‘The LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?’ (Gen 3:9)
- Adam was separated from God by his own conscience – and naked.
‘The LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?’ (Gen 4:9)
- Cain did not love God. He hated his brother and was a murderer.
- Can is typical of the Jews’ rejection of Christ.
It is the Lord who is speaking – the glorified Son of God. He died for the sins of others – seen typically in Abel’s sacrifice. The One who asks the questions is the One who accomplished righteousness.
So the Lord said to Saul of Tarsus, ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?’ (Acts 9:4). Saul was full of hatred – not just in slaying the Lord, but all who followed Him, even to strange cities. But he, the chief of sinners, was shown grace. Grace to the chief of sinners, to hostile – Holy Ghost resisting – Christ persecuting – Israel. Grace to the poorest feeble saint, a member of His body, His flesh and of His bones – the Church.
Based on a passage in on J. N. Darby: ‘God’s Questions to Man’ – Notes and Comments Vol. 1, p 181
Sosthenes
September 2016