a consistent and loving God who is slow to anger, yet will not allow wrongs to go unaddressed. “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6, NKJV).
The OT and NT present the same God who pursues us when we do wrong. Searches for us when we try to hide. Covers us when we should be exposed. Died for us when we should be executed. God’s act of love is consistent throughout the entire Bible.
