Because Adam and Eve were now in a sinful state, God did not want them to eat from the Tree of Life, which would have put them in an eternal state of spiritual death; so God removed Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, and placed an angel there to protect Adam and Eve - by keeping them away from the tree...
(Genesis 3:22-24) Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
We can see that:
- angels are used to protect us
- angels can be used to block our paths
Personal experience: as I have mentioned already, I was a missionary in Puerto Rico, along with my parents, back in the early 80s. Three workers for the price of one. My two brothers were still in school.
In our first few weeks there, my dad decided to take the family for a drive - to see Old San Juan. Noticing a very cool looking (one-way-only) tunnel, and loving to explore, we were all on board for driving down that road and through the gate-of-sorts. This took us below the city fort-walls - and into a very dilapidated make-shift barrio.
Very suddenly, people knew we were there. We were getting looks! And it was clear to us that we were being considered intruders! We did not belong! There was a very strong sense that we needed to get out while we could!
There wasn't any GPS then, and even though we had a map - this particular area was not on it! As we drove along looking for a road that would take us out, we were praying for protection and guidance!!! Almost immediately, a man jumped out into the middle of the road. While everyone else's expressions were angry and suspicious, this man's face showed concern and sincerity. He urgently motioned for us to turn at a certain "street" and then to keep left - and there it was - the only gate out.
When we saw the mission director's family later that day, we recounted our adventures. Their mouths dropped. "You NEVER go below the wall. Police never go there. People who enter rarely ever make it out. And if they do, they are rarely alive."
We had all felt that this man who helped us could have been an angel; but after hearing the stern and urgent warning, we were most certain of it!
Today's takeaway: we do not have to fear anything! We need to trust God to sort things out for us. He will protect us in the way that He sees fit...
(Matthew 10:28-32) Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
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