Covering Nakedness

Genesis 9

I wonder why in both of the stories of the first created couple and of the first people after the flood, nakedness is an issue.  What is that all about? 

I am largely of Finnish ancestry.  Growing up, not everyone had indoor plumbing; maybe water in the kitchen, but neither of my grandparents (who I spent a lot of time with) had indoor facilities.  Outhouses were common and we bathed on Saturday nights in the sauna – together.  Nakedness was not something that needed to be hidden – in fact – it is pretty necessary to be made thoroughly clean.

Now, I want you to consider nakedness as a metaphor for the revealing or unveiling of our sin.

Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened when they ate the fruit.  All of a sudden they felt the need to cover themselves; so they tried to hide their nakedness by making garments out of fig leaves.  But, God sees beyond the fig leaves and knows the sin that they are covering up.  

Now Noah plants a vineyard and overindulges on the fruits of the harvest.  He gets drunk and sounds like he passed out naked in his tent.  His son, Ham, goes and in and sees him and then goes out and tells….  The other brothers go in and without looking, they cover up their father.

Let’s not worry about Noah so much.  Let’s consider the way these brothers responded to their father’s nakedness – considering that after the fall being seen naked apparently was not looked upon as a good thing.  One son, instead of covering up his father, goes and tells – one gossips about their father – stripping his father of his dignity as he lays bare the activities of his father.  One points out the father’s perceived sin and not to his father, but to others.  The other two, cover for their father (try to keep his dignity intact) by covering him up. 

And yet another story – the story of one who was revealed, so that our sins might be covered, covered by his precious blood…  “When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining.  This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ‘Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. ‘Let’s decide by lot who will get it.’” John 19:23-24 (NIV)

Naked, lifted high upon the cross for the world to see, whose sins were exposed?   Did he not bear our sins upon that cross?  And were they not covered by his blood?  

Just a reminder in case you need it today:  In your nakedness before God, you have been made thoroughly clean, by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Additional Note:  Keep on reading the Bible…  This is just a blog – I write on what stands out most to me at the moment – it make not make any sense to you or me.  There is so much more in each of these chapters, verses, etc…  I would also like our members to note that in the beginning God did not give mankind permission to eat meat, they were vegetarians.  Permission to eat meat came after the flood.  After all, if they could’ve eaten meat how many animals would have survived the ride in the ark J

And by the way, sorry, I’ve missed a couple days.  No internet, no cell phone connections at Fairport Harbor.  Good couple of days, but now it’s time to catch up.