306. Verse 24 So He expelled the man, and away from the east towards the garden of Eden He caused the cherubim to dwell, and the flame of a sword turning itself this way and that to guard the way to the tree of life.^a 'Expelling the man' is divesting him completely of all will for good and of all understanding of truth, even to the point of his being separated from them, and ceasing to be a human being. 'Causing the cherubim to dwell away from the east' is to provide against the possibility of his entering into any arcanum of faith, for 'the east towards the garden of Eden' is the celestial from which intelligence flows. 'Cherubim' means the Lord's providing against this kind of person entering into things which are matters of faith. 'The flame of a sword turning itself this way and that 'means self-love together with its insane desires and derivative persuasions, which are such that he does indeed wish to enter in but is in fact led away from there towards bodily and earthly interests. And 'guarding the way to the tree of life^a' is guarding against the possibility of his profaning holy things.

Notes