Grace in the Garden

Were Adam and Eve sent to the Naughty Corner?

If you’ve been reading your Bible for a few years I’m sure you’ll nod along in agreement when I ask if you have ever read a passage many times and yet one day, a point just jumps out and smacks you in the face. That happened to me again recently. I don’t know the amount of times we have read Genesis. We’ve read it, copied selected passages, read a few commentaries and read other works that tie in with it.

I’ve always known that God showed great grace in the garden of Eden. But this passage blew me away when I read it. I rushed to share it with my children the next morning.

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.
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”– therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. 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.
Genesis 3: 21 – 24

I’ve always seen that God made the first sacrifice. Sin brings about death. We know that Adam and Eve deserved an instant death yet God slaughtered the substitute (which he provided) and covered the sinner’s shame. (Atonement)

But awhile ago, the Holy Spirit showed me something further of God’s grace. I’m sure it’s not new to you… and you might think it shouldn’t have been new for me having been a believer for over 20 years but this just slapped me in the face as I read it.

… 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“– therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden…

The world yearns for eternal life… and that promise is for the believer in Christ Jesus- those who have salvation by His name. But can you imagine eternity in that fallen, depraved state? Imagine eternity with no hope of deliverance, filled with sin, removed from right relationship with God? Ugh! So God sent them out from the garden. He didn’t banish them as a punishment (He’s not SuperNanny sending us to the Naughty Corner) rather He was extending grace and mercy to them again. Banishing them from the garden was an act of merciful grace – thereby preventing them from being sustained forever (in their depraved, fallen state) by the Tree of Life. God the Provider. God the Protector.

And that is my life story too. Fallen, wicked, depraved and sinful was I, till He drew me unto Himself. He revealed Himself to me, leaving me with little choice but to believe and repent. (I could have seen the revelation of Him and tried to run but He is patient and gentle and brings things about in His right time) He provided me with a covering cloak through the atoning work of Jesus Christ- a substitute on my behalf.

I could write more and more about God’s merciful grace… but I’d rather you read the chapter again and dig into it anew, looking for God’s merciful grace in the beginning. And when you find it, please share with me.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
~Jude 1:24-25