What Does the Bible Say About Cherubim?
Tracing Cherubim Throughout Scripture
Cherubim first appear in Genesis 3 when God places them east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life, and they go on to make appearances throughout the pages of Scripture. There were numerous representations of cherubim in the tabernacle and in the temple. Cherubim were given varied descriptions and mainly signified God’s presence, serving as a visible reminder of the majesty and glory of the Almighty God who reigns on his throne and abides with his people. Read commentary from Iain Duguid, Jay Sklar, Gary Millar, and Thomas Schreiner, who trace the appearances of cherubim through the Bible and help us understand who these figures are.
Cherubim in Genesis
He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
—Genesis 3:24
Adam and Eve’s sin has immediate and tragic consequences, as they are driven out of the garden. The entrance to the garden of Eden—and with it to the presence of God—is closed, guarded by cherubim, along with a flaming sword (Gen. 3:24). The cherubim are stationed on the east side of the garden because that is where the entrance is, as with the tabernacle. As composite creatures the cherubim sum up and unite the highest forms of all creation (cf. Ezek. 1:5; 10:15) and are the fearsome guardians assigned to guard (shamar) God’s holiness. They will not fail to protect the sanctity of the garden, as Adam has failed (Gen. 2:15). No longer will access into the presence of the Lord be easy and untroubled for humanity, as it once was. For now the doorway into the Most Holy Place has been firmly closed in their faces, and mankind is left to make its own way “east of the garden of Eden.”
Cherubim in Exodus
You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth. And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be. And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you. There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. . . . Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
—Exodus 25:17–22, Exodus 26:1
The ark of the covenant and its lid are described in Exodus 25. On top of the lid are two cherubim, celestial figures made of hammered gold and of one piece with the lid (Ex. 25:18–19).1 In terms of function, cherubim serve as guardians (Gen. 3:24), a metaphorical chariot on which the Lord rides (1 Chron. 28:18; Ps. 18:10), or divine attendants at his throne (2 Sam. 6:2; Pss. 80:1; 99:1; cf. the heavenly attendants around the throne in 1 Kings 22:19; Isa. 6:1–2).2 The latter fits the context here well since the tabernacle functions as the Lord’s palace-tent, making it natural to see the Most Holy Place as the Lord’s throne room, where he sits enthroned over the ark and surrounded by his heavenly attendants. In terms of form, we learn from Exodus that the cherubim are winged creatures with faces, presumably standing on each end of the lid as they stretch their wings over it (Ex. 25:20). Ezekiel goes into greater detail describing cherubim (Ezek. 1:5–11; 10:20–22), but whether all cherubim look exactly the same is unclear, making it difficult to know how much of Ezekiel’s description to read back into Exodus. (In fact, the cherubim in Ezekiel have four faces [Ezek. 1:5–6], whereas those here apparently have only one.) Whatever their exact form here, they are to be stationed at each end of the ark, facing one another with heads toward the mercy seat, either bowed in reverence3, or looking on as guards,4 or both (Ex. 25:18–20). Moreover, just as the cloud on Sinai prevents direct sight of the Lord (Ex. 24:16–17), the cherubim’s wings spread forward over the atonement lid, screening the place where the Lord will manifest his presence (Ex. 25:20, 22).
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The curtains are a combination of fine twined linen and colorful yarns (Ex. 26:1), materials elsewhere associated with royalty (cf. Ex. 25:4). Cherubim, the Lord’s heavenly attendants (cf. Ex. 25:18), are woven into them (Ex. 26:1). When the curtains are joined and spread over the frame, the view from inside would be remarkable. Any priest entering the Holy Place would be bathed in golden light as the lampstand’s seven lamps reflected off the golden table, the golden altar, and the golden frames along the northern and southern walls. Looking up, the priest would see the ornate tapestry, with cherubim “floating” above him. Similarly, as he looked forward, he would see cherubim floating before him on the veil in front of the Most Holy Place (Ex. 26:31). Clearly this is the palace-tent of the King of heaven.
On the other side of the veil is the Most Holy Place, approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) square. It contains the ark of the testimony with its atonement lid (vv. 33b–34) and serves as the Lord’s throne room within his royal palace-tent. The veil thus separates the rooms, its cherubim symbolically standing guard to prevent illicit entry.
Cherubim in 1 Kings
In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high . . . . He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house.
