Why did God banish Adam and Eve & station an angel at the Garden of Eden?

Two VERY VERY good questions!

Eve ate the forbidden fruit when told by god not to do it. Adam and eve were punished for their disobedience.

Isn’t it wonderful that the grace of God will meet us where we are, but will not leave us in the same state in which we were found? Let me ask it this way: What would it be like if we remained in our fallen state for all eternity? God told Adam and Eve they could eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which by the way, isn't necessarily an apple.

The story goes on to say the Serpent, who was Satan Himself, swayed Eve by appealing to her desires. God warned that if they should eat the fruit of this tree, in the same day they would die. Sure enough, this is what happened. At that moment, they died a spiritual death, thereby separated from God.

God in His mercy calls out to Adam, "Adam where are you?" God restores them spiritually, by sacrificing an animal. (Sin had to be paid for from the beginning. It's interesting to note that God was not satisfied with their attempt to cover their sin by making clothing out of fig leaves). Nevertheless, the physical effects and consequence of sin remained, thus the need for God to ban them from the garden.

This is one of the rare times we are given the privilege to read an account of a conversation that takes place between God the Father, and His Son Jesus: "God said, "The man has become like one of us, capable of knowing everything, ranging from good and evil. What if he now should reach out and take fruit from the Tree-of Life and eat, and live forever? Never - this cannot happen! So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of Life." (Genesis 3:22-24 The Message.) I believe, that this reveals that God is concerned for man because he knows that knowing the difference between good and evil doesn't mean we will always choose good.

Once Adam and Eve chose to sin, their physical bodies were corrupted, they immediately started to die -- along with everything else. All of creation was subject to death as a result of their choice (Wow! It makes me wonder what the lasting effects of my sin will be). If Adam and Eve did not obey and stay away from the tree of knowledge, why in the world would they stay away from the tree of life? How much more desirable is living forever? Isn't this what people are striving for today?

This brings me to my point and my understanding of God's choice. IF Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, surely they would have been tempted to eat from this tree of life. It must have been beautiful with fruit so luscious -- fruit that probably doesn't exist today. What would have been the result? They would have lived forever in their fallen state with no chance for physical redemption, no chance for a new Eden-a better Eden. They would live in a life filled with pain and heartbreak. It would be forever. Everything you are going though would be forever. God banned them to protect them because He loved them. He also loved the rest of his creation. So now, Adam had to tend to the ground because it was also corrupt. It would no longer yield the fruit and vegetables of its own accord. I believe you get the picture. Adam and Eve being banned from the Garden is the first time God show’s us how we should turn away from our sin. We need to admit our sin, ask God to place himself between you and your sin (ask for forgiveness), then turn away from it forever. Jesus Christ gave us a way to do just that!


.