God drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. Gen. 3:24
Driven from the garden, humanity was divorced from the presence of God. No longer daily, and intimately connected, the Tree of Life had to be guarded by angels and a firey word from God. This divorce decree sets up the plan of redemption. To restore back into the family those who had rebelled and been cast out.
The plan? Establish the law to be a “guardian” and “pedagogue” (Gal. 3:24)Â until the revealing of Jesus Messiah through whom we are redeemed by his grace (Rom. 3:24).