“Where art Thou”
By
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Genesis 3:9 “And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou”.
OPENING:- Our text today takes place in the Garden of Eden. This particular passage is best known as “The Fall of Man”. It is here where man sinned against God and fell out of relationship with Him. Understand that we are in the condition we are today because of what happened here.
Understand that in the first 2 chapters of Genesis we learn about the creation of heaven and earth, the Garden of Eden, the creation of all the beast of the field and the fowl of the air. We learn of the creation of man, God’s command to man, man’s dominion over what God created, and then we learn how God the creator of all became an Anesthesiologist causing man to fall into a deep sleep, then a master surgeon and remove a rib from his side, the ultimate builder and construction a woman from the rib of man. He then became a wonderful giver and gave that woman to man, then a preacher and said what I have put together let no-one put asunder establishing the institution of marriage, after that He tells man and woman to be fruitful and multiply, everything was perfect in the first 2 chapters of Genesis.
When we get to the 3rd chapter we encounter the tempter, that old serpent, the enemy of God, that roaring lion that walketh about seeking whom he may devour and the devastation he brings with him in the result of the fall of man. We see, hear, and feel the heartbreak of God, but instead of receiving His wrath and judgment, we witness His Love, Grace, and Mercy.
Genesis 3:9 “And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou”.
Ω Our text here ask a really easy question; however, this question deals with condition more so than position. However, the position is a result of the condition.
Let me establish a very important fact right here. God knew exactly where Adam was at conditionally and positionally. God wasn’t calling for Adam as in playing a game of hide-n-go-seek or even that He didn’t know where Adam was in respect to location. If that were the case then God would not be God for God is omniscient, which means all knowing.
The Bible says in Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old for I am God and there is none else, I am God and there is none like me Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand and I will do my pleasure”. God doesn’t operate in time, God transcends time for He created time, time didn’t create Him.
God is all knowing – omniscient. The knowledge of God is as said “Totus Oculus” all eye /all seeing. We get a good picture and understanding of this in Ezekiel’s vision of the wheel in the middle of the wheel and in John’s revelation of the beast (angelic creature) with 6 wings and full of eyes. These 2 descriptions indicates that God sees and knows all. So He knew Adams condition and position without having to ask a question.
Ω So if God wasn’t calling in search of Adam to locate him then there must be another reason for the question God asked in Genesis 3:9 “And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou”.
First understand that this question is prophetic, when we read it, it appears that God is just talking to Adam, but prophetically He is talking to mankind, the entire human race, from the time Adam fell until we all come into the unity of the faith. So eventhough it was spoken in the Garden of Eden some 6000 plus years ago, He was literally asking each and everyone here today the very question, Where art thou.
Second me must understand that the purpose of this question was 3 fold and not location, location, location.
1.) It’s a question to awaken man consciousness to the state of their condition. It’s a wake up question or call.
2.) It’s a question of conviction designed to convince man of their sin, convict them of their wrong doing, and lead them to confession of sin. It’s a convicting question.
3.) It’s a seeking or searching question. Not one that is aimed to find your location, but one to make you aware. Example: a lighthouse, does look for a ship, but is there to make the ship aware of the condition it is in.
Luke 19:10 says “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”.
Romans 3:10-11 says “As it is written there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God”.
Man will not seek God, so God must seek man with a question that causes him to realize the condition that he is in and make the conscious decision to change before it is too late.
Years ago there was a bumper sticker out that said I found it, it was talking about God. This was during a time called the Jesus Movement, it was fashionable and popular to be in church and this bumper sticker indicated that a person found Christ. Wrong because God was never lost – man was lost.
Ω Let me dissect this a little bit.
I said this question was not a question of position but of condition and that it was a prophetic question directed to mankind, the entire human race, although at this time there was only Adam and Eve.
