I must admit that I am a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies. There is a scene in the first of the trilogy where Gandalf is on a narrow bridge about to fight a large underground demon. Gandalf stands right in the middle of the bridge and yells out, “you shall not pass!” to the creature. Every time I watch that scene I am reminded of an important Biblical truth.

In the book of Genesis we learn that God created absolutely everything ex nihilo, out of absolutely nothing. He created everything and said that is was good. It was not long after that mankind chose to rebel and commit as R.C. Sproul puts it “cosmic treason” against God. We need to remember that God would have been perfectly just if He had chosen to annihilate Adam and Eve right then and there but instead what we read of is God’s great mercy in giving Adam and Eve the very first gospel in Genesis 3:15.

Mankind has hope in the One who would crush the head of Satan. However, there is still a problem. Man has sinned and therefore cannot be in the presence of God. God’s perfect holiness demands separation from sinful humanity and this is precisely why the great hope of the Savior hinted at in that first gospel is so important. That being said, we then read in the Genesis account that God banishes Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden along with the curse of the Fall. While there is great horror in being separated from God and the results of the Fall, there is amazing hope in the One who would make all things right.

One of the things I find so amazing about the progressive revelation of Scripture is that absolutely everything in the Bible is about Jesus Christ. It all points to Him. Let me draw your attention to what God puts in place after Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden (which represented close communion with God). Recall that God placed cherubim at the entrance of the Garden holding flaming swords. (Gen. 3:24) Like in the movie The Lord of the Rings, these cherubim were a reminder that “you shall not pass”! Because of the Fall and the sin of man we cannot come near God because of His holiness and our sinfulness. Access to God has been blocked.

Now flash forward to the tabernacle. Moses was given explicit instructions on how to construct the tabernacle while he was on Mount Sinai receiving the Law. I’ve talked with many people who are excited about reading through the Bible and they make it through Genesis and then hit Exodus and halfway through Exodus they slow down because they become overwhelmed by all the detail in the tabernacle’s specifications. One thing that always helps is to realize that God is spending so much time on the intricacies of the tabernacle because of who it all points to – Jesus Christ.

As we read through the details of how the tabernacle is to be constructed, don’t miss the fact that cherubim show back up. In fact, God instructs that the thick curtain that separates the holy place from the holy of holies (where the ark of the covenant is kept) is to have cherubim embroidered all over it. In addition, the outer curtain that actually made up the entire tabernacle was also to have cherubim all over it. To those drawing near it was a constant reminder that there is a barrier between man and God and that barrier is a result of our sin. It would instantly remind all those who gazed on the tabernacle of the Genesis account of those cherubim holding the flaming swords blocking the way to the very place where intimate fellowship with God was a reality.

Likewise, once a year on the day of atonement only the High Priest was able to pass through the curtain into the Holy of Holies to make atonement for his own sins and the sins of the people. Immediately the High Priest was confronted with the ark of the covenant and as he sprinkled the blood on the propitiatory seat there would be two angels carved out of gold facing the seat. This was a constant reminder that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin. The fact that daily sacrifices and a constant yearly sacrifice was needed was clear evidence that these sacrifices were insufficient and that they pointed to the only sacrifice that would be sufficient and perfectly efficient – the sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

So in essence, what we see being presented over and over again through the Genesis account and also in the tabernacle is the announcement, “you shall not pass”. These cherubim were there as a reminder that the way is blocked. There is only one way to stand before God. Many today believe there are multiple ways to God but there is only one. Jesus Christ plainly stated that He is the way, the truth and the life. He did not say He is a way but the way. This is beautifully shown to us in the ending of the gospels.

All along the angels were there as a reminder that the way is blocked. It’s as if they constantly had their hands up with a resounding “no!”. But let us now witness a scene in Scripture where the angels are no longer blocking the way. Three days after the Lamb of God was nailed to the cross as the substitutionary, penal sacrifice we find several women coming to the tomb to anoint His body with oils and spices. They find the tomb with the large stone rolled out of the way and two angels appear to them. The glorious part of this scene is that the angels are no longer saying “you shall not pass”, they are now heralding that the way is now wide open through the risen Savior. The One that the women were seeking is not dead but alive! He has conquered death and sin and has rose victoriously for our justification! We can now come to God through the new and living way – through the veil of Christ’s flesh. (Heb. 10:19-20)

Let us marvel at the glorious truths of Scripture. May our hearts and minds be drawn upward where Christ is in the heavenly places. There is no greater news that can fall on human ears than the great gospel of Jesus Christ. The grace and love of God is shown most magnificently and fully at the cross. God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Rom. 5:8) If you have put your trust in Christ alone for your salvation then spend time thanking Him and meditating on these great truths.

If you are outside of Christ cry out to Him and ask Him to grant you true repentance and faith to escape the wrath to come. May the cherubim be a visual lesson to you that the way is blocked because of our sin and God’s wrath on our sin. There is only one way to be forgiven and have the righteousness required to stand before God and that is through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Rest on Him alone in faith! All who come to Him with a contrite heart and a broken spirit will not be cast out! In Christ it is always “you shall pass!”

Soli Deo Gloria!