…For behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken—yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, Cherubim, and a Flaming Sword which turned every way, to keep the Tree of Life— Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the Tree of Life, and eat and live forever [in his sins], the Lord God placed Cherubim and the Flaming Sword, that he should not partake of the fruit— And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent [through Jesus’ sacrifice], yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God. For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever, according to the word of God, having no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great plan of salvation would have been frustrated.
An angel with a sword of living and moving light (or fire) guarding a tree of life in the Garden of Eden calls to mind Moses and the burning bush found in Exodus 3:2-4. The elements of an angel with power, divine fire, and a bush or tree are all there. Although the bush that Moses saw was filled with living light, it was not consumed. During his earthly ministry, Jesus told his apostles that the burning bush that Moses saw indicated that God was a God of the living and not the dead.
And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
Who is the cherubim or the angel with a sword of divine light and power that guards the way of life and grants us an opportunity to repent? Who is the gatekeeper of heaven? Who spoke to Moses from the burning bush?
O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One [who is Jesus]. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel [who is Jesus]; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.
Jesus spoke from out of the burning bush as if it were the bush that spoke. Jesus guards the tree of life and is the tree of life. He is the gate of heaven. He is a flaming sword that postpones our eternal judgment. He grants us time and the means of repentance to grow and learn until we are ready to fully come into God’s presence and shine his love to others. Jesus is the power of resurrection who conquered death. Jesus is both the judge and the keeper of the resurrection. The holy tree calls to mind Jesus on the cross. It also calls to mind the tree of life in Lehi’s dream. Jesus is both the angel, the sword of fire, and the tree of life. In Alma 32 it states that we can plant the seed of faith in Jesus is our hearts. If we nourish it and don’t choke its growth with pride, it will grow into a tree of everlasting life filled with the divine light [or fire] of God’s pure love which is sweeter and brighter and purer than all else.
But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree [of Jesus] as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it [Jesus] shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit [which is the love of God] thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit [of Jesus and God’s love] even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree [of Jesus] to bring forth fruit unto you
The Kingdom of God and the Tree of Life are within the disciples of Jesus in a Zion community. The children of Christ are temples for his divine love that emanates through them. They are the body of Christ and will receive a glorious celestial resurrection [1 Corinthians 15:35-58] at the last day. We are God’s greatest treasures and his Saints are his Kingdom.
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within [or among] you [plural].
Hopes of Glory 