They Knew They Were Naked, Do We?

Genesis 3:6-10 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 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. And they heard the voice 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 amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

    Although I'm not entirely comfortable adapting scripture even for the sake of shock value, something needs to be done to get the attention of so many who are dressing in unacceptable clothing. Adam and Eve knew they were naked and hid themselves. Why do so many today lack the spiritual sense to do the same?

Consider how the word "naked" is used in the Bible:

Naked: Wearing no clothing at all (Job 1:21).

Naked: Wearing only a "loin covering." This is what Adam and Eve made for themselves, yet they were still "naked" (Gen. 3:7, 10). Men and women, you are naked when you go topless.

Naked: Showing the buttocks (Isa. 20:4). I see no reason why this wouldn't include partial showing, as well as tight and form fitting clothing which does little to hide this part of the body.

Naked: Showing the waist and thighs (Ex. 28:42). Priests wore "linen breeches" which covered their loins and thighs to "cover their nakedness." These would have covered them at least from the hips to the knee. (Note: if the thighs are exposed while sitting, "their nakedness" is still not covered. - ERH).

Naked: Exposing the breast (Ezek. 16:7). In a word picture, Jerusalem is seen as a girl who matures, her hair grows, her breasts are formed, but she is naked. Her nakedness is "covered" by God clothing her (Ezek. 16:8,10; the same word as when God "clothed" Adam and Eve's nakedness in Gen. 3:21). Showing the breast or part of it (top, side, cleavage) is part of nakedness that needs to be covered.

    There is a lot more that needs to be said and studied about modest clothing, but it would be a big step in the right direction just to cover what God calls nakedness while in public.

    Adam and Eve were afraid to be naked. Why aren't we? God told us something when He "made tunics of skin, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:20).

---David Diestelkamp