And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8)

Trying To Hide From God

Hiding from God is a hobby that men have been trying to do since the Garden of Eden. The first time someone tried to hide from God, it was Adam and Eve who did so. When God created the garden, He placed two trees in the midst of the garden and told Adam and Eve they could eat all they wanted from one tree, but were forbidden to eat of the other tree. Nothing in the command of God was lost on the first couple, and they understood completely what God had told them. Satan deceived Eve into taking the forbidden fruit, and she gave some to Adam. The eyes of Adam and Eve were opened immediately, and they knew they were naked.

Realizing the shame of their nakedness, Adam and Eve fashioned coverings to hide their shame. Hearing the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, Adam and Eve hid themselves among the trees of the garden. The Lord God called to the couple, asking where they were – God knew where they were. Adam explained they heard the voice of God in the garden, and because they were naked and ashamed, they hid themselves. God had warned Adam and Eve that the day they ate of the forbidden fruit, they would die. At the moment Eve took of the fruit and gave some to Adam, God knew what had happened. The Lord God felt the separation between Himself and man because of sin.

Hiding from God seemed like a good idea at the moment, but there is no purpose in the creation seeking to hide from the Creator. God created Adam and Eve. As the Creator, His omniscience overshadowed everything Adam and Eve did. When the Lord asked Adam and Eve where they were, He was drawing out a confession from them. He knew they had taken the forbidden fruit, and He knew where they were and what they were doing. Repentance demands confession. There is nothing that can be hidden from the eyes of the Lord.

Adam and Eve had a son named Cain, who killed his brother Abel. Trying to hide things from God was a family tradition. After Cain killed Abel, and the Lord asked where Abel was, Cain pretended not to know where Abel was or what had happened to him. God had warned Cain about his anger. The moment Cain killed Abel, God knew. During the days of Noah, the world had become a corrupt and immoral place. God knew the wickedness of man was great and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The world tried to hide what it did from God, but to no avail. In the midst of the spiritual darkness, God knew the hearts of Noah’s family, and they found grace in His eyes.

Hiding things from God (or attempting to) is a family tradition handed down from generation to generation from Adam. David and Bathsheba tried and failed. The nation of Israel pretended to worship God and followed idols, which was met with disaster. Jesus walked among men and knew their hearts. Ananias and Sapphira, two Christians in the early church, tried to hide their greed from the Lord. God struck them dead as a warning to all who seek to hide things from Him. Nothing man can do will hide what they do from God. Jesus explained how men love the darkness because they are fooled into believing their actions are hidden. Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that God knows what is in the darkness. Nothing is hidden from God.

Knowing that God sees all and knows all should change the hearts of men to walk more perfectly in the light of Christ. Trying to hide anything from God is the most ridiculous thing a man can do. It is possible to hide things from others, but the judgment of the Lord will lay bare all that man has done. He will judge the heart for everything that is done in life. If it is evil, God will judge according to His wrath. He will give grace when He sees the goodness of man seeking the glory of God. Live in the full knowledge that God sees all and He knows all. That is a comforting message of hope, of the care and love of God. How wonderful to know that God knows everything about me.