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Meaning of the word cherub
cherub in the crossword dictionary
Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Dal Vladimir
cherub
the highest angelic rank accepted by our church. - mchik, caress, affectionate greetings to the child, angel. Cherubic wings. The Cherubic or church song begins with the words: Like the Cherubim. Cherubic incense, burning incense, after incense during the Cherubic service; they are credited with healing properties.
Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov
cherub
cherub, m. (from ancient Hebrew plural ka-rubim). In religious mythology - an angel of the highest rank (church). Before him is the messenger of heaven - a cherub. Lermontov,
Image, doll with wings, used. as a decoration or toy. Each gift (from the palm market) was decorated with a willow branch and a winged cherub. Leskov. Blush like a pussy willow cherub. Pushkin.
Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.
cherub
A, m. In Christianity: an angel belonging to one of the highest angelic faces2. As an X. whoever (beautiful, wonderful; outdated).
adj. cherubic, -aya, -oe.
New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.
cherub
An angel standing on one of the highest (after Seraphim) levels of the heavenly hierarchy (in religious mythology).
trans. A handsome young man or child.
Cherub (disambiguation)
- Cherubim are religious characters.
- Cherub is a series of spy novels for children by Robert Markmore.
- Cherubim is a television series produced in Russia.
- Cherub - book by Polina Dashkova.
Examples of the use of the word cherub in literature.
She turned around, addressing the rest of the troupe: the acrobat, the glover and Cherub, respectfully gathered behind her.
Cherub, or the leader of the angelic kingdom, is the spring or heart of his whole kingdom, and is created from all the powers from which his angels are created, and is the most powerful and brightest of all.
Don’t you think that my daughter, this lovely creature - my goodness, she would be a worthy wife cherub!
The ceiling in the front lobby was painted cherubs and other good spirits, illuminated by gas-discharge lamps in candelabra.
And Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it, and went into the house of the Lord, and Hezekiah unfolded it before the Lord, 15 and Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, The Lord God of Israel, who sitteth on Cherubim!
In short, the Kingdom of God is a civil kingdom, which consisted primarily in the obligation of the people of Israel to obey those laws that Moses brought to them from Mount Sinai and which, after Moses, the high priest, during the performance of his duties, communicated to the people with the words cherubs into the holy of holies.
Finally, the sacred Decretals that you see before you are inscribed by hand cherub.
But it seems that they stopped at the jubilant color of the orange and considered that we were talking about the inspired sun, in short, against the background of the white sky this dove was as if the morning star was rolling out a red-hot orange onto the sky of snow, more radiant cherub.
But the eyes of the seraphim saw the smokiness, That world was shrouded in nebula: There was a shade of issed green, Which Nature loved for the grave of Beauty, it lurked Around the architraves, dressed the cornice, And each Cherub that was sculptured, Looking from his marble dwellings, Looking earthly in the shadow of a deep niche.
In whose honor the hosts compose praise on golden-stringed harps cherubs young, And the trumpets of the seraphim echo them with their victorious peal, And the righteous with an enlightened gaze Sing Psalms and hymns in chorus from time immemorial.
The last thing Ezekiel saw was cherubs with outstretched wings, carrying the Glory of the Lord from the midst of the city.
Leonid Andreev, raised a scow flooded by whites from the bottom of Kalmius, helped fishermen catch anchovy and shemaya during the fishing season, went from house to house on Christmas days and sang anti-religious carols about the archangels, cherubs, priests and monks.
Cherubim, painted in gold among crosses, spirals, blue and red flowers, motionlessly looked at the guests, unprecedented before in the chambers of the royal brother-in-law.
At the door another ballroom dictator stood with a picture from a magazine, blushing like a palm tree. cherub, Tightened up, mute and motionless, And the stray traveler, Over-starched, impudent, When visiting, he aroused a smile with His caring posture, And the silently exchanged gaze was a common verdict on Him.
Just as the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and infects all the powers of the Father, as well as all the heavenly fruits and images, from where everything takes its ascent and in which the heavenly kingdom of joy consists, so it happens in the same image with action or power cherub, or the angel-throne, who acts in all his angels, just as the Son and the Holy Spirit - in all the powers of the Father, or as the sun - in all the powers of the stars.
