Description

There was no veil in Paradise between man and God. There were three places or regions; the outer earth, Eden, and "the Garden of Eden," or Paradise; but there was no veil nor fence between, hindering access from the one to the other. There was nothing to prevent man from going in to speak with God, or God from coming out to speak with man. It was not till after man had disobeyed that the veil was let down which separated God from man, which made a distinction between the dwellings of man and the habitation of God. Before God had spoken or done aught in the way of separation, man betrayed his consciousness of his new standing, and of the necessity for a covering or screen. He fled from God into the thick trees of the garden, that their foliage might hide him from God and God from him. In so doing he showed that he felt two things, -First, that there must be a veil between him and God; Second, that now, in his altered position, distance from God (if such a thing could be) was his safety.