Free to Roam

In the beginning, God created the Earth.

In the beginning, the earth had two parts: Eden and the rest of the planet.

In the beginning, in the place called Eden, God planted a garden.

So, in the beginning, the geography of the earth had 3 parts, the garden, Eden, and the rest of the the planet.

In the beginning, man was placed into the garden and was free to roam about the garden. In the beginning he was free to leave the garden and roam the rest of Eden. In the beginning, he could roam past the border of Eden and roam about the rest of the planet.

In the beginning, when man met with God, he went into the garden, the only recorded place we have, where God and man met. I venture to say that the most intimate relationship ever between man and God, was in the garden. I venture to say that the most intimate fellowship ever between man and God, was in the garden. Before sin there was no separation.

Sin changed everything. Man was no longer free to roam about the garden. Man was ejected from the garden and was prevented from ever going back in by a flipping flaming sword and Cherubim that were placed in the East of the garden, toward the rising of the sun. He could not enter the garden, where he used to meet with God. The intimate relationship was lost. The intimate fellowship was lost. In fact Adam lived to be 930 years old...and we do not have recorded any further dialog between Adam and God.

Like the geography of the earth in the beginning, the tabernacle had three areas: the court, the holy place and the 'holiest of holiest'. Like the garden, God dwelt in the Holiest of Holiest. After the sin of Adam, Cherubim separated man from God in the garden. Cherubim separated man from God in the tabernacle. Cherubim (no mention of flaming sword) were embroidered on the veil that separated the holiest of holiest from the the holy place. Like the garden, the Cherubim on veil faced east, toward the rising of the sun. Man, no longer free to roam into the presence of God, could only enter on God's terms; one man, of God's choosing, once a year, not without blood. Cherubim on the veil served as a reminder to the priests of God's judgement in the original sin.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom... Matt 27:50-1

The veil was rent. No more reminder of God's judgement of the original sin. No more Cherubim separating man from God. Because of the death of Jesus, we can, once again, have an intimate relationship with God. We can, once again, have intimate fellowship with God.

We are free to roam.

I am the door: if any one enter in by me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out and shall find pasture.