CHERUB – CHERUBIMS

 My intent is to give a more complete picture of the knowledge of heavenly beings. One day, Lord willing, we may get to go to be with these spiritual beings, and have a form even more glorious than theirs. Heaven is an unimaginably glorious place. The cherubim were not chubby naked babies like one sees in today’s pictures – there is no glory to that. The cherubim were obviously so magnificent in form that they were selected by God to decorate the various tabernacle items?

I have tried to understand the purpose of the cherub or cherubims in God’s creation, and it appears their original commission was to guard the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. The following verses with a brief introduction to each one will serve to show how and when the cherubims appear.  In order to fully understand these spiritual beings, we must totally erase Michael Angelo’s paintings and sculptures from our thinking.

 AFTER ADAM AND EVE WERE EXPELLED FROM THE GARDEN OF EDEN, CHERUBIMS WERE PLACED EASTWARD OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

Genesis 3:24—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.

TWO GOLD CHERUBIMS WERE IN THE TABERNACLE.

Exodus 25:18-20—And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.  19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.  20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

Exodus 37:7-9—And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; 8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.  9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT RESTED BENEATH THE WINGS OF CHERUBIMS

1 Kings 8:6-7—And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.  7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

2 Chronicles 5:7-8—And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:  8 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

Hebrews 9:5—And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

FIGURES OF CHERUBIMS WERE SEVERAL PLACES.

ON THE WALLS OF THE TABERNACLE

Exodus 26:1—Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Exodus 36:8—And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.

AND ON THE CURTAIN

Exodus 26:31—And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

Exodus 36:35—And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.

IN THE TEMPLE

1 Kings 6:23-29—And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.  24 And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.  25 And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size.  26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub.  27 And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house.  28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold. 29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.

2 Chronicles 3:10-13—And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold.  11 And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub.  12 And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub.  13 The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet and their faces were inward.

FIGURES OF CHERUBIMS WERE ON THE CURTAIN 2 Chronicles 3:14—And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.

ON THE WALLS 1 Kings 6:29-35—And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.  30 And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without.  31 And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.  32 The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.  33 So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.  34 And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.  35 And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

2 Chronicles 3:7—He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the walls.

ON THE LAVERS 1 Kings 7:29—And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work.

1 Kings 7:36—For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.

–Beth Johnson

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