- [Narrator] The cherubim are a group of celestial beings
created by God.
They're the first of the angelic hierarchy
to appear in the Bible
immediately following Adam and Eve's fall from grace.
Genesis three, records the events in the garden of Eden.
Having violated God's commandment,
not to partake of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil,
it would have been likely for Adam and Eve
to reach out their hands and
take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever.
As a result, they were forced to leave
their earthly paradise.
But what would have stopped Adam
from going back to the garden and disobeying God again?
The answer is given in this verse.
Genesis chapter three, verses 24, 25.
"Therefore the Lord God sent him forth
"from the garden of Eden
"to till the ground from which he was taken.
"So God drove out the man and he placed
"at the east of the garden of Eden, the cherubim,
"and a flaming sword which turned every way
"to keep and guard the way to the tree of life."
What a terrible situation would have been
if Adam had eaten of the tree of life,
and so have been perpetually established
in his fallen state.
God sent a contingent of glorious and trusted cherubim
to guard access to the tree to prevent that.
We don't know Adam's reaction
to witnessing those glorious cherub for the first time
in human history.
Perhaps awe, fright and wonder
are all emotions that come to mind.
In other sections of the Bible,
we're told that how people reacted to seeing angels.
Zechariah, for example, in Luke chapter one,
verses 11 through 13.
"Then to the right of the incense altar,
"an angel of the Lord appeared to him.
"Zechariah was troubled and overcome with fear.
"The angel said to him, don't be afraid, Zechariah,
"God has heard your prayer.
"Your wife Elizabeth will have a son
"and you will name him John."
Adam realized that his transgression had cut him off
from the company and presence of a Holy God.
Oddly enough, the next occurrence of the cherubim
in the Bible involves recovering what was lost.
Moses, in Exodus 25,
Moses was given specific and detailed instructions
on how to make articles of furniture
that would be used in the tabernacle.
The Ark of the covenant and the mercy seat
where God promised to meet and communicate with Moses
were the first to be detailed.
What did God want to go over
or on top of the mercy seat?
He chose representations of the cherubim in gold.
The following is God's intriguing description to Moses.
"Have them make an ark of acacia wood,
"two and a half cubits long,
"a cubit and a half wide and a cubit and a half high.
"Overlay with pure gold, both inside and out,
"and make a gold molding around it.
"Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them,
"to it's four feet
"with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
"Then make poles of Acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
"Insert the poles into the rings
"on the sides of the arch to carry it.
"The polls are to remain in the rings of this ark.
"They are not to be removed.
"Then put in the ark, the tablets of the covenant law
"which I will give you.
"Make an atonement cover of pure gold,
"two and a half cubits long,
"and a cubit and a half wide.
"And make two cherubim out of hammered gold
"at the ends of the cover.
"Make one cherub on one end
"and the second cherub on the other.
"Make the cherubim of one piece
"with the cover at the two ends.
"The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward,
"overshadowing the cover with them.
"The cherubim are to face each other,
"looking toward the cover.
"Place the cover on top of the ark
"and put in the ark, the tablets of the covenant law
"that I will give you.
"Therefore above the cover between the two cherubim
"that are over the ark of the covenant law,
"I will meet with you and give you all my commandments
"for the Israelites.
"Make a table of acacia wood,
"two cubits long, a cubit wide,
"and a cubit and a half high."
Exodus chapter 25 verses 10 through 23.
What an awesome site that must have been.
The cherubim associated with the very presence of God.
From those two sources in the Bible,
it appears as though the cherubim's major responsibility
may be to declare man's sinfulness
and protect the presence of God from sinful man.
As much as Adam yearn to return to the garden of Eden,
the cherubim reminded him that he had broken God's law.
The high priest of Israel would be allowed
into the Holy of Holies once a year
to gaze upon the mercy seat.
I'm sure he must have felt on each occasion.
I don't belong here in the holy presence of God
for I am a sinner.
