To prevent sinful man from taking of the tree of life and eating to live forever, God had to drive the man out and sent him forth from the garden of Garden. God then 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.

Why would God stop man from the access to the tree of life – from eternal life? To understand this, we need to understand the reason as to why God  drove man out and kept him away from the tree of life.

The Bible states that God drove man out and sent him from the garden of Eden, so that he would not put forth his hand and take from the tree of life and eat and live forever. This is to establish the Salvation plan of God. Eternal life is a gift of God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8) which one receives when they believe in Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life (Revelation 22:14). It is by grace through faith (believing) that man  is saved and not by his own actions (works) (Ephesians 2:8) – not by man reaching out (putting forth his hand) and taking from God, but by God reaching forth for man. Man (and woman) put forth their hands and took from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and brought death with their action. Now if man (and woman) put forth their hands and take also from the tree of life and bring life with their action, then man would find no need for God, his creator, for whom man was created (Colossians 1:16).

Points to ponder:
We cannot earn our salvation. We are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works. Eternal life is the gift of God. Have you received this gift? In other words, have you believed in Jesus Christ? If you have not, tarry no further, but simply believe.

Genesis 3:22-24 (KJV)
22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 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.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.