“Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin.”
“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.”
-Genesis 3:7 KJV
This verse reads like a gentle but piercing mirror. It’s not just talking about ancient Judah plotting alliances with Egypt. It’s addressing the quiet ways we all build our own plans and then sprinkle them with a thin layer of “God talk.” It’s about those moments when we make a decision, then pray after the fact for divine approval, rather than letting the Spirit shape the decision from the start.
The Hebrew imagery makes this even richer. The phrase “take counsel” (יעץ) carries the sense of seeing with the ayin: the eye and acting from what we perceive. But when that eye isn’t illuminated by the divine spark/flame (י), our counsel can become distorted. “Covering with a covering” is like Adam and Eve stitching fig leaves together an attempt to shield ourselves that ultimately withers. God’s Spirit (ruach) is the true covering: the Head (ר) connecting (ו) divine life (ח) into our inner chamber.
Many of us wear spiritual coverings that look impressive, carefully crafted theology, religious habits, busy ministry calendars, even well-meaning self-protection. But if the Spirit isn’t the one breathing through these coverings, they become layers of performance. And layers of performance pile up into “sin upon sin”: not moral failures necessarily, but estrangement from authentic communion.
The mystical path of Christ flips this. In him, the covering is not external but internal. The Spirit indwells, not decorates. Paul described this in 2 Corinthians 3: the veil is removed when we turn to the Lord, and we begin to reflect his glory with unveiled faces. The Christ-way is not about asking God to bless what we’ve built, but allowing Spirit to build from within us.
Today’s verse calls us to peel back our religious layers and let Spirit breathe. This isn’t condemnation; it’s a divine call to return to the living Source. Counsel that begins in the Spirit carries a different weight. It’s slower, quieter, but rooted. Coverings that are Spirit-woven become places of life, not performance.
Where in your life have you been taking counsel without really inviting the Spirit’s voice? Perhaps in subtle decisions, personal goals, or daily routines. Notice those places. What coverings have you layered: habits, justifications, or spiritual language that aren’t actually Spirit-breathed?
Let that awareness rise without judgment.
Imagine setting those coverings down. Picture yourself beneath an open sky, the breath of ruach moving freely. What would it look like if your guidance came from within that breath rather than from your cleverness? That’s the shift Isaiah is pointing toward, not more effort, but deeper alignment.
True covering is not something we craft; it’s something we receive. Let today be less about making plans for God and more about letting God breathe through yours.
Selah
Thanks for reading
By Anthony Osuya (Saint Anthony)