Cherubim are real and powerful beings.
However, the cherubim and the Bible
were often representative of heavenly things.
They were integrated into the design
of the Ark of the covenant
and the tabernacle of God's command.
Ezekiel chapter 10 verses eight through 14.
"Beneath their wings, the cherubim seemed to have something
"in the form of a man's hand.
"Then I looked and behold there were four wheels
"beside the cherubim.
"One wheel beside one cherub
"and another wheel beside each other cherub.
"And the appearance of the wheels
"was like a sparkling Tarshish stone, beryl.
"As for their appearance, all four looked alike
"as if one wheel were within another wheel.
"When they moved, they went in any of their four directions
"without turning as they went,
"but they followed in the direction which they faced
"without turning as they went.
"Their whole body, their backs, their hands, their wings,
"and the wheels were full of eyes all around.
"Even the wheels belonging to all four of them
"regarding the wheels attached to them,
"I heard them calling,
"the whirling rolling revolving wheels,
"and each one had four phases.
"The first phase was the face of the cherub,
"the second, the face of a man,
"the third, the face of a lion,
"and the fourth, the face of an Eagle."
The cherubim are shown in Ezekiel 10
is having not only wings and hands,
but also being full of eyes,
encompassed by wheels within wheels.
However Ezekiel will also paint a gloomy tone in chapter 10
and the cherubim provide the hint.
The prophet presents his vision,
that prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem.
In Ezekiel nine three,
the Lord has descended from his throne
above the cherubim to the threshold of the temple.
While in 10:1, he returns again to take a seat above them
in the calm before the storm,
we see the cherubim
stationed on the south side of the sanctuary.
Being stationed in position toward the city,
they witnessed the beginning of the gradual withdrawal
of God's glory from Jerusalem.
The fluttering of their wings
indicates immensely important events to follow.
Chapter 10, verse five.
Then the cherubim rise up in preparation for the departure.
While Ezekiel 10 is difficult to understand,
one point comes across clearly,
the cherubim are associated with God's splendor.
This chapter is one of the Bible's most cryptic
and yet evocative passages about God's grandeur.
And it involves angelic beings.
It should be read with care and a prayer.
Few other chapters in the Bible give the reader
a feeling of God's greatness and glory.
While the seraphim and cherubim
are members of distinct hierarchies
and are shrouded in mystery in the Bible,
they have one thing in common, they constantly glorify God.
But as wonderful as angelic and heavenly beings are,
they pale in comparison to our heavenly Lamb,
the Lord of glory,
before whom all powers in heaven and on earth bow
in holy worship and breathless adoration.
For the choirmaster
to the tune of the lilies of the covenant.
A Psalm of Asaph.
Hear us, O shepherd of Israel
who leads Joseph like a flock.
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth
Psalms chapter 80 verse one.
"The Lord reigns let the nations tremble.
"He sits in throne between the cherubim,
"let the earth shake."
Psalms chapter 99, verse one.
God's glory will not be denied
and every heavenly being gives silent
or vocal testimony to the splendor of God.
In the tabernacle, in the wilderness
designs representing the guardian cherubim
formed a part of the mercy seat and were made of gold.
Exodus chapter 25 verse 18.
The cherubim did more than protect God's holy place
from those who had no right to be there.
They also assured the high priest's
right to enter the holy place
with blood as the people's mediator of God.
He and he alone was allowed to enter
into the inner sanctuary of the Lord.
By right of redemption
and in accordance with the status of believers,
each true child of God now has a straightforward access
as a believer priests to the presence of God through Jesus.
Cherubim will not refuse
the humblest Christian access to the throne.
The assurance that we can come boldly
because of Christ's work on the cross.
The veil in the temple has been rent.
As Paul said, "ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
"but fellow citizens with the saints
"and of the household of God."
Ephesians chapter two verse 19.
Further Peter assures, "ye are a chosen generation,
"a Royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.
