“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

Early in the Scriptures (Genesis 3), God revealed Himself to Adam and Eve by calling out to them and by coming to them, for they were hiding after they had sinned against their Creator.

God had told Adam:

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:” (Genesis 2:16)

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17)

They must obey God; to disobey would result in death (spiritual death; Romans 5:12; which death is a spiritual separation from God). But, they sinned (Genesis 3:1-4); then they ran and hid themselves, and tried to cover their nakedness with leaves. But God found them and called out to them for dialogue. Man had to admit, or confess, his fault (his sin) before God. Adam tried to lie and place the blame on Eve, Eve on the serpent; but God made them know that He knew what they had done. And He said, now you are under the curse of sin (Genesis 3:16-19). But then God revealed the way of escape from spiritual death; it was through the sacrifice of the innocent for the guilty:

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Genesis 3:21)

Here is the beginning of atonement through (or by) sacrifice. This doctrine did not begin with the pagans; although they do practice sacrifice of animals and even human beings to appease (satisfy) their gods of wood and stone, who cannot move, hear, etc. But this doctrine of “forgiveness” based upon the sacrifice, the innocent for the guilty, was from God to Adam, and Adam to Abel, and on down the godly line of men (Seth, Enoch, Lamech, Methuselah, Noah, etc.).

This doctrine was revealed greater to Abel and through Abel, as he learned it was the only way to approach God acceptably (Genesis 4:1-8; Hebrews 11:4), or by faith (or through Christ). Then in Abraham, the altar was used for the sacrifice to be offered upon and burned with fire. (See Genesis 11, 12, 13, and 22.) Then in Genesis 21, with the offering up of Isaac, God revealed it (the Substitute, the Sacrifice) would be God Himself (Hebrews 11:17-19); for here Abraham received Isaac as a figure of Jesus Christ.

“And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” (Genesis 22:8)

“And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.” (Genesis 22:13)

“And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.” (Genesis 22:14)

Then the revelation progressed in Moses’ time to the Tabernacle, the Law and the Sacrifices, the Aaronic Priesthood, etc. Then in Solomon’s day came the Temple. And then Jesus Christ came, the Fulfillment of it all. For He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29); He is the Sacrifice, Substitute, and Savior; even the Temple of God; the Mercy Seat; and that which propitiated (appeased) God for the sin debt of sinners. (See Romans 3:24-25; 5:1-2; Ephesians 1:7; etc.)

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” (Romans 3:24)

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans 3:25)

Who Is God? He is only known to those to whom He reveals Himself:

“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.” (John 5:21)

This knowledge of “Who God is” – is in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6); in His office Works of Sacrifice, Substitute, and Savior (Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” (Ephesians 1:7)

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)