So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.So he drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
6 sermons cite this verse
… and now lest he put his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. And he drove out the man and he placed cherubim at the east end of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. This is a very significant moment that if we can understand it, the rest of the times God makes reference to the tree of life will take on fresh meaning. And let me just start with this. I'll just kind of give you the conclusion at the beginning. He says here that as soon as they partook of the forbidden fruit, he sent a cherubim with a flaming sword to stand by the tree of life. Why? Because the tree of life, God said they would live forever. What does that mean? They were already designed to live forever. …
… the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever. Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man and at the east of the garden of Eden, he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. Let's pray. Oh God, we confess that we live in a land of confusion and distortion when it comes to your design for us as men and women. That we are. plagued by our own sin and by the sins of others in ways that we can't even see this whole picture straight. And so we confess our need for you. Oh God, by your spirit, through your word, to bring clarity to our minds and our hearts. Help us to yield, all of us, men and women, to yield to you, to your truth, by your spirit help us to understand it in our lives, to apply it to our lives, and in the process that through Christ you would make us the men and the women that you have created us to be. …
… God until they sin, until they decide that they know better than God what is best for their lives. And they lose this intimacy with him. So jump to Genesis 3, verse 24, where Louis was this morning, where he read that God drove out the man, and at the east of the Garden of Eden, he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. And I want you to circle this word placed. So let's do a little Hebrew. Let's go to the brew for a minute. Shekan here is the Hebrew word that means to dwell. So instead of man and woman dwelling with God like they did in the Garden of Eden, God causes these cherubim, which are angels, to dwell at this spot. So they're flanking both sides of the entrance to the Garden of Eden on the east, like we talked about today, in a way that keeps Adam and Eve from the tree of life. But what's interesting is, so when you get to the next book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, God says, I want to restore you to intimacy with me. …
… that God drove out the man and at the east of the garden of Eden, he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. Now, look at this word placed. It's the Hebrew word shekan, which means to dwell. so the picture is God causes these cherubim or angels to dwell at the spot to keep Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden from the tree of life but then what's interesting is when you get to Exodus the next book in the Bible as we read about these wanderings in the wilderness God uses this same word to describe how he's going to dwell among his people in what's called the tabernacle. This is really important. So the tabernacle was like a portable temple that signified God's presence in the middle of his people. And after God rescues them from slavery in Egypt and gives them his law, the Ten Commandments, God says in Exodus 25 verse 8, let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst. Same word, Shekin, that we saw in Genesis chapter 3, verse 24, at the entrance to Eden. And that's what leads into God giving specific instructions. I'm going to show you the pattern for the tabernacle, all its furniture, so you'll make it exactly how I said to make it. …
… I wish we had more time. Let me show you just one more. So when Adam and Eve sin, they're banished from the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3. And what happens? Genesis 3, 24, God drove out the man and at the east of the Garden of Eden, he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. So as a result of their disobedience, they're driven out to the east and an angel, that's what cherubim is referencing there, guards them from the tree of life. They can't live forever with God the way God had designed them to. So later in Genesis, Jacob is in this promised land, and he heads out to the east in search of a wife. And who does he meet as he goes eastward out of the promised land? He meets an angel. Genesis chapter 28. He dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. …
… these words. Then the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become like one of us to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever, therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So he drove out the man and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden and a flaming sword which turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. So into the addition of the loss of the blessing that Adam and Eve would have received at the hand of their creator had they passed their probation by rendering obedience rather than disobedience. Also, the consequences of their sin included the curse that came upon man, the curse that came upon woman, the curse that came upon the earth, and all things in it. And then God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, where they were forced to live east of Eden, outside of the presence of that paradise in which they were originally placed by their creator. …