Cherubim & Seraphim

Author: Pastor Thomas G. Wilson
May 28, 2020
Genesis 3:24 KJV So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
 
Isaiah 6:1-4 KJV In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts:
the whole earth is full of his glory.
 
The meaning of the Hebrew word cherubim (one is a cherub, two or more are cherubim) is uncertain.  Cherubim/cherubs are angelic beings.  They are first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis as the guard at the east of the Garden of Eden to keep all away from the Tree of Life.  The cherubim are described as holding “…flaming swords which turned every way.” The prophet Ezekiel has a vivid vision of heaven (Ezek.10:1-22) where he sees many heavenly beings. His description of the cherubim is stunning!  They are beings with 4 wings, 4 faces, multiple eyes, and hands.  The sound of their wings could be heard from the temple to the outer courtyard and was said to be like the voice of God.  They seem to be concentrated around the throne of God, which could be why God instructed Moses to make two cherubim on either side of the Mercy seat over the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:18-22). 
 
The word seraphim (one seraph, two or more seraphim) means “burning ones” or nobles.  Seraphim are only fully described in the Bible on one occasion. This is in the book of the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah has a vision of heaven while he is being commissioned by God to be a prophet to Israel (Isaiah 6:1-7).  Seraphim have six wings, but they only use two of them for flying. They use wings to cover their face and feet.  They stand above the throne of God, which is most certainly why they cover their face (to not look directly on all His glory) and their feet (to revere the holiness of God’s presence).  They cry one to another “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts.”  The voice of the Seraphim has such force that it moves the posts of the door in the temple.
 
Seraphim and cherubim are symbols of might, swiftness, wisdom and holiness, which are not literal but metaphorical, used to represent the likeness of the glory of God.
 
For further reading: Ezek.1:4-14, 1 Kings 6:23-30
 

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