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.
Numbers 22:23. While the view of this tremendous sword which no created power could take away, alarms the mind, and seems to forbid all approaches anymore to the garden of God, what a relief is it to the soul of the true believer in Jesus, when he contemplates it as removed, and never, never more to become a fence, since Jesus took it away by the sacrifice of himself. Reader! consult that scripture of the prophet, and behold this sword after sleeping for many ages, awaking at the voice of Jehovah, and sheathing itself in the heart of Jesus: by whose death he hath overcome death, and opened a new and living way by his blood, into the everlasting Paradise of God for all his people. Zechariah 13:7
REFLECTIONS
How dreadful is sin! and to what an awful state hath it reduced our nature! Oh! my brother, let us pray for grace, to flee from the first approaches of sin, and never let us, as our deluded parent, tamper with the temptations of the devil; but seek strength from above, to resist him, that he may flee from us.
I would beg to suggest one precious thought to the Reader's mind, from the difference of the sentence pronounced by the LORD God, upon the several transgressions. The Serpent is cursed, but Adam is not. The earth, indeed, is cursed, for his sake, and the whole creation doomed to groan, and travail together in pain, on his account. But, praises to the divine mercy, in the midst of all this train of evil, induced by sin, our first father is not cursed; but, though justly condemned, is yet promised mercy. And is not this the reason? He, who in after ages, should come, to do away sin, by the sacrifice of Himself, was to assume the nature of man. Hence, therefore, the nature is not cursed, for he saith, Destroy it not, there is a blessing in it.
Is there not a spiritual signification in the sentence pronounced upon our first mother, when it is said, In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children! What travailing pains can exceed the pains of a guilty conscience? What are the pangs to bring forth in a state of nature, compared with those which sinners feel, before their delivery into a state of grace? But what were the unequalled pains of the Lord Jesus, when He travailed for souls, in the garden and on the cross! Dearest Lord! didst thou, for me sustain the wrath of thy Father against sin? Oh! mayest thou see the travail of thy soul in my salvation, as well as in the salvation of all thy church and people, that thou mayest be satisfied.
One thought more, let me add, before we leave this precious chapter, which is suggested to the mind, in the foolish attempt of our first parents, after their transgression, to seek shelter from the Divine presence. Reader! may it be your mercy and mine also, upon all occasions of guilt, to seek a throne of grace, though both sin and conscience accuse; and not run away from mercy. May we never forget that there is One there, whom the Father heareth alway. Oh! may the blessed Spirit lead us to Our God in Christ, not in the flimsy covering of anything we call our own, by way of finding favour, like the fig-leaf righteousness of our poor parents, to conceal our shame; but clothed in the perfect robe of Jesus' righteousness typified by the coat of skins, that we may appeal comely, in His complete covering, and be accepted in the Beloved, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.