The ethereal heavenly forces in the Christian tradition have their own complex hierarchy. It is best presented in the work of an unknown author “On the Heavenly Hierarchy” (created at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries). Its authorship has long been attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens and an outstanding theologian, whose memory is honored on October 16 (3). According to this hierarchy, the 9 ranks of angels are divided into three degrees, faces or “spheres” - on icons they are often depicted precisely as spheres. The first sphere includes: Seraphim - burning, flaming, fiery. Six-winged angels close to the throne of the Creator, glorifying Him, flaming with love for God and encouraging others to do so. Cherubim are intercessors, minds, disseminators of knowledge, outpouring of wisdom, four-winged and four-faced angels. They continually contemplate God and transmit to the world the wisdom they receive from Him. In the Orthodox service at the liturgy, the Cherubic hymn is sung: “Like the Cherubim secretly form and the Life-giving Trinity sings the Trisagion hymn...”. Thrones are “God-bearing”, on them the Lord sits as if on a throne and pronounces His Judgment. The second face of angels: Dominions - they instruct earthly rulers in matters of governance, teach them to control their feelings, and tame sinful passions. Powers work miracles, send down the grace of miracles and clairvoyance to the saints of God. Authorities - have the power to tame the power of the devil. The third face of angels: Principalities or Beginnings - govern the world and the elements of nature. Archangels are the leaders of angels and heavenly teachers. Angels are the closest to our world, the heralds of God, telling people about God’s intentions and instructing people on the path of a virtuous and holy life.
Seraphim
Seraphim - in the Jewish and Christian traditions the highest angelic rank, closest to God
According to various references from apocryphal and canonical sources, seraphim are angels standing around God. The first mention of seraphim in the Bible is in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Old Testament); they appear in his story about a strange vision before being called to the Jerusalem temple:
“The Seraphim stood around Him; each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And they called to each other and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Based on a passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Dionysius the Areopagite defines the seraphim as the first among the angelic ranks and connects their nature with a fiery, burning love for light and purity. In his essay “On the Heavenly Hierarchy,” he writes that the seraphim are in constant motion around the divine and illuminate everything around with heat from their speed and infinity of flight, are able to elevate and liken lower beings to themselves, igniting their hearts, and also purify them “like lightning.” and all-consuming fire." Their image is luminous and has an undisguised and inextinguishable quality.
Cherubim
Cherubim are winged celestial creatures mentioned in the Bible. In the biblical concept of heavenly beings, together with the seraphim, they are the closest to God. In Christianity, the second rank of angels, next after the seraphim.
In Genesis 3:24, a cherub armed with a “flaming sword” guards the entrance to the Garden of Eden. David describes the cherubim as God's vehicle: “he mounted the cherubim and flew” (Ps. 17:11); a frequent epithet of God in the Old Testament is “He who sits on the cherubim.” The prophet Ezekiel, predicting the fall of the king of Tyre, compares him to a cherub, whose clothes were decorated with sparkling precious stones, who was cast out of the Garden of Eden to the earth by God because he fell into the sin of pride (Ezekiel 28:11-19).
The Bible contains several different descriptions of cherubim. The cherubim in the Tabernacle and in the Temple each have one face (Exodus 25:20) and two wings (Exodus 25:20, 1 Kings 6:24, 27). The Prophet Ezekiel in his vision (Ezekiel 1:5) describes the cherubim somewhat differently: these are humanoid creatures with four wings (two raised up and touching each other, and two down and covering the body), four legs, similar to bulls, but sparkling, "like shining brass", four arms under each of the four wings and four faces: a man and a lion (on the right side), a bull and an eagle (on the left). See tetramorph for more details. Near each of them there is a wheel. The entire body of the cherubs, their backs, their arms, their wings, as well as their wheels, are all covered with eyes. The mode of transportation is walking and flying.
Angels
Angel (ancient Greek ἄγγελος, angelos - “messenger, messenger”), in Abrahamic religions - a spiritual, incorporeal being that communicates the will of God and has supernatural powers. Traditionally, an angel is depicted as an anthropomorphic creature with wings on its back.
Angels were usually depicted as fair-haired youths with wings (a symbol of freedom of spirit) wearing white linen clothes with gold belts. The habitat of angels is the heavens, which were created before the dense sky (Gen. