Read Gen. 3:22-24
In God’s mercy, he threw them out of the garden. If they had eaten from the tree of life they would have lived forever in their fallen state. I wonder what had happened if they had eaten from the tree of life first. They might not have been tempted to eat from the other tree. That is human nature - to be drawn to the forbidden rather than the best. So Adam and Eve are taken out of their tropical Eden to a place where they had to work to make it look like Eden. To keep them from returning, he placed Cherubims with a flaming sword to guard the tree of life. Those same creatures were over the ark of the covenant that housed the presence of God. The Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and in the temple were symbolic of the Garden of Eden - the place where man met with God. In the temple it was a place where only the High Priest could meet with God. When Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn that separated the Holy of Holies from the people. Now the invitation is for us all to come into his presence. In Rev. 22:1 we see the tree of life again only this time it is not guarded by Cherubims but open for all to come and eat. The Cherubims were wielding a sword that turned every way. This sword is the Word of God which is two-edged and protects our intimacy with God.
Lord, we look forward with eager expectation to eat of your tree of life and live with you forever.
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