'Twas Grace that Kicked Them Out of Eden

In the Beginning God made all of Creation and it was "Good!"

How awesome of a story introduction is that?

God creates Adam and Eve and places them in Eden, Paradise.

Everything is perfect on a level that I cannot fathom.

And God walks with Adam and Eve through Eden in the cool of the day.

Perhaps one the most beautiful words in all of scripture is "naked" (Gen 2:25), because it describes humanity's entire reality. They were naked and fully known before God, naked and fully known to each other. Nothing was hidden, there was perfect intimacy. The same intimacy that the human heart now aches for; the echoing memory of Eden.

And then the Fall.

Humanity has a choice and we choose poorly. Adam and Eve eat the fruit. Sin enters into Creation. That which was perfect and good is now marred with the terrible stain of sin.

Then the Curse.

And then God kicks Adam and Eve out of Eden.

For a long time I thought it was because God was angry, that part of the curse was no longer being able to enjoy the garden and all of its goodness, now Adam has to labor for his food. But the passage just before God kicks them out of the garden (Gen 3:22-24) offers a different explanation.

Because the passage describes the second tree named in the garden. The first tree is the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and Adam and Eve have eaten from it. The second tree is the Tree of Life. Adam and Eve have not eaten from it. And this is God's reasoning for kicking them out of Eden. God says

"See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever"

God does not want Adam and Eve to live forever upon Earth. Upon this now fallen Earth. By denying them the fruit from the Tree of Life, by not preventing death, God is providing them a way out. Because now that they have sinned that would mean living forever in sin. Apart from God. There is a word for eternal separation from God

Hell

And by kicking Adam and Eve out of Eden God makes space for His Son, the Second Adam (Rom 5:14-15), to come provide a way to save Adam and Eve and all Humanity. Praise the Lord for His awesome grace, that He has not abandoned us here on Earth, but saved us from ourselves.