'So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.'
In 'The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ' by Levi (p53) Jesus teaches us: "The ethers all became more dense and all the creatures of these planes were clothed with coarser garbs, the garbs of flesh, which men can see; and this coarser manifest, which men call physical appeared. And this is what is called the fall of man; but man fell not alone, for protoplast, and earth, and plant and beast were all included in the fall. The angels and the Cherubim fell not; their wills were ever strong, and so they held the ethers of their planes in harmony with God."
The Cherubims, or Angels in Heaven, have the Divine Fire of God flowing through their bodies which can manifest as a flaming sword. When we learn how to become Angels of Flaming Divine Fire we will also be able to spiritually travel the Strait and Narrow Way to Life Eternal and pass by the Angels who stand as sentinels.
Apocalypse Explained, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1757-9], tr. by John Whitehead [1911], at sacred-texts.com
277.
....[3] It shall now be shown merely that "cherubim" in the Word signify the guard and providence of the Lord that the higher heavens be not approached except from the good of love and charity, that lower things may be in order. This is plainly seen by the cherubim placed before the garden of Eden, when man was driven from it, which are thus described in Moses: When Jehovah God had driven out the man, He made to dwell on the east of Eden the cherubim, and the flame of a sword turning hither and thither, to guard the way of the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). What is meant by the "man" and "his wife" in these chapters may be seen explained in The Arcana Coelestia, namely, that "man" here means the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church; and the celestial is distinguished from the spiritual church in this, that the celestial church is in the good of love to the Lord, but the spiritual in the good of charity towards the neighbor (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 20-28). Of the men who constitute these two churches on the earth the two higher heavens are formed. When, therefore, the celestial church, which was the most ancient and primary church on this earth, declined and began to recede from the good of love, it is said that "cherubim were made to dwell on the east of Eden, and the flame of a sword turning hither and thither, to guard the way of the tree of life." The "east of Eden" signifies where the good of celestial love enters; "the flame of a sword turning hither and thither" signifies truth from that good, protecting; and "the tree of life" signifies the Divine that is from the Lord in the higher heavens, which is the good of love and charity and heavenly joy therefrom. From this it is clear that "cherubim" signify guards that these heavens be not approached except through the good of love and charity; for this reason they are also said "to guard the way of the tree of life." (That the "east" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 1250, 3708; that "Eden" signifies wisdom therefrom, n. 99, 100; that "sword" signifies truth combating against falsity and dispersing it, thus truth protecting, above, n. 73, 131; that "flame" signifies truth from celestial good, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3222, 6832, 9570; that "the tree of life" signifies the good of love from the Lord and the heavenly joy therefrom, see above, n. 109, 110)
Apocalypse Explained, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1757-9], tr. by John Whitehead [1911], at sacred-texts.com
277.
....[3] It shall now be shown merely that "cherubim" in the Word signify the guard and providence of the Lord that the higher heavens be not approached except from the good of love and charity, that lower things may be in order. This is plainly seen by the cherubim placed before the garden of Eden, when man was driven from it, which are thus described in Moses: When Jehovah God had driven out the man, He made to dwell on the east of Eden the cherubim, and the flame of a sword turning hither and thither, to guard the way of the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). What is meant by the "man" and "his wife" in these chapters may be seen explained in The Arcana Coelestia, namely, that "man" here means the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial church; and the celestial is distinguished from the spiritual church in this, that the celestial church is in the good of love to the Lord, but the spiritual in the good of charity towards the neighbor (see in the work on Heaven and Hell, n. 20-28). Of the men who constitute these two churches on the earth the two higher heavens are formed. When, therefore, the celestial church, which was the most ancient and primary church on this earth, declined and began to recede from the good of love, it is said that "cherubim were made to dwell on the east of Eden, and the flame of a sword turning hither and thither, to guard the way of the tree of life." The "east of Eden" signifies where the good of celestial love enters; "the flame of a sword turning hither and thither" signifies truth from that good, protecting; and "the tree of life" signifies the Divine that is from the Lord in the higher heavens, which is the good of love and charity and heavenly joy therefrom. From this it is clear that "cherubim" signify guards that these heavens be not approached except through the good of love and charity; for this reason they are also said "to guard the way of the tree of life." (That the "east" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 1250, 3708; that "Eden" signifies wisdom therefrom, n. 99, 100; that "sword" signifies truth combating against falsity and dispersing it, thus truth protecting, above, n. 73, 131; that "flame" signifies truth from celestial good, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3222, 6832, 9570; that "the tree of life" signifies the good of love from the Lord and the heavenly joy therefrom, see above, n. 109, 110)
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