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NASB | Genesis 3:22 ¶ 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"-- |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 3:22 ¶ And the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), knowing [how to distinguish between] good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take from the tree of life as well, and eat [its fruit], and live [in this fallen, sinful condition] forever"-- |
Bible Question:
In the NIV it says this way: "And the Lord God said, the man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." My question is why did God disallow the man to take part on the tree of life and had live forever? I just wonder if God did allow it then man should have been restored. I appreciate anyone who'll kind enough to share his thought on this matter. God Bless! inheavenseyes |
Bible Answer: inheaveneyes, Your question has provoked me for a long time. I too was curious to the "what if," and I found this answer from David Guzik's commentary. It starts with Genesis 3:22 to 24. Thank you for helping me search for this answer. God bless (22-24) God sets cherubim to guard the Tree of Life a. Understanding the idea behind Behold, the man has become like one of us, to know good and evil is tough. Perhaps there is a note of sarcasm in God here (as Elijah used in 1 Kings 18:27) regarding Satan's empty promise to become like gods; or, perhaps the idea focuses on man's greater knowledge (though in a bad sense) now that he has the experiential knowledge of evil b. In mercy, God was protecting Adam and Eve from the horrible fate of having to live forever as sinners by prohibiting them from eating from the tree of life c. Did Adam and Eve want to stay in Eden? Perhaps they felt that if they left the garden, they might never see God again. It was the only place where they had met Him. d. Cherubim are always (Ezekiel 10, Isaiah 6, Revelation 4) are always associated with the presence and glory of God. When cherubim are represented of God. When cherubim are represented on earth (such as in the tabernacle, Exodus 25:10-22), they mark a meeting place with God. Though Adam and Eve and their descendants were prohibited from eating of the tree of life (by God's mercy), they could still come there to meet God. This was their "holy of holies" i. "Any angel of the lowest rank could have dealt with Adam. The flaming sword was pointed against Satan to keep him from destroying the way of access to the altar, which God had set up." (Barnhouse) e. God probably did not destroy the garden of Eden, but left it to the effects of the curse and it generally deteriorated from the its original condition, blending into the surrounding geography |