"That you should show forth the praises of him
"who have called you out of darkness
"into his marvelous light."
First Peter chapter two, verse nine.
The inner sanctuary of God's throne
is always open to those who have repented of sin
and trusted Christ as savior.
The Morningstar.
The book of Isaiah 14 introduces us to a being
known as Lucifer.
Lucifer literally means the one who delivers light in Latin.
The word is translated as dawn star in Hebrew.
Lucifer was depicted as a brilliant shining
and wonderful deity in all languages.
He was in charge of the religious services.
He was the cherub who covered the place
where God's present was manifested.
He was in charge of the music.
He was a talented artist.
He has a lot of experience.
After that, he rebelled and fell.
Lucifer, however, committed a major error at sometime.
He grew so captivated with his own splendor
that he attempted to equalize himself with God
and rebelled against his creator.
Ezekiel chapter 28, verses 14 through 16 NKJV.
"You are the anointed cherub who covers.
"I established you.
"You were on the holy mountain of God.
"You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
"You were perfect in your ways
"from the day you were created,
"till iniquity was found in you.
"By the abundance of your trading,
"you became filled with violence within and you sinned,
"therefore I cast you as a profane thing
"out of the mountain of God.
"And I destroyed you, O covering cherub
"from the midst of the fiery stones."
Let's take a moment to look at a fascinating term
that arises in this passage.
In Hebrew it signifies to go up and down as a talebearer,
as an agitator with hidden underhanded agitation.
It's now known as campaigning or lobbying.
Let's take a look at some of the ways
the word trading is used
to see how accurate its definition is.
"Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer
"among thy people,
"neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor.
"I am the Lord."
Leviticus chapter 19 verse 16.
This verse defines a slanderer,
someone who makes false allegations and insinuations.
The same word appears again in Proverbs 11,
the exact word is utilized again.
A talebearer reveals secrets,
but he who is a faithful spirit conceals a matter.
Returning to Isaiah,
the reason for Lucifer's rebellion is revealed.
How art thou fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer son of the morning.
How art thou fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer son of the morning.
How art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations.
Isaiah chapter 14, verse 12.
In the next two verses the word I will appears five times.
It exemplifies his violation
in opposition to God's will.
Isaiah chapter 14, verses 13 and 14, KJV.
"For thou has said in nine heart,
"I will ascend into heaven.
"I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.
"I will sit also upon the Mount of the congregation
"in the sides of the north.
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
"I will be like the Most High."
Lucifer's desire was to reach God's level of equality.
He imagined himself to be so intelligent,
attractive and majestic
that he thought to himself, "I could be God."
According to scripture,
Lucifer tarnished the loyalty of one third of God's angels
and pulled them into his rebellion and fall.
God responded by saying,
"yet thou shalt be brought down to hell
"to the sides of the pit."
Isaiah chapter 14, verse 15, KJV.
Lucifer's pride.
We can see exactly what led to Lucifer's demise
in his Ezekiel 28.
"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty.
"You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor."
Ezekiel chapter 28, verse 17.
What was Lucifer's initial motivation?
What was the first transgression?
Pride, for this reason,
the first recorded sin was made by him.
The first sin took place in heaven and not on earth.
It wasn't drunkenness, it wasn't infidelity.
It wasn't even lying, it was pride.
And it still remains the most deadly of all sins.
The angel Lucifer was so beautiful, he became proud.
Ezekiel chapter 28, verse 18.
"By the multitude of your iniquities
"and the dishonesty of your trading,
"you have profaned your sanctuaries.
"So I made fire come from within you and it consumed you.
"I reduced you to ashes on the ground
"in the eyes of all who saw you."
From the Bible it appears as though
the cherubim's major responsibility
may be to declare man's sinfulness
and protect the presence of God from sinful men.
However, the kingdom of heaven fights of evil.
Click here to watch
the biblical story of Archangel, Michael.