Innocence, Where Are You?

 

Innocence, Where Are You?

"Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 

Nathanael was seeking the truth

While Adam and Eve were seeking a lie

Innocence is lost as we seek something false

It is generally a crafty way of blending the truth with a lie

God asks a question 

"Where are you?"

What are you doing under the fig tree?

Are you seeking the truth, the knowledge of God

Or, are you picking fig leaves to cover your knowledge of evil?

"Where are you?"

In the place of innocence

What effects has the knowledge of this world had on you that keeps you from the fullness of the Kingdom of God’s blessing?

"Where are you?"

 

Innocence, Where Are You?

 

When Jesus met Nathanael,

He made a remarkable statement about Nathanael…

 

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him,

"Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 

John 1:47

 

The “False” is “dolos”…

 

 It means a trick, craft, deceit, guile, subtilty

 

The King James uses the word “guile”.

 

Jesus says there was a lack of

guile or corruption; purity.

 

Amazingly Nathanael responded…

 

"How do you know me?"

John 1:48

 

Nathanael, a man of innocence and purity.

 

Jesus responded to Nathanael’s question…

 

"I saw you while you were still under

the fig tree before Philip called you."

John 1:48

 

What a similarity or comparison to Adam and

Eve after eating from the Tree of Knowledge.

 

Notice the word used for the serpent…

 

 He was “more crafty” lack of guile or truth,

 the very opposite of Nathanael whom is nothing false.

 

In verse 7 of Genesis 3 it says…

 

Then the eyes of both of them were opened,

 and they realized they were naked;

so they sewed fig leaves together

and made coverings for themselves.

 

Adam and Eve were under a fig tree like Nathanael.

 

But there was a big difference

between Nathanael and Adam and Eve.

 

Nathanael was under the fig tree in innocence.

 

While Adam and Eve’s minds were filled

with a new knowledge of good and evil.

 

Adam and Eve knew good,

 they knew what they lost.

 

They, from the act of disobedience,

now had the knowledge of evil.

 

Guilt, shame something was taken away with

their new knowledge and it was their innocence.

 

So Adam and Eve took leaves from the fig

tree they were under and covered themselves.

 

Yet, the outward covering did not

cover the guilt in their minds.

 

In the Genesis story, Adam and Eve were

hiding from God and God called out…

 

"Where are you?"

 

God knew where Adam and Eve were,

as Jesus knew where Nathanael was.

 

 But the picture is so different.

 

The difference between a knowledge

of innocence and a lack of it.

 

Nathanael said how do you know me,

Nathanael kept himself pure and innocent.

 

Adam and Eve lost their innocence seeking knowledge.

 

Knowledge, remember the NIV translation,

where Jesus said about Nathanael…

 

"Here is a true Israelite,

in whom there is nothing false." 

 

Nathanael was seeking the truth.

 

While Adam and Eve were seeking a lie.

 

Innocence is lost as we seek something false.

 

It is generally a crafty way of

blending the truth with a lie.

 

God asks a question…

 

"Where are you?"

 

What are you doing under the fig tree?

 

Are you seeking the truth,

the knowledge of God?

 

Or, are you picking fig leaves to

cover your knowledge of evil?

 

"Where are you?"

 

In the place of innocence.

 

What effects has the knowledge of this

world had on you that keeps you from the

fullness of the Kingdom of God’s blessing?

 

"Where are you?"

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

John 1:47-49 NIV

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 

 

48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked.

 

Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." 

 

49 Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."

 

 

 Genesis 3:1-9 NIV

3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

 

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"

 

4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

 

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

 

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"