God’s Grace

Barred from Eden:

Genesis 3:3 – 6, 22- 24.

With the fall, Adam and Eve grasped at equality with God,  
Rather than remain in the Father/child relationship, they wanted equality with God. This would provide them with autonomy and they would be free from their dependence on God. They would no longer be subject to ‘The Father’s’ loving wisdom and boundaries. They were their own source of wisdom and their own judge.  They would also now become responsible to be their own provider for ever need they had.

It was for this reason they were put out of the presence of God. The Cherubim were set to guard the way back into the garden, back into the presence of a Holy God, because they had rejected their status as a beloved child, they were rejecting the authority of God as a loving Father. They no longer wanted to keep the status quo of the Father/child relationship. Having rejected the Father/child relationship, they now are left with a Holy God, one who must judge sin, and consume it.
Some people perceive this ban to be an act of anger; however, it is surely a revelation of great mercy and grace.  While Genesis states they were banned lest they continue to live forever in their sin ridden state, God barred them from His presence because His presence is the tree of life for us. 1 Corinthians 10:4, 1 Peter 2:8

A second reason is, because the ancient Hebrew people understood  ‘no one could see God’s face and live’ – it is why when Moses asked to see His glory – He could only see the backside of God.  Exodus 33: 20 -23

Since no flesh can stand before a Holy God without being consumed – then for their sake it was not safe to approach His Holy presence in an unclean state. We see that in the Old Testament, that the high priest’s cleansing rituals had to be performed, before he could enter the Holy of Holies, for fear of death.

Being banned from the presence of God, was a demonstration of Grace in action.

However, God hid Moses in the rock as He passed by to keep Him safe –
Jesus is our rock and because of the redemptive work of the cross, we who are born again are hidden in Him, so that we can approach a Holy God (Abba Father) with confidence, that we are acceptable in the beloved. Exodus 33:13 -22.