For whatever the reason, it must be the worst feeling when parents banish a child from the family home. Although there are many reasons for street people being street people, I would venture to say that one of the reasons could well be being kicked out of the parents’ home. I have watched various ethnic people scavenge through garbage bins and even small dirt bins on the side of the road. Vividly I recall watching a young white man, somewhere between 19 and 21 scratch through a bin on the sidewalk, outside a fast food place and supermarket. There was no food but he found empty chip packets and take out burger boxes. He licked the inside of these containers for nourishment. Why he was on the streets, dirty body, dirty torn clothing and bare feet, I don’t know … but that is the potential of being kicked out of the family home with now where to go. His life (and their lives) on the street is misery, hard, hopeless and merciless! Although Adam and Eve were not on the street, they were kicked out of their Father’s home … the Garden of Eden. The same harsh principle of survival faced them. Please read:
Ge 3:20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
1) Banished from paradise:
Ge 3:23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden.
We must not underestimate what this means.
(1) God’s decision was abrupt. The engagement … court hearing is you like … had ended. God’s mind was made up.
(2) No words were spoken. At least we don’t have any record of anything being said. It was not necessary because after God’s judgement pronounced (verses 14-19) and the cleansing of their sin (verse 21), with God saying:
Ge 3:22 “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
That was final!
(3) All that was needed was banishment … the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden. Naturally this would include Adam’s wife Eve. There are times in life where words have been spoken and only action is required. This was one of those situations.
(4) Banishment from the Garden of Eden was a huge thing. It was a beautiful place filled with plentiful food he did not cultivate or need to cultivate. It was luxury, secure and protected. That is a small picture of what his Father’s Paradise was like.
2) Banished to work the soil outside of the Garden:
Ge 3:23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
This verse had seen much commentary and debate. In the Garden Adam would live in, work and care for the Garden God had planted …
(i)
Ge 2:8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.
(ii)
Ge 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
This means part of Adam’s work would be farming. Also remember he was to care for the animal kingdoms as well.
(iii) Now that he is outside of the garden, he is to … work the ground from which he had been taken. There would be a difference here. The cultivated lands in the Garden existed. The uncultivated lands outside of the Garden would need hard work … with thorns and thistles … and the labor would be hard and the conditions harsh … food survival will be:
Ge 3:19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food.
(iv) However, exclusively farming would not be Adam’s lot. The term “work the ground” would include fending for himself and his family to meet their many needs.
(v) He would die outside the Garden. Should he not have sinned he would have lived forever in the Garden. Now he is outside of the Garden. He is on the soil from which God made him and on that soil where he shall die physically!
3) Prohibition from returning to the Garden of Eden.
Ge 3:24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
The first clause is a repetition in different words. What follows is important. Adam, his wife and his offspring would not be permitted to enter the Garden of Eden. God placed a cherubim blocking or preventing Adam from returning to the Garden. He was exiled!
(i) Cherubim are mention over sixty times in the NIV. They are created beings in God’s service. Our text does not indicate how many cherubim were stationed at the Garden but it seems to be more than one.
(ii) They had a:
Ge 3:24 flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
The Hebrews reads … “the flame of the sword that turns.” We do not know how long the cherubim were stationed at the Garden because we do not know how long God kept the Garden. What is important is that the revolving sword was a symbol of God’s wrath. Attempt to enter at your peril! This reminds us of the Holy of Holies where the High Priest alone could enter once a year with a Blood Offering to appease for his sin, that of his family and of all Israel. Should anyone enter that Holy Place they would die. We read:
Heb 9:5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.
It appears the Israelites knew what the cherubim looked like. Those crafted cherubim, looking over the atonement cover, where the ark contained the Law of God, protected the Holy Of Holies, because it was where God was present amongst His people. Life and pardon were where God was.
4) This leaves us with the question … how do we access the Tree of Life? The cherubim guarded … the way to the tree of life. There are two matters here.
(a) Adam knew God’s curse upon the serpent. He promised a Messiah in verse 15. That was his hope. He believed it and passed this down through word of mouth …
Ge 5:3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.
Etc.
(b) The Messiah has come! Jesus is Life. He has given to and will give to all who surrender to Him through faith, confessions of sin and live a repentant lifestyle under His Lordship and Reign. One of the great highlights about Genesis chapter three is that God promises us salvation. Our privilege and honor is that we stand on this side of Calvary with the full Bible. We know that redemption has been secured and that Eternal Life has been given … and will be given to all who were chosen before the creation of the World.
Father God, thank You that so early in the Bible we not only encounter the fall, we also encounter the way of salvation. Thank You that You made a way for us to return to You. Amen.