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In order to answer this question, it is important to understand that shame, associated with nakedness, is symbolic language describing an individual’s, or a group’s sin. In Revelation 3:17, God’s church in Laodicea is described as being naked and in a condition that God regards as sinful,

Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked  (Rev. 3:17; NKJV throughout unless noted).

This era of God’s church is not physically naked. On the contrary, it is doing quite well, materially speaking. However, it is naked spiritually. In other words, because of its prosperity and focus on material pursuits, it has adopted a casual attitude toward the work that Jesus Christ did in covering the nakedness, or sin of its members (Rev. 3:16). This attitude would eventually take the church back to its old ways, which were sinful (Rev. 3:19). The Laodicean church was not grateful in the manner that it once was. They were lukewarm toward God’s work. It appears from events that led to Adam and Eve’s sin, that they had a casual attitude toward God’s word and it eventually led to their sin, which was also described as nakedness (Gen. 3:6). Because God is kind and merciful, He provided a temporary covering for Adam and Eve’s nakedness with the sacrifice of an animal (Gen.3:21). This act foreshadowed the animal sacrificial system, ultimately to be fulfilled through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ whose shed blood  covers all sins that are repented of since the rebellion of the Adversary (Heb. 9:22; 1Jn. 1:7; Isa. 14:12-21; Eze. 28:12-19),

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them (Gen. 3:21; NASB). 

Prior to Genesis 3:7, there was no need to cover Adam and Eve because they had not committed any sin. They had obeyed the word of God up to this point. So their nakedness in Genesis 2:25 had to do with not having yet been clothed with the garments of everlasting life. As they were sinless at this point in time, they could not have been composed of flesh and blood (see the study: Which Rib Was Eve Made From?) because flesh and blood is associated with sinful flesh,

For what the law (of animal sacrifices, Temple ordinances and ceremonies) could not do in that it was weak through the flesh (the animal offerings and human priesthood), God did by sending His own son (Jesus Christ) in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. 8:3a; Ed. notes in parentheses; emphasis added). 

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him (Christ) that the body of sin might be done away with (Rom. 6:6a; Ed. notes in parenthesis; emphasis added).

Almighty God would not create anyone in a state of sin, which flesh and blood is. Everything and every creature that God created was described as being very good,

Then God saw everything that He made, and indeed it was very good (Gen. 1:31a).

Therefore, when Adam and Eve realized they were naked in Genesis 3:7, something had changed. They were no longer in the same state that is described in Genesis 1:31a.

To better understand what occurred, it is important to examine the Hebrew words used to describe Adam and Eve’s nakedness.

The Hebrew word translated into the English word “naked” in Genesis 2:25 is SHD # 6174 (arom), from a primitive root SHD # 6191.

This Hebrew word in Genesis 2:25 can reflect a number of conditions. According to the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, arom can have either positive (prudence) or negative (shrewdness) connotations depending on the context in which it is used. The main distinction in the use of arom is the fact that Adam and Eve were in control of their situation and not ashamed. Their nakedness was symbolic because they were not yet clothed with the white robes mentioned in Revelation 7:14, which pictured receiving the gift of everlasting life from God.

So their condition in Genesis 2:25 had nothing to do with physical nakedness. Instead, they were innocent of sin and this condition is described using the symbolic phrase, “they were both naked and were not ashamed.”

In contrast the Hebrew word used in Genesis 3:7 is SHD # 5903 (erom), also from the primitive root SHD # 6191 and, according to the Dictionary of Biblical Languages, can pertain to being unclothed and bare-skinned, in some contexts implying shame, others as destitution (Gen. 3:7,10-11; Eze.16:7, 23, 39; 23:29). In Ezekiel 16:39, this word is used to depict being utterly naked and helpless, which certainly describes the spiritual state of Adam and Eve after they sinned in Genesis 3:7.

Because Adam and Eve listened to, and believed the Adversary’s lie, they rebelled against the word of God (Gen. 2:7) and their punishment was immediate. They changed from a state of innocence to one of sinful flesh and blood (Rom. 8:3a),

Then the eyes of both of them were opened (their innocence was gone), and they knew that they were naked (had sinned and been changed into a different form – flesh and blood); and they made themselves coverings (tried to conceal their sin (Gen. 3:7; cf. Gen. 3:8; Ed. notes in parentheses).

The apostle Paul knew that the term “naked” can refer to our mortality, which is described many times as “flesh and blood,”

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation (heavenly dwelling) which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked (no longer flesh and blood) (2Cor. 5:2-3; Ed. notes in parentheses).

This nakedness (flesh and blood state due to sin) can only be covered by white garments that represent the sacrifice of Jesus Christ being applied to all who have sinned,

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire (cf. Rev. 7:14), that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness (sin) may not be revealed (Rev. 3:18a; Ed. notes in parenthesis; emphasis added).

And I said to him (an angel of God), ‘Sir, you know.’ So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) (Rev. 7:14; Ed. notes in parentheses; emphasis added).

Since the time of Adam and Eve, all human beings have sinned and are in need of forgiveness and reconciliation with Almighty God (Rom. 3:23; 5:12). This reconciliation is made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and those who have had their sins covered by Christ’s blood are pictured as being dressed in white robes. As Adam and Eve were only covered symbolically by the skins of an animal (Gen. 3:21), they were still in need of the white garments that require faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ,

I (Jesus Christ) will rescue you (apostle Paul) from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes (cf. Rev. 3:18b) in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (our Father), that we may receive forgiveness of sins (through repentance of sin followed by baptism, cf. Ac. 2:38) and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me (Ac. 26:17-18; Ed. notes in parentheses; emphasis added).

So Adam and Eve went from a state of innocence, pictured symbolically by the word “naked” (SHD 6174 ) to a different kind of nakedness (SHD 5903) which represented a condition of sin because they did not have faith (trust) in the word of God, which led to their disobedience, sin and death.

Whatever is not from faith is (results in) sin (Rom. 14:23b; Ed. notes in parenthesis).

As soon as Adam and Eve became flesh and blood, it was only a matter of time before they would die,

And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:27).

When Satan told Eve that she “would not surely die” in Genesis 2:4, he lied to her and because she believed the word of the Adversary rather than the word of God, it resulted in her death. Therefore, Satan committed the first murder which Jesus Christ confirmed,

You (the Jewish religious leadership during Christ’s ministry) are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources (cf. Jas. 1:13), for he is a liar and the father of it (Jn. 8:44; Ed. notes in parenthesis).

Because Satan enticed Eve to sin, she was changed into flesh and blood which would die. Her condition was described as “naked” (Gen. 3:7) just as the Laodicean church was described as being naked (Rev. 3:17). In both instances, the word naked is used to show the presence of sin, which is always associated with a flesh and blood body (Rom. 6:6a; 8:3a). So when Adam and Eve knew they were naked, it means they knew they were changed into flesh and blood human beings as a result of sin.

Return to Symbolism

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