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Figs Leaves … Really???

  • Writer: Issachar Community
    Issachar Community
  • Jun 27
  • 2 min read
IssacharCommunity.org

From the Desk of Cheryl Hauer


I’ve been developing a children’s curriculum designed to introduce kids to the Hebraic foundations of our faith and inspire a genuine love for God and His Word. As part of that process, I have been reviewing existing Bible programs for kids to see exactly what they have been teaching our children. Don’t get me started. Suffice it to say, our children receive no credit for being intelligent and thoughtful human beings, as evidenced by the watered-down, pablum-ized version of the Bible they are often confronted with.

 

Take, for instance, the story of Adam and Eve. The standard version goes like this: Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They committed the very first sin. But once they confessed their sins and told God they were sorry, they were able to receive His love and forgiveness. So what’s the problem? Well, first of all, neither Adam nor Eve showed repentance. They were terrified, mired in shame, and overwhelmed by the consequences of that one simple act that unleashed a Pandora’s box of evil. They certainly had regrets, but they were not repentant. Instead, they blamed each other and tried to conceal their sin by making their own covering, a ridiculously futile endeavor.

 

So why aren’t we teaching our children that this story is less about the evil actions of two rebellious people and more about the incredible love and mercy of God? Yes, there were consequences for their actions that they had to face. They were banished from the garden, introducing humanity to death, yet God covered their nakedness. He made tunics of the relatively indestructible skin of an animal and replaced those pathetic fig leaves Adam and Eve had used to hide their nakedness.

 

It's the first place in scripture where 2 Timothy 2:13 plays out before our eyes: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny himself." His faithfulness is not dependent on our actions. The simple truth is faithfulness is not something God does, it’s who He is. That is why Paul, with absolute certainty, could tell the Romans that God purchased their redemption while they were still sinners, and John could remind his readers that God made that purchase, not because we love Him, but because He loves us.

 

Yes, our children must learn about repentance. But first, they need to understand who God truly is. In Exodus, He passed before Moses and described Himself with words such as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, forgiving sin. But first, He told a presumptuous Moses, “I will cover you.” Our kids need to know that God is not some harsh judge and lawgiver, and repentance isn’t an awful, scary thing. It is a wonderful, joyous opportunity to run into the waiting arms of a God who loves them passionately, not because they are good but because He is. Our kids need to know that God has them covered.


Blessings and Shalom,

Issachar Community

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