God made coats of skins to cover Adam and Eve physically and to clothe them spiritually with His righteousness through the shedding of blood.
Adam and Eve had sewed fig leaves, but that was human effort. God Himself killed animals and shed blood to make the coats of skins. The coats met their physical need, and the phrase 'and clothed them' pictures the imputed righteousness of God given to those who believe.
Genesis 3:21 — The verse directly records God making coats of skins and clothing Adam and Eve, the act at the heart of the question.
After Adam and Eve disobeyed, they knew they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to make aprons. The Bible does not say God told them to do this. Then the LORD God made coats of skins and clothed them (Genesis 3:21). The need for skins implies an animal was killed and blood shed, and Hebrews 9:22 states that without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Les emphasizes that Adam and Eve's fig leaves were man's attempt at covering—the energy of the flesh—whereas the coats of skins were God's provision. God killed the animal or animals and shed blood before making the coats. The coats covered their physical nakedness, but Les points to the final words of Genesis 3:21, 'and clothed them,' as the most important part: God was clothing them spiritually. That spiritual clothing is the righteousness of God imputed to them because they believed what God said. Les connects this to Romans 3, where the righteousness of God comes by faith in Jesus Christ, and to Isaiah 61:10, which speaks of being clothed with the garments of salvation and robe of righteousness. He also stresses that God provided the blood sacrifice and that Adam and Eve had to believe—'faith plus the blood offering.' Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
Les says the coats of skins covered their physical nakedness, but the last three words of Genesis 3:21, 'and clothed them,' are the most important. He teaches that this was not referring to the skins; it was spiritual. God clothed them with righteousness.
Les teaches that Adam had the ability to believe what God said, and after the blood of sacrificial animals was shed, God not only covered their physical body but clothed them with a spiritual garment. This is 'the imputed righteousness of the righteousness of God,' the same righteousness that Paul says is unto all that believe (Romans 3:22).
Les points to Hebrews: without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Since God provided the blood sacrifice, Adam and Eve could be received by God, but they still had to believe what He said. Faith plus the blood offering was required then, just as faith is required now.
Scripture shows Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves and made aprons. Les observes that God had nothing to do with this; it is 'the energy of the flesh,' man doing what he can do. The coats of skins, by contrast, were made by the Lord God, not by human effort.
Righteousness Through Faith
Les shows that the righteousness of God is received by genuinely believing, not by human doing, which is the same kind of covering God provided in Genesis.
God's Provision of the Coats
Les emphasizes that this was God's action, not Adam and Eve's; God killed the animals and made the coats of skins.
The Spiritual Clothing
Les highlights the last three words of Genesis 3:21: 'and clothed them' refers to spiritual clothing, not physical hides.
Imputed Righteousness in Genesis
Les teaches that because Adam believed God, the shed blood of sacrificial animals allowed God to clothe him with imputed righteousness.
Clothed with the Righteousness of God
Les anticipates the Genesis lesson: being covered by animal skins foreshadows being clothed with the righteousness of God.
Applying Genesis to the Believer
Les connects Genesis 3:21, Isaiah 61:10, and Romans 3 to show that God clothes believers with the righteousness of Christ.
The Fig Leaves as Human Effort
Les uses the fig leaves to show human effort—the energy of the flesh—contrasted with God's provision.
Faith and the Blood Offering
Les pairs the blood sacrifice with faith, teaching that God provided the sacrifice and Adam and Eve had to believe.
Genesis 3:7: 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.
Shows the human effort that preceded God's provision of coats of skins.
Genesis 3:21: Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
The central verse recording God making coats of skins and clothing Adam and Eve.
Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Shows the necessity of blood for forgiveness, underlying the animal sacrifice.
Romans 3:22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Connects God's provided covering to righteousness through faith.
Isaiah 61:10: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Uses the same clothing imagery to describe God's provision of salvation and righteousness.
Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Les pairs this with the blood offering to show both faith and sacrifice were required.
Yes. The skins required the death of an animal. Les points to Hebrews, 'without shedding of blood there is no remission,' and teaches that God provided the blood sacrifice necessary for Adam and Eve's way back to Himself.
Les teaches it was not God's provision. God had nothing to do with the fig leaves; they were the energy of the flesh, man doing what he could. The coats of skins were what God Himself made.
Les teaches the final words of Genesis 3:21 are not about physical clothing; they refer to God clothing Adam and Eve spiritually with His righteousness.
Watch the Teaching: God's Righteousness Explained — Romans 3 Verse by Verse