HOMILETICS. _,~cr!t. ~-l~.-Tlte_.7frst judgm,ent scene. I. Tm. FLIGHT OF TRI': CRIMINALS. 1. It M fhe mstinct of sinful men to.flee from God. "Adam and his wifo hid themselves frnm _the presc-nce of the Lord God" (ver. 8). So "Jonah rose up to flee unto Tan-h_,sh from the p~esence of_the Lord" (Jonah i. 3). (1) Through a consciousness 0f g11-11t. A perception of their nakedness c~used our first parent:i to seek tho shelter of_ the garden trees (Yer. 10). Doubtless 1t was the burden lymg on Jonah's con- isciencc thnt sent him down into the ship's hold (Jonah i. 5). So awakened einnr.rs ~Hr feel themselves constrained to get away from God. (2) From a dread of pu1i- u}1mc"!J.. Not perh:i-ps so long as _they ii!1agine God to be either unacquainted with ?r 1~drffercnt to their off~nce, but nnmediately they apprehend that their wickedness 1s d1sc0Yered (cf. Exod. n. 15). The sound of Jehovah's voice as he came towards our first parents filled them with alarm. How much more will the full revelation of his glorious presence in flaming fire affright the ungodly I 2. It is God:s liabit to pursue transgrei;sors. As he pursued Adam and Eve in the garden by his voice (ver. 9), and Jonah o~ th~ de~p by a_wind (Jonah i. 4), and Davi~ ~y his prophet (2 Sam. xii. 1), so _d?es he still m !us p_rovi~ence, and through the m1mstry of his word, and by his Spmt, follow after fleemg smners-(1) to apprehend them (cf. Phil. iii. 12); (2) to forgive and save them (Luke xix. 10); (3) if they will not be forgiven, to punish them (2 The?s. i. 8). 3. It is tlte certain fate of all fugitives to be eventually arrested. Witness Adam and Eve (ver. 9), Ca.in (eh. iv. 9), David (2 Sam. xii. 1) Ahab (1 Kings x:ri. 20), Jonah (eh. i. 6). Distance will not prevent (Ps. cxxxix. 7)'. Darkness will not hinder (Ps. cxxxix. 11). Secrecy will not nvail (Heb. iv. 13). Material defences '1\-ill not ward off the coming doom (.Amos ix. 2, 3). The lapse of time will not make it less certain (Num. x.xxii. 23). IL THE EXAMINATION OF THE CRIMlNALS. 1. God's questio.ns are alwaysfain- .fully direct, and searching. "Adam, where art thou?" (ver; 9). "Who to! thee thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree?" (vcr. 11). "What hast thou done?" (ver. 13). (1) Because he knows the fact of the sinner's guilt The nature and aggravation, the time, circumstances, manner, and reason of the sinner's trans- gression are perfectly understood. (2) Because he aims at the sinner's conviction; i. e. he desires to bring sinners to a realisation of the sinfulness of their behaviour corresponding to that which he himself possesses. (3) Becnuse he wishes to elicit a confession from the sinner's mouth. Without this there can be no forgiveness or sal- vation (Prov. xxviii. 13 ; 1 John i. 9). 2. Man's apologies are always extremely weak and trifling. (1) As attempting to excuse that which must for ever be inexcusable, viz., disobedience to God's commandment. Nothing can justify sin. God's authority over man being supreme, no one can relieve man from his responsibility to yield im- plicit submission to the Divine precepts._ Jehovah's question rests special emphasis on the fact that .Adam's sin was a transgression of his commandment (ver. 11). (2) .As seeking to transfer the burden of guilt from himself to another. .Adam blames his wife; Eve blames the serpent; and ever since, sinners have been trying to blame any- thing and everything except themselves-the companions God has given them; the cir- cumstances in which God has placed them ; the peculiar temperaments and disposi- tions with which God has endowed them. (3) As failing to obliterate the fact of transgression. Even Adam and Eve both discern as much as this. Beginning with apologies, they were obliged to end with avowa.l of their guilt. And if man c1m detect the worthlessness of hie own hastily-invented pleas, much more, we may be sure, can God pierce through all the flimsy and trifling arguments that sinners offer to extenuate their faults. ( 4) As not requiring to be answered. It is remarkable that Jehovah does not condescend to answer either Adam or his wife ; the reason being, doubtless, that any reply to their foolish speeches was unnecesijary. 3. T!Le IJivin, verdict is always cle,ar and convincing. (1) Though in this case unspoken, it was yet implied. Adam and Eve did not require to be informed of their culpability. And neither will sinners need to be informed of their guilt and condemnation when thev stand before the great white throne. It is a special mark of mercy that God informs sinners in the gospel of the nat1.1re of the verdict which has been pronounced Clt. Ill. 8--19.) 'l'HE BOOK OF GENESIB. 89
against them (John iii. 18, 19), (2) It wae so comrincing that it was not denied. Adam and Eve we can suppose were speechless. So was the disobedient wedding guest (Matt, ][][ii. 12). Bo will nil the condemned be in the day of judgment (Rev. "f'i. 17). III. THE SENTENCE OF THE CRI:\l'INALS. 1. On the serpent-jwlgment witli(J?;! merciJ. (1) Degmdation on both the reptile and the tempter. (2) Hostility between the serpent's brood and the woman's seed. (3) Ultimate destruction of the tempter by the incarnation and deo.th of the woman's seed. 2. On the sinning pair-mercy, aM tltenjudgment. (1) Mercy for both. Great mercy-the restitution of themselveR and of their seed ( or at least a portion of it) by tbe complete annihilation of their adversary through the sufferings of a distinguished woman's seed. Certain mercy- the entire scheme for their recovery was to depend on God, who here says, "I will put . . . " Free mercy-neither solicited nor deserved by Adam or his wife. (2) Judgment for each. For the woman, sorrow in accomplishing her womanly and wifely destiny, combined with a position of dependence on and submission to her husband. For the man, a life of sorrowful labour, a doom of certain death. Learn-I. The folly of attempting to hide from God. It is better to flee to God than to run from God, even when we sin (Ps. cxliii. 9). 2. The expediency of confessing to God. It is always the shortest path to mercy and forgiveness (Ps. xxxii. 5). 3. The gentle treatment which men receive from God. Like David, wo have all reason to sing of mercy as well o.s, and even rather than, judgment (Ps. ci, 1).