WATCH THIS:- The first time the name Adam is mention in the Bible is in Genesis 2:19 and it says “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof”. However, before this Adam is called simply “the man”. Genesis 2:8 says “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom He had formed”. Man was created in the image and likeness of God. He is not a creature evolved from a lower life form, but is created in the image and likeness of God. Not in resemblance as far as hands, feet, eyes, mouth, because the Bible lets us know in Luke 24:39 that a spirit does not have flesh and bones. So man is created in the image and likeness of God has it relates to Will, Intellect, Emotions, Reasoning and Thought. He is given spirit, a body, and the breath of God makes him a living soul.
He is called Adam by God. God named him this is very significant, because naming something indicates relationship. I am Melvin Maughmer, Jr., named after my father because of relationship.
WATCH THIS:- My wife’s name is Brenda because that is what her parents named her, but I call her Boo-baby based upon the relationship that we have. I gave her that name, no-one else has the right to call her that but me, because only I have the relationship with her and I gave her that name.
So God named the man Adam because of the relationship He had with the man.
The word Adam means ruddy, to flush or turn rosy red. It states or indicates Adams origin as being made from the dust of the ground or the red soil. The name Adam symbolizes mankind in general.
WATCH THIS:- This phrase appears 10 times before the fall of man. The number 10 represent divine order. The phrase is “After his kind”. Everything produces after his kind.
A sheep doesn’t produce a horse neither a dog produce a cow. Everything produces what it is. Sorry Evolutionist.
Therefore mankind produces mankind or Adam produces Adam, not the gender, but the species or kind.
So when God said to Adam “Where art Thou” it was prophetic because Adam would produce Adam/mankind.
We understand that God had a special relationship with mankind. He created man in His image and likeness, the breath of God made him a living soul, and God named him based upon relationship.
RELATIONSHIP:- is the state of affairs existing between those having dealings with each other. In its broadest terms it simply means that one object has a connection or a correlation with another object. Everything is based upon relationship. Our world is based upon relationship, mechanically if there is no relationship between the key and the ignition, the ignition and the starter, the starter and the battery regardless how much you paid for that automobile it is not going to run because there is no relationship. The way the moon affects the oceans is called a cosmological relationship. Einstein’s theory of relativity, how one thing affects another, is based upon relationship. God created woman because man needed to have relationship.
God and man had this relationship. Women you are included in this because God took a rib out of Adam and made woman. Adam called her woman because she came from the wound of man she is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone. See Adam produced after his kind, which is mankind the human race.
Because of this relationship between God and mankind (Adam), there was communication. Communication is the mortar that holds the relationship together. Love is the foundation but communication is the mortar between the bricks.
When Adam (mankind) disobeyed God and ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they immediately lost that communication with God and caused the relationship to crumble, its mankind’s fault.
The instant man is out of communication/relationship with God the first thing they want to do is try to hide from Him. In the garden Adam and Eve tried to hide among the trees of the garden, today people think staying away from church and the people of God is hiding from Him. But there is no hiding place from God. David said it like this in Psalm 139 “O Lord thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Vs7 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 hell thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me”.
You see there’s no hiding place from God. Adam tried to hide, but God knew exactly where Adam (mankind) was at – conditionally and positionally.
What is so amazing is what God did. As soon as man fell God came down to seek out the lost. He didn’t bring wrath and judgment, but Love, Grace, and Mercy.
“And He called unto Adam and said Where art thou”
Adam should have been the one seeking God for it was he (Adam) that had transgressed. He (Adam-mankind) that had broken God’s laws. He (Adam-mankind) severed the lines of communication. He (Adam-mankind) ruined the relationship. It was Adam that committed spiritual adultery. It was Adam’s soul that was disquieted within him. Adam should have been walking in the garden calling out to God, but instead he tried to do the impossible and hide from God and cover up what he had done from God.
But God called unto him (Adam-mankind), broken hearted because the relationship that He had with man was now severed. Broken hearted because the communication they once shared was lost. Broken hearted because what He created without fear is now afraid of his creator. He was broken hearted because His creature that He covered with His Shekinah glory was uncovered and now is become sin. He was broken hearted because of the position that Adam (mankind) was now in is a result of the condition that he placed himself in. God was broken hearted because He gave Adam everything he ever need and simply told him to till the ground and not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Every other tree was for Adams pleasure. He told Adam and Eve be fruitful and multiply, everything was perfect. It literally was paradise. But Adam disobeyed God and now he is in the position of hiding and being lost, the condition of him is spiritual ruin. He is now sin and unless Love, Grace, and Mercy intervenes he is going to be judged as such.
But God – called unto him and said Adam-mankind “Where art thou”.
Ω:- It was as I said a question to AWAKEN MAN’S CONSCIOUSNESS to the wretched state of his condition.
He was naked, no longer covered by the Shekinah Glory of God.
He now had the spirit of fear governing his life instead of the voice of God.
He is now sin and as such would receive the wrath of God.
He is no more good, but sin dwelleth in him.
His will is to perform that which is evil.
He is warring against the law of his mind, and being brought captivity to the law of sin which is in his members.
His very imagination is becoming evil.
O wretched man that he is.
The question “Where art thou” AWAKENED HIS CONSCIOUS TO HIS DEVASTATING CONDITION.
Ω:- It was a question of conviction designed to convince man of sin and lead him to confession of that sin. John 16:8 says "And when He [the Comforter] is come, He will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."
When God called unto Adam/mankind and said “Where art thou” it comforted mankind in letting him know that this is not the wrath of God, but the Love of God. This question opened up the wounds of Adams/mankind’s broken relationship convincing him that he was lost. The conviction of sin is a supernatural work of the Spirit of God, it’s more than just a bad feeling or a seemingly horrible imagination, Conviction of sin is a work upon the heart of man. The Bible says “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he”. This question “Where art thou” pressed upon Adam’s heart and caused him to think about what he had done. It produced a feeling of dreadfulness and caused him to realize the dishonor he committed in the face of God, and exposing his soul to the wrath of God. Causing mankind to ask the question like they did in Acts 2:37 “what shall we do”.
Ω:- It was a seeking question. A call that said although I’m hurt about what you have done, I forgive you, come back home. Adam/mankind was lost, God called unto him leading him back into relationship with Him. It’s like I said about the lighthouse, it shows you how to find your way around all the hazards and devastation that is around and guide you to the path that will get you to your destination.
The question “Where art Thou” pierced the heart of Adam like a spear causing him to stop and think look at me now O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death” Romans 7:24. Everthing that I ever need God gave me. I had joy unspeakable and full of glory, didn’t know fear, was covered in the Shekinah Glory of God. I was in relationship with God, I talked with God and He talked with me, but now I’m afraid of Him. I’m ashamed of my condition. I’m evil and He is good.
“God called to Adam and said Where art Thou”
God is still asking the question today to mankind Where art Thou.
God gave you everything you ever needed in life. He gave you health and strength.
He gave His only begotten son to die for you. He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace he suffered. He became sin not ever having committed a sin. He was beaten, scourged, spit upon, had His beard plucked from His face. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He for the joy (of having a relationship with mankind again) endured the cross, despising the shame, died in agony to become our propitiation, suffering the full wrath of God in His body so that you and I can have everlasting life.
He’s asking the question today “Where art Thou”.
Sinner man you are in the condition that you are in now because you brought it upon yourself. Sure Adam fell, but the question is ‘Where art Thou” it’s personal. You have no excuse, if you die in your current condition – sin – and go to hell you can’t blame Adam, Eve, the preacher, or God, because God is saying right now like He did in the Garden of Eden Adam/mankind Where art Thou.
Let me bring it to the church folk, because judgment begins in the house of God.
“Where art Thou” – CHURCH.
You don’t pray like you used to pray.
You don’t fast like you used to fast.
You don’t love like you used to love.
You don’t read like you used to read.
You take the relationship for granted.
You have become comfortable with your current condition.
You hardly talk to me anymore.
It used to be so natural to talk about forever but "used to be
