Anyone who ever studied the lives of Adam and Eve would never think them as cave dwellers-ignorant of fire, nature, and death. The argument in fact which deceived Eve was one of extreme understanding, reasoning, and intelligence. The “cave man” theory is at the other end of the universe to what in fact were the abilities and understanding capabilities of this first of mankind. Modern scientific thought has to berate the first of our kind to get in their false theory of evolution for each evolving creature has to be an improvement over the preceding “kind” they represent.
When God served Adam and Eve with their “eviction notice” it is mentioned that Adam had not been made with the dirt of Eden, he had been made by that which was outside of the garden. To this he would have to return. Genesis 3:23 It is not said God did not prevent them from coming in and out of the Garden, He only set Cherubims at the east of the Garden of Eden with flaming swords to “keep the way of the tree of life.” (A man’s homestead has to be pretty large when described as east and west!!) The word actually means “a part of” so there were parts of Eden man could still frequent. Man could still live on the Earth but not be privileged to fellowship with God, that had ended until a sacrifice was offered that would “shield man” from God’s presence. Herein is another way the lives of Adam and Eve affected all of mankind-Adam, man would have to work to feed himself and his. Adam had lost the position, image, and place as the greatest being on Earth as he alone had had it. Later, the second Adam would again be given “all authority in heaven and earth” for the first Adam the Earth could command and control. A part of the image God had given them was now gone and would not return until Christ, having been given ALL AUTHORITY in Heaven and Earth would send His CHURCH, bride, family “into ALL THE WORLD” with power over ALL NATIONS, teaching the good news of salvation to “whosoever will.” Like Christ, Adam did not come from the land whence He was when He came to this Earth.
God “drove out the man.” Remember the word translated “garden” actually meant “fenced in area,” the place of protection. The word “drove” is the first word time the word for divorce, expatriate, expel is used. We think it many times means just to remove. It carries with it much more. Not a very friendly gesture as is translated. Man has NEVER fully understood (and that might be by design on his part) the way God feels about sin. He does not “pat it on the head” and let it go, there has to be SOMETHING OR SOMEONE who will pay God to get back into His good favor!! It is truly said: “sin separates man from God, Isaiah 59:1-2, and that fellowship was not ended on the terms that MAN DICTATED!! It is interesting today how most think they make the move toward God to restore the relationship they had with Him AT BIRTH. They will tell you how they finally gave in, they finally called on the Lord, and they finally had to make the move back to the God from whom they had rebelled. “It is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to mercy He has saved us; by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5 There is NOTHING MAN CAN DO unless instructed by God , THEN allowed the opportunity to obey what God has demanded, and finally given a “pledge” of acceptance that what he has done WILL in fact please God!! The “tree of life” was IN the “fenced in area”-congregation that has/had/continues to have LIFE—the Lord’s Supper celebrated each week. God just refuses to fellowship those that intend to sin!! Notice: the WAY was cut off and guarded. Jesus would teach us that He was THE WAY, the truth, and the life.” John 14:1-6 IF GOD FELLOWSHIPS YOU IT WILL BE IN HIS CHURCH!!
Here, then is the story. Man sinned. When man sins, he is divorced from God. The terms of separation are sin. If there is no sin, there is and CANNOT BE a divorce. When divorced, man is given a WAY back to the Father, back to His interrupted transmutation. His lodging is where the “tree of life” is celebrated. He MUST enter that path on terms demanded by the Father; else he will be separated from God. The blessings of Heaven have been forfeited because of sin. Even if man tries to reach God by the “knock, plead, pray, and, and weep” methods of men, God stands with His angels with the message “from Heaven.” These angels have a FLAMING SWORD, an enchanting, drawing, message which cuts like a sword to rid man of his desire to sin!!