“Where Art Thou?” (Genesis 3:9)

by Micky Galloway

In the early verses of Genesis 3 we read of the temptations and the sin of Adam and Eve. Adam, now conscious of “good and evil,” is unable to enjoy this knowledge. The knowledge of sin has produced a feeling of guilt. He now attempts to hide himself from God. God says, “Where art thou?” Adam says, “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10).

Adam’s mistake was the same that many make. He thought that God is like man. Perhaps Adam could hide from Eve, but he could not hide from God. The Psalmist is reminded, “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: (but) I will reprove thee, and set (them) in order before thine eyes” (Psalms 50:21). It is not possible to hide from God for God is not man, nor is he like man. The wisdom writer declared, “The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, Keeping watch upon the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). The Hebrew writer affirmed, “And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). Even the Psalmist made it clear that the darkness cannot hide one from God (Ps 139:11-12). He knows and sees all.

Jonah also had to learn this lesson. In Jonah 1:2-3 we learn the instructions of God to Jonah and his response. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah; and he went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah.” Jonah had to learn the difficult lesson that God is not man and we cannot run away from the presence of God nor from our responsibility to God (Jonah 1:15-3:4). Again, the Psalmist reminds us, “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalms 139:7-10).

Just as many seek to hide from God, others seek to hide from themselves. The question, “Where art thou?” is a question we sometimes need to ask ourselves. Many today do not know where they are spiritually (cf. II Corinthians 13:5). The prodigal son did not seek to return home until “he came to himself” (Luke 15:17). It was not particularly the pig pen that caused him to return, but his memories of his father’s house. Upon self examination and reflecting on how far he had fallen, he became aware of where he was. Peter’s preaching in Acts 2 was to help those Jews to understand where they were. He said, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” (Acts 2:36). Not until they understood where they were did they ask, “What shall we do?” In ignorance we may enjoy “peace, peace when there is no peace” (cf. Jeremiah 6:14), but the reality is that the sinful “are utterly consumed with terrors” (Psalms 73:19). Paul rightly used this as a motivation to obedience. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (II Corinthians 5:11 KJV). Joy and contentment can be enjoyed when one obeys the gospel. This was true of the eunuch in Acts 8:39 and of the jailor in Acts 16:34.

The same need to ask, “Where art thou?” often exists within a local church. The church at Laodicea is characterized as lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16). The Lord said, “So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” They were nauseating. They thought they had need of nothing, when in fact they had need of everything.

Consider the importance of asking the question, “Where art thou?” There are only four states in which folks in this life may live. We may live in innocence, childhood, unaccountable to the law of God (cf. Romans 7:9). We may live dead in sin, accountable to the law of God and condemned (cf. Ephesians 2:1-2). We may be alive and well, faithful in Christ, enjoying the promise of everlasting life (cf. II Timothy 4:6-8). We may be among those who have become unfaithful looking toward “certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27 cf. Acts 8:22-23; II Peter 2:20-22). “Where art thou?” Where we are now will determine where we shall be throughout eternity.