BONNIES CORNER ALL THE ANGELS IN THE BIBLE - LOCKYER THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS - SECTION II Chapter 6: Angels in the Old Testament Happy St. Patricks Day to you. B. Adam and Eve: Kept out of Eden by an Angel After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cerubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen.3:24) Probably no one has ever seriously read the story of our first parents - their creation, their first habitation, their fall from holiness and happiness through sin, and their expulsion from Paradise - without wanting to know more about those events. Happy for us that we have a large measure of information: and what we know not now, we shall know hereafter, perhaps from the lips of Adam and Eve, in the Paradise of God in heaven. The cherubim and flaming sword have been the subject of much inquiry. Great obscurity still remains in relaltion to them; partly, at least, because of the brevity of the account concerning them in the sacred history. Some consider Moses account as a kind of allegory or metaphorical representation of the banishment of man from paradise. Cherubim, however, as is generally agreed, denote a class of celestial living creatures - a kind of angelic beings, spirits of a superior order, immediate attendants on the throne of God, ready to execute his high commissions. Cherubim were thus stationed at the entrance of the garden of God - in an honorable office - for the benefit of Adam and Eve, even though because of their disobedience they were expelled. Milton represents the commission for this high office in these terms: Michael, this my behest have thou in charge; Take to thee from among the Cherubim Thy choice of flaming warriors, lest the fiend, Or in behalf of man, or to invade Vacant possession, some new trouble raise; Haste thee, and from the Praise of God, Without remorse drive out the sinful pair, From hallowed ground, th unholy - To send them forth, though sorrowing yet in peace: And on the east side of the garden place, Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbs, Cherubic watch, and of a sword the flame, Wide waving; all approach far off to fright, And guard all passage to the tree of life. (Paradise Lost, Book 11) Paradise, planted by God for man in innocence, was no longer a suitable place for fallen creatures. God designed that they should feel their helpless misery as the fruit of their transgression. By their criminal violation of Gods easy law, they had forfeited every expression of favour from their bountiful Creator. But the mercy of God, by the Mediator, preserved them from despair. Still, though grace reigned through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord, made known unto them in the promise and by sacrifices, they must suffer the loss of much of their enjoyment and depart from the garden. The continued sight of the tree of knowledge of good and evil might serve to aggravate their wretchedness; and constantly beholding the tree of life, they might be tempted to abandon faith in the promised Saviour, to cherish a groundless presumption and endeavor to secure immortality by by improper means, not ordained or approved by God. God cut off from them all hopes of re-entering paradise: but it is not said that the cherubim were placed to keep them from the tree of life forever. There is a higher, celestial garden, and a tree of immortal life to which even the Lord directed Adam to look. Our first parents, therefore, lived by faith in the word of the Lord, as all Christians have done; and to our delighted eyes, the New Testament discloses angels ministering without a flaming sword to those who are heirs of salvation, while our Lord invites us to rejoice in the words of grace and peace: To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7). They looking back, all th eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Wavd over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces throngd and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropt, but wipd them soon. The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wandring steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way. (Paradise Lost, Book 12)
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 11:50:34 +0000
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