Man of God...: Hope

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Hope

"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.' So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 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." -Genesis 3.22-24

Man is justly banished from Eden, receiving the consequences of his disobedience, he is driven out of the paradise of Eden, and must work the ground outside in the untamed world. Once man is out, God stations cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the path to the tree of life. Man will now die because of disobedience, but even in banishment and an armed guard, there is hope. God does not destroy the garden, and He does not cut down the tree of life.

Thousands of years later, Jesus would enter Jerusalem from the east. In another garden He would face the same temptation of Adam, and reject it choosing obedience to God. He would be nailed to a cross, becoming the tree of life, and in Him man can live forever. There are no cherubim guarding the cross, no flaming sword stands between man and the empty tomb.

God is a god of hope. He did not destroy the tree of life, just placed a guard before it until the price could be paid to access it again. Physical death is part of life, but in Christ, eternal life in paradise is freely given. We will struggle in this world, it has been damaged by sin, but the God of hope is bringing His creation to restoration. Man has access to the tree of life once again, and while he has the breath of life in his lungs, access will not be denied.

TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!

Peace be with you

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