—1 Kings 6:23, 27
In 1 Kings the dimensions and construction of the temple are detailed—starting with the external designs and moving inward to the inner sanctuary. The structure of the temple, with concentric courts leading to the Most Holy Place in the center, conveys both that the holy God dwells at the center of the life of the nation and that there is a proper (and improper) way to approach him. In verse 23 the writer turns his attention to the “cherubim” within the house of Yahweh. A “cherub” is a winged creature often functioning as a throne-bearer in ancient Near Eastern iconography, usually to provide divine sanction for the king sitting on it. In Scripture, however, the cherubim do not hold up a throne as such. Instead, God is “enthroned on the cherubim” (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; Isa. 37:16; Pss. 80:1; 99:1). In other words, the cherubim represent God’s heavenly throne. This is why the ark itself has two such creatures facing inward on its lid (the “mercy seat”), where God arrives to meet his people, who are represented by Moses (cf. Ex. 25:10–22).
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Cherubim in Ezekiel
As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. . . . Then I looked, and behold, on the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire, in appearance like a throne.
—Ezekiel 1:4–11, Ezekiel 10:1
The Lord’s throne-chariot is drawn by four living creatures, which the prophet will later identify as cherubim (Ezek. 10:1; cf. Ps. 18:10). These extraordinary winged creatures with humanlike bodies have four faces each, that of a man, a lion (the highest of the wild animals), an ox (the highest domestic animal), and an eagle (the highest of the birds), symbolizing that they embody within themselves all the highest attributes of living creation.5 In Revelation 4:7 the heavenly throne is flanked by these four creatures separately. If the Lord’s attendants thus embody wisdom, strength, majesty, speed, and procreative power, how much more fully does he himself embody these attributes?6 The title “living creatures” points us back to the creation account in Genesis 1–3, reminding us that the God who created all things has the power and the right to destroy what he has made, just as a potter recycles a less-than-perfect pot (Jer. 18:2–6).
In Genesis 3 the cherubim appear as God’s heavenly bodyguards, whose task it is to protect God’s holiness. When the man and the woman are exiled from the garden of Eden, cherubim are appointed to bar the way back into God’s presence, preventing any intrusion of sinful mankind into the realm of God’s holiness (Gen. 3:24). Yet, as with exclusion from Eden, the Lord’s purpose is not merely the destruction of the fallen people he has made. The tree of life is not uprooted but protected for a different, more blessed future. So also is the theme of guarding God’s sanctity so that a holy God can dwell in the midst of his people, a key theme in Ezekiel’s ministry.
Here, however, the living creatures do not merely have a defensive character to them. They are described as being like torches or burning coals of fire (Ezek. 1:13). Lightning is flashing back and forth among them, and the creatures themselves are in rapid motion, like flashes of lightning. This is the threatening language of God’s judgment, here marshaled not against Israel’s enemies but against his own land and people.
Cherubim in Revelation
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
—Revelation 4:6–8
There are remarkable creatures guarding and surrounding the throne, again highlighting God’s awesome holiness. Perhaps these creatures “bear up the moveable throne of God.”7 There are four of these living creatures, with “eyes in front and behind.” John draws here on the vision of Ezekiel, who sees four living creatures (Ezek. 1:5) and later identifies them as cherubim (Ezek. 10:15, 20). These strange and wonderful creatures in Revelation, like the cherubim in Ezekiel, protect and surround God’s throne. In the OT, cherubim guarded the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). In the tabernacle and the temple, cherubim hovered over the mercy seat, symbolizing their guarding of God’s presence (Ex. 25:18–22; Num. 7:89; 1 Kings 6:23–28; 8:6, 7). Cherubim were also woven into the curtains of the tabernacle (Ex. 26:1; 36:8) and carved on the walls of the temple (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35; cf. Ezek. 41:18, 20, 25). The OT speaks of Yahweh being enthroned on cherubim (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chron. 13:6; Pss. 80:1; 99:1). In Ezekiel the cherubim play an important role as God’s presence leaves the temple because of Israel’s sin (Ezek. 10:1–22; 11:22). The cherubim were associated, as are the four living creatures, with God’s presence and throne. The “eyes” don’t signify omniscience, as only God is omniscient, but they show the four living creatures searching the entire creation, vigilantly watching over the world as God’s agents.
The four living creatures are described. The first is like a lion, the second is like an ox, the third has a face like a human being, and the fourth is like an eagle flying. The author uses similes here; the creatures aren’t identified as a lion, ox, human being, or eagle. Instead they share a likeness (homoion) with them. The creatures chosen are fascinating, for the lion is, as we say, “king of the beasts” (cf. Prov. 30:30); oxen are the most powerful domesticated animals; human beings are the crown of creation; and eagles are the most majestic birds (Job 39:27; Prov. 30:19). John clearly draws on Ezekiel’s vision of the cherubim (cf. Ezekiel 1; 10), though he doesn’t explicitly identify the four living creatures as cherubim. There is another difference with the account in Ezekiel, for in Ezekiel each of the four living creatures has four faces: the faces of a human being, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (Ezek. 1:10; 10:14). In Revelation the four living creatures do not have four faces. Instead, one has a face like a human being, another a face like a lion, another like an ox, and another like an eagle. John often tweaks the OT text he alludes to, though it is difficult to discern any significance to the change from the OT here. It seems the four living creatures are angelic, since they are described in terms of the cherubim in Ezekiel (cf. comment on Rev. 4:8), and thus seem to represent the highest order of angels. The representations of these creatures, then, are symbolic and should not be taken literally. These angelic living creatures represent all of creation, signifying the calling of all creatures everywhere to praise God. Nothing is more beautiful and satisfying than worshiping God before his throne.
Now the four living creatures are described in a way echoing the seraphim of Isaiah 6. This confirms the living creatures’ angelic identity, but it is difficult to determine whether the living creatures are cherubim or seraphim, since John draws on both Ezekiel and Isaiah in describing them. However, it is also possible that “seraphim” and “cherubim” are two names for the same angels, for we must confess we know very little about angelic ranks and categories (cf. Col. 1:16). In any case, the four living creatures, like the seraphim, have six wings. In Isaiah the seraphim cover their faces with two of their wings, cover their feet with two wings, and fly with the remaining two (Isa. 6:2). They cover their faces and feet because of the awesome holiness of God. They fly because they are devoted to God’s service, flying to carry out his will and directions. John draws on the cherubim again in saying they are full of eyes (cf. Ezek. 1:18; 10:12), denoting their vigilance in guarding God’s throne.
Though there are dimensions of the verse that elude our grasp, the most important element is the exclamation of the four living creatures, echoing the words of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:3. They proclaim that the God sitting on the throne is the thrice-holy one. The whole scene at the throne communicates God’s terrifying and beautiful holiness. He is utterly exalted above his creatures and is distinct from human beings. No one enters his presence lightly or casually, for he is Almighty God and, as we saw in Revelation 1:4 (cf. comment), he is the one who always reigned, the one who is reigning, and the one who will come and institute his kingdom forever.
Notes:
- The word translated “hammered” is rare and its meaning disputed, though it is different from the word used for “casting” metal (Ex. 25:12). It describes the lampstand also (vv. 31, 36), which, like the cherubim, is a complex object.
- While many versions translate the relevant Hebrew in these verses as “the Lord who sits enthroned on the cherubim,” the word “on” is not in the Hebrew, which could also be translated “the Lord who sits/dwells/ is enthroned among the cherubim,” that is, surrounded by his heavenly attendants (cf. IBHS 9.5.2f). The sense of “enthroned” is favored in light of Psalm 99:1, where it is parallel to “reign (as king).”
- Cf. how Moses “hid his face” before God’s presence (Ex. 3:6), as do the angelic beings attending the Lord in Isaiah’s vision (Isa. 6:2); U. Cassuto, Commentary on the Book of Exodus, trans. Israel Abrahams (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1967), 335.
- Cornelis Houtman, Exodus, vol. 3, trans. Johan Rebel and Sierd Woudstra, HCOT (Leuven: Peeters, 1999) 388.
- Cf. Moshe Greenberg, “Ezekiel’s Vision: Literary and Iconographic Aspects,” in History, Historiography and Interpretation: Studies in Biblical and Cuneiform Literature, ed. H. Tadmor and M. Weinfeld (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1983), 165. Similar winged composite creatures served as protective guardians in Babylonian temples.
- One reason why Israel’s worship left their deity without physical embodiment was the inherently reductive nature of all such representations. The idols may embody one aspect of divinity, but there is no earthly object that embodies the fullness of divinity—at least, that is, until the incarnation of the Son (cf. Col. 1:15–20).
- David E. Aune, Revelation 1–5, WBC (Dallas: Word, 1997), 297.
This article is by Iain M. Duguid, Jay Sklar, J. Gary Millar, and Thomas R. Schreiner and is adapted from the ESV Expository Commentary, Volumes 1, 3, 6, and 12.
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