- Although cherubs are often depicted in forms of art as chubby, child-faced creatures with wings, the Bible provides a more interesting and somewhat strange description of these beings. The book of Ezekiel in the Bible gives the best description of Cherubim. Ezekiel 10:20-21 states, "These were the living creatures I had seen beneath the God of Israel by the river Kebar, and I realized that they were cherubim. Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings was what looked like the hands of a man." Ezekiel 1:4-8 reads, "In appearance their form was that of a man, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had the hands of a man." Verse 10 states, "Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle."
- The Bible indicates that cherubs may have functioned as guardians and protectors since God stationed cherubim at the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:24 reads, "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." Scripture also seems to indicate that one of the functions of the cherubim was to bear God's throne and/or holy chariot. Psalms 80:1 states, "You, who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth." Ezekiel 1:24 reads, "When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army." In 2 Samuel 22:11, it reads, "And he rode upon a Cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind."
- Cherubs are associated with the ark of the covenant. Biblical scripture states that God spoke from between the cherubim on the ark of the covenant. In 2 Chronicles 5:7-8, it states, "And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto the place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above."
- According to the Bible, the likeness of cherubim were used in statues and other building constructs. Exodus: 26:1 states, "Moreover shalt thou make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them." Again in 2 Chronicles 3:10, the likeness of cherubims are being used. The passage reads, "And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold." Once again, the cherubim figure is mentioned as 2 Chronicles states, "And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon."
- The ranks of angels are organized into orders or choirs within a hierarchy. Although there remains some disagreement between the religious denominations over the hierarchy, it is usually accepted that there the highest order of angels consists of seraphim, cherubim and thrones, in that order. The are followed by the second hierarchy of dominions, virtues and powers. The third choir consists of principalities, archangels and angels. According to BeliefNet.com, cherubs are associated with intellect. They understand the requirements of salvation and have insight into the secrets of God.
- In artistic depictions, cherubs have been shown as having the head of a hawk or a man. They have also been associated with the sphinx and the griffin. It is uncertain how these associations developed or originated. According to Numbers 12:22, cherubim belong to an order of angels whose numbers are infinite. Jesus spoke of human beings marrying and stated that those who are worthy of the resurrection will no longer marry since they will become like the angels. Luke: 34 reads, "Neither can they die anymore for they are equal to the angels." This passage does not specifically state any particular order of angels and likely pertains to cherubim and all angels being immortal and either unable to or having no need to reproduce. The cherubim, like all order of angels, serve God in and praise him always.
