Genesis 3:22-24: "Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, 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." (ESV)
I am always amazed at how the Lord can take a scripture which I have read so many times and teach me something new. Upon reading these verses, I was confused as to why God did not want the man to eat of the tree of life. I thought it was possibly a punishment, just as pain in childbirth and having to work the ground for food are both punishments God gave to Adam and to Eve for eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is far from a punishment, however!
Adam and Eve, as well as all of mankind, deserve to eat of the tree of life. After doing a little research, I found that upon eating from it, Adam and Eve would have lived forever - forever in their sin; forever apart from God. Never would they be able to commune with him in Heaven or on Earth. They would have forever been bound up by their sin and would never have been able to be free. But Praise the Lord for his grace and mercy!
Thank you Lord that you did not allow Adam and Eve to remain in the garden and eat of the tree of life. Even in the midst of our failure, you give us grace. What a loving God you are!
Grace and peace.
Kelli
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