Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. The scripture indicates
that there is a natural knowledge of the law of God which is recorded
in the hearts of men by the hand of God. Joseph's brothers exhibit
this very characteristic when faced with what they believe
is a comeuppance for their sin against Joseph. Plainly Adam
and Eve were made aware of their nakedness in the garden after
they ate of the forbidden fruit, and the eyes of them both were
opened. So Adam, moving in the darkness of his own fleshly understanding,
recognized his nakedness and sought to cover it by sewing
together some fig leaves to make aprons for himself and his wife.
But the knowledge of sin which the natural man has is limited
to the natural realm. Adam was embarrassed by his nakedness
and perhaps the fact that he knew he had disobeyed God. So
he and Eve hid themselves. Man's problem with lust and concupiscence
is not due to the fact that he has sexual organs, but that his
heart is corrupt and would desire to misuse the very part of his
body which would perpetuate his own race. Men are no different
today than he was then. Adam thought he could adequately
cover himself and make himself presentable by some effort of
his own. Therefore they became the first tailors on earth. Men
have been doing the same ever since. Yet men cannot in their
natural mind understand the nature of their nakedness before God.
They think that the outward body is that which can be covered
and made presentable with just a covering over those things
that they judge to be wrong. Some of man's fig leaves are
morality. This is probably the first tree
he runs to in order to make himself presentable to men and to some
extent to God. The Pharisees were such moralists,
thinking that they were keepers of the law. They would not consider
committing adultery, in fact, but the Lord told them that if
a man even looked upon a woman to lust, he had already committed
the act. Good deeds and general good neighborliness are considered
quite valuable. Pay it forward. What would Jesus
do? And send somebody some money to feed the poor somewhere. Another
of man's fig leaves is religion. Men are convinced that their
religions can act as a covering. On Easter Sunday, many church
houses across the land will be filled to capacity as men exercise
religion. Most get enough of a dose on
this one day that they don't have to come back for a whole
year. Yet many who actually have the same notion of the importance
of religion will faithfully gather each time the doors of the meeting
house are opened. They will probably look down
their noses at the once-a-year boys, thinking how much more
devoted they are than these, and surely that their fig leaf
apron is sewn tightly. Another of man's fig leaves is
religiosity. This is very akin to religion
but goes one step further. Believing that the level of one's
devotion is much more conducive to a proper covering. Those who
wear this apron are convinced that sacrifice and fervor are
the golden thread which holds their covering together. These
are those who question the Lord in Matthew 7, 22. More hours
of service, more money given, more prayer clause and dedications,
more reverence for days and seasons, along with a little sound doctrine,
surely must help man's ability to be covered in their mind.
None of these fig leaves are able to give men the covering
that they need. These can only provide the type
of covering a man thinks is sufficient. Adam's apron only covered the
portion of himself that he perceived to need covering. He thought
his nakedness was that which could be seen with the eyes of
the flesh. What he could not see, nor can any of his other
sons see apart from divine illumination, was that his corruption was not
visual, though it may produce symptoms that are, but was a
matter of the heart. He had no idea what it was that
separated between him and the Lord, nor did he even have any
inkling what could repair that breach or give him a right standing
with God. Yet God has provided a covering
for his elect bride, and we see him illustrate that. Unto Adam
also and his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe
them. He has clothed his people by
his own hand. Blood was shed to make this covering.
He has covered his people not just with an apron, but completely.
The animals from which these skins were taken were made before
Adam sinned. Redemption is not an afterthought.
Jesus Christ, who is our covering, was the Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. The Spirit of God must quicken
a man and teach him the folly of trusting in the arm of the
flesh or in some righteousness of his own. Oh, the sweet balm
of Gilead which is applied by that spirit as the gospel of
the glory of the blessed God is proclaimed and those he has
brought down to their knees to understand their abject poverty
can rejoice in the free grace of God in supplying their need
before they even knew it. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net