Those Who Put off the Beast's Skin

2005-04-11 20:46

In the beginning, men lived naked in Eden. It is written, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." (Genesis 2:25). Men were by nature children of wrath, but they felt no shame because they could not discern between good and evil.

God placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. And then he said, "but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." (Genesis 2:17).

That was what was supposed to happen to those who were from below and who were by nature children of warth. The children of disobedience cannot remain with God. The Bible says, "What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction?" (Romans 9:22).

The Bible says about why the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were placed in the middle of the garden, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20).

Among the two trees in the middle of the garden, which were clearly seen, the tree of life meant His eternal power, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil meant His divine nature.

Adam and Eve transgressed the commandment of God by the temptation of Satan, the serpent which was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And then, their eyes were opened, and they became like God, knowing good and evil, and they hid their shameful parts and hid among the trees.

God made garments of a beast's skin and clothed them in order to fulfill what He destined before the creation of the world. It is written, "The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21).

Therefore from the time when men were created they were the shameful children of wrath who could not possibly stand before the good of God. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil made them know that they were the shameful children of wrath. It is written, "And the LORD God said, 'The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.'" (Genesis 3:22). God drove the shameful men out of the garden and placed a flaming sword which turned every way so that they might not take from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.

God endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, made garments of a beast's skin, clothed the men of disobedience, and drove them out of the garden, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known.

Beasts, livestock and men are of the number six, the number of the beast, because they were all formed from the dust of the ground. It is written, "This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." (Revelation 13:18).

Therefore, all men in the world are living shamefully like brute beasts in the garments of beasts' skin.

Some in a pig's skin live a greedy life, some in a dog's skin live a adulterous life, some in a fox's skin live a life ruining the vineyards, some in a serpent's skin live a cunning life, some in a roaring lion's skin live a life trying to devour even God's elect, some wolves in sheep's skin live a life deceiving themselves and others. It is written, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matthew 7:15).

In the place where the beast's skin is put off are the eternal gospel and the cross. The eternal gospel and the cross put off the beast's skin which the first man is in, and reveal all his shameful parts.

If we want to put off an old garment and to put on a new garment, we must become naked. So the Lord was hung naked on a tree, putting off all the garments that he had put on in the world. It was prophesied, "They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." (Psalms 22:18). And also it was accomplished, "Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece." (John 19:23).

Therefore, it is written, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2).

Like him, if we are not ashamed of the gospel putting off the old man, the prophecy will surely be fulfilled, "Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth." (Psalms 110:3).

The elders, who put off the beast's skin and scorned the shame to put on the holy garments, also said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (Romans 1:16).

Therefore, the Bible says, "for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:27).

Thank you, Lord.

The Last Brother, Kim Yun-gu.