The Holy Hound Of Heaven Series

The Holy Hound of Heaven

Genesis 3:8-10

Rev. Brian Bill

February 25-26, 2023

I’m not prone to read poetry, but I have found one poem to be both piercing and unforgettable. Published in 1893, G.K. Chesterton called it, “the most magnificent poem ever written in English.” To which J.R.R. Tolkien responded by saying Chesterton was not giving the poem the credit it deserves. Oscar Wilde commented, “Why can’t I write poetry like that? That [kind of writing] is what I’ve wanted to do all my life.”

The poem I’m referring to was penned by a man who had been deeply troubled by depression, poor health, poverty, and addiction to opioids. He even tried to commit suicide. In his poem, he described how he fled from God and hid from Him while searching for satisfaction in activities and experiences which ultimately left him unsatisfied.

Here’s how it begins (the old English makes it both majestic and a bit muddled to our ears).

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days

I fled Him, down the arches of the years

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind, and in the mist of tears I hid from Him.

One repeating refrain captures the loving and seeking heart of God who chases down a sinner trying to flee from Him.

I sped…from those strong feet that followed after [me].

But with unhurrying chase and unperturbed pace,

Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,

They beat – and a voice beat,

More instant than the feet.

“All things betray thee, who betrayest me.”

This poem captures two truths:

• When we sin, we try to run and hide from God.

• When we sin, God seeks us and chases after us.

Does anyone know the name of this poem? It’s called, “The Hound of Heaven” by Francis Thompson. If you want learn more, there’s an excellent short video adaptation of it posted on “Sermon Extras” on our website and mobile app.

Aren’t you glad there is no night dark enough to hide us, and no flight swift enough to carry us away from the pursuing love of God? As Corrie ten Boom famously said, “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.” While the Puritans were fond of referring to God as the “Hound of heaven,” Adam and Eve were the first humans to hear the “Holy Hound of Heaven” pursuing them.

After being tempted by the serpent, and falling headfirst down the slippery slope of sin, the first couple experienced so much shame and guilt that they tried to hide from the One who is holy, holy, holy. Let’s read Genesis 3:8-10: “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’”

Here’s the main idea: God loves to seek sinners and longs to save them.

1. God comes to us relationally when we try to hide from Him. After Adam and Eve sinned, they “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden…” This is the first “theophany” in the Bible, which is defined as “a visible manifestation of God that is tangible to the human senses.” Actually, I believe this was a “Christophany,” which is a pre-incarnate “appearance of Christ.”

Once again, we see how God is referred to as “Yahweh Elohim,” emphasizing both His power and His personal presence. Three times in three verses, He is called the Creator and the Covenant-keeper. The Hebrew suggests this was a normal and regular practice for God to be present with His creation in a natural and intimate way. This is further evidence that the Garden was like a Temple where Adam served as priest, and Adam and Eve enjoyed God’s presence in this sacred sanctuary.

The idea behind “walking” implies movement and literally means, “to walk back and forth.” God came walking, not running as one slow to anger. God is not distant from His creation but walks among us as stated in Leviticus 26:12: “And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.”

One of the greatest compliments you can pay someone is to say, “he or she walks with God.” We know from Genesis 5:22 that “Enoch walked with God” and Genesis 6:9 tells us Noah also walked with God.

The “cool of the day” refers to late afternoon or early evening. The Hebrew speaks of “spirit or breath.” It literally reads, “in the breeze of the day” when the evening winds would blow gently through the garden. It was common for people to walk later in the day when it was cool. During this time of the day, we become more reflective. I know this is the hardest time of the day for my dad because this is when he really misses my mom as memories flood his mind. As the breeze blows and night begins to fall, I wonder if Adam and Eve were mourning their loss of companionship and comfort with God as they attempted to cover up and conceal themselves.