The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword

The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword: Protection for Man

God used the Cherubims and flaming sword to keep Adam and Eve  from eating of the tree of life while in an unregenerate state. Mankind would have been forever separated from the love and benefit of God.

• Genesis 3:24, “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.”

The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword: Their Significance

But God is also revealing his great salvation by using the Cherubims and flaming sword. What is their significance?
The flaming sword reveals the written and living Word of God.

• Hebrews 4:12-13, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

• Ephesians 6:17, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Jesus, the Son of God, is the Word of God that became flesh. The brilliance of the flaming sword reveals Jesus, the living Word of God, as the light of the world and the brightness of God’s glory.

• John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

• Hebrews 1:1-3, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”

The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword: Sword and Fire

God reveals Jesus, the living Word of God, and the written word of God, the Bible, by the sword and fire.

• Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

• Hebrew 12:28-29, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.

The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword: Mercy of God

The Cherubims represent the mercy of God which is always above the testimony.

• Exodus 25:22, “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.”

• II Samuel 6:2, “And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.”

• Numbers 7:89, “And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims; and he spake unto him.”

The Cherubims are not just allegories.  They are actual beings in heaven guarding the way to the mercy seat.

Revelation 4:6-9, “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.  And when the beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever.”

The cherubims are witnesses to the testimony and mercy of Jesus Christ.

• Romans 10:8-10, “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

It is the word that brings faith in Jesus Christ. And it is our acceptance of his redemptive work, (death on the cross and resurrection from the dead), and our confession, (testimony), of him that brings salvation, (mercy).

The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword: Great Reward

It is in the keeping of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus that brings great reward.

• Revelation 3:7-8, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works; behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”

The Fall of Man – Cherubims and Flaming Sword: Seek Jesus

The Lord Jesus Christ is continually revealing himself through the word of God so that he can reward us if we will only seek him with all our heart.

• Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

• Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

The only way past the Cherubims and the flaming sword to the tree of life is through the shed blood and mercy of Jesus Christ.  There is no other way.

Let us seek the Lord Jesus Christ with our whole heart that we may receive a full blessing from the Lord.

In Christ
J-me
Copyright 2009 J-me

The articles in this series are:

The Fall of Man – Two Special Trees: Part 1
The Fall of Man – The Garden of Eden: Part 2
The Fall of Man – Adam and the Command: Part 3
The Fall of Man – Earth and Names: Part 4
The Fall of Man – The Woman and Marriage: Part 5
The Fall of Man – The Serpent: Part 6
The Fall of Man – Sin: Part 7
The Fall of Man – Death: Part 8
The Fall of Man – Repentance: Part 9
The Fall of Man – Enmity Between Woman and Serpent: Part 10
The Fall of Man – The Curse of Man and Woman and Death: Part 11
The Fall of Man – The Covering for Sin: Part 12
The Fall of Man – Cherubims and the Flaming Sword: Part 13