Grace in the Garden

“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.”—Genesis 3:22-24

The Fall is the single biggest catastrophe ever to plague humanity. We underestimate its effect on our daily lives, because we were born under its oppressive regime. Much like the Israelites born during the time of Egyptian slavery, we don’t know anything else. However, just like them, we know its oppressive nature and that not everything is as it should be.

It’s not until we come face to face with some overwhelming trial or some unspeakable tragedy that we start to grasp the Fall’s menacing dark shadow hovering over us, penetrating every single aspect of our humanity, clinging to our conscience, reminding us that suffering and death await each of us. The Fall introduced the terrible realities of sin, suffering and death. No one can escape its devastating effects. We may try and shield ourselves from the realities of the Fall by muting its voice with creaturely comforts and surrounding ourselves with myths and legends of social and psychological acceptability. But suffering and death are the unwelcome intruders into our pseudo-satisfied state that remind us we are prisoners to creation in bondage. All creation is tainted by the Fall—nothing is exempt.

Once Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, and the earthquake tsunami of God’s judgment broke forth upon the realm of current and future humanity, God acted. As the proverbial waters of judgment receded, God’s grace broke upon the scene like medical workers ready to help those harmed by their own act of devastation. God did something that only God could do—He drove them out of the Garden.

While such an act seems to be part and parcel of God’s judgment, it was actually one of God’s most gracious acts. For in the Garden were two trees, not one. The first tree was the tree of life and the second was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9). It was their eating of the second tree that brought about the Fall of humanity. But, once Adam and Eve ate of the tree, 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”—Genesis 3:22.

It was then that God drove them out of the Garden, but why did He do so? Because He didn’t want man to live eternally in the miserable state of life scarred by sin and suffering. To live for eternity in that state would be more horrific than we can imagine. And God would have none of it. Even in the Garden with our first parents His love and grace are evident. He made provision for them by driving them out of the Garden, to the east of Eden in order that Adam might work the ground from which he was taken. And to make sure that man didn’t invite some greater tragedy upon himself, God placed an angel, one of His cherubim, to guard the entrance with a flaming sword.

It’s amazing how gracious God is to us! He loves us more than we can fathom, and His grace to us extends throughout the corridors of time. Even at the beginning He was there, helping our first parents, making sure they were protected.

And He is still gracious to us today. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve. He has the full right to destroy us in a heartbeat, but He doesn’t. Instead He decided to lavish His grace upon us in and through Christ! He has provided a way of salvation through the person of His Son, enabling us to be freed from the devastating effects of sin. It is available to all people without exception (Galatians 3:28). One just needs to call upon Him in repentance and faith to be a beneficiary of it.

How about you? If you are a believer, know that God is even more gracious to you. His blessing is upon your life and He desires to bless you with more of Himself. He wants to communicate His presence to you, but will not do so without your participation. Will you call upon Him when you are in need of grace? Will you humble yourself and go to Him through His Word, worship, and prayer in order to meet with Him? Don’t wait; ask God for grace which has been made available through Jesus Christ, and God will give it, to the praise and honor of His great and glorious name. Amen.