What is the benefit of the expulsion as expressed by Archangel Michael keeping the door shut?
Keeping the door shut is good even though death ensues outside of the Garden. Death actually reflects the mercy of God for humanity. If God allowed Adam and Eve to remain in the Garden they would have lived eternally in a physical state. However, they would have been dead spiritually being separate from Him, His Life and Joy, in a state of sin. Sin in Orthodoxy means separation from God, from each other and within ourselves from who we are really. Adam and Eve die physically so that sin in humanity, or the continual separation from God, can die. Therefore, we have an opportunity to come back to God through the death of our fallen humanity on the Cross, being restored to our original humanity through the Resurrection. Body and soul will then live eternally in the Kingdom of God after the Second Coming. The door opens Jesus as the new Adam resurrects us spiritually, sanctifies our flesh and reestablishes fully our relationship with God. The righteous people (Moses, David, Abraham, Isaac,
