…What was it?
Did it originate in China?
In Egypt?
In Mesopotamia?
THE INVENTION??
Early in human history, man knew that he could multiply his own strength and abilities by taking advantage of such physical forces as gravity, friction and leverage.
From our knowledge of history, we therefore usually think of the wheel, the lever and the hammer as being the first mankind’s inventions.
None of these were man’s first invention.
THE FIRST INVENTION
Amazing though it may seem, man’s first invention was an apron! The apron still has many uses besides that of the cook in the kitchen. It is also used today in many trades and professions. It was originally invented however for religious purposes.
It was invented as something for a person to hide behind. It was made in an attempt, as the result of having a guilty conscience before God, to conceal oneself from God. As soon as Adam and Eve had willfully disobeyed God, they became fallen creatures, and with sinful natures, would then propagate a similar race of fallen, sinful being upon the earth, who would become rebellious to God in their thoughts and deeds.
“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked,; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” GENESIS 3:7
Notice the little words “they knew”. That is, they had a conscience. The prefix “con” means with; the word “science” means knowledge. Conscience means “with knowledge”, or con-science. They knew that they were now sinners. In verse 8 it says they “hid themselves from presence of the Lord God.” GENESIS 3:8
So it is today, for people still attempt to hide themselves from God-the faithful creator and a merciful Redeemer.
Adam said to God. “I heard Thy voice…I was afraid… and I hid myself.”
Man, guilty and lost, still flees from the Presence of God and His Word. Too many are still greatly afraid to face the truth about themselves, admit their guilt and cast themselves upon God’s mercy to be pardoned and born again-born anew.
AN INVENTION THAT DOES NOT COVER
So it is that all too many still make aprons to hide from God.
Friend, you also may be unconsciously wearing a fig-leaf apron right now. if you are trusting in your religion or your church membership to get into heaven, you have invented a way of your own, a “fig-leaf”apron. If you are trusting in your own good works, keeping the “golden rule” or the ten commandments to give you merit to “get in”, you are in fact wearing a fig-leaf apron.
The law, the ten commandments, was never given to be the way of salvation, but rather was given to condemn sin, to reveal to us our sinful condition, and our need to be saved. ROMANS 3:19
If you are trusting in how well you treat your fellow man, or in any kind of actual good deeds, then you are trusting in a false hope. God cannot be bribed in our own thoughts by good works or charity offerings. God says His salvation is “not of works” EPHESIANS 2:9 It is not for sale; it is “the gift of God”, for salvation can only be had by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary.
Fig leaves soon fade, crumble and are gone. They are not eternal. Let us face it—all of us are sinners in God’s sight. “All have sinned and come short of glory of God” ROMANS 3:23
We cannot hide from God.
“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” HEBREWS 4:13
GOD’S PROVISION
The great consideration for us in relation to human sin is redemption, not a temporary covering. After Adam and Eve realised that the fig leaves could not help them, they gave up trusting in such a human invention, “Unto Adam and his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them”. GENESIS 3:21
This was a “blood” covering. The life of some innocent animal, possibly a lamb, needed to be taken; its blood shed in order to provide a covering for Adam and his wife. God was presenting in type or figure this fact, that the precious blood of His Son, Who would come into the world as Saviour, must be shed as a necessity for sins to be forgiven.
This is more than a covering, for God in Christ reconciles all things unto Himself.
There is no other salvation, no other way to heaven. God says He has made His Son “to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21
We therefore beseech you, do not trust in any fig leaf. Christ is the way, the only way, for He said, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” JOHN 14:6
Will you not change your mind, believe in Christ and trust in His precious blood to cleanse and become your hiding place. Christ alone and His life-blood shed for sinners can cleanse from all sin.
A man-made, invented apron-covering will not do—the wages of sin is death and Christ’s death for the ungodly sinner will alone be the safe hiding place for every self-confessed sinner.
I have trusted Christ—have you?
Acknowledgement: ®Christian Book Room
Gospel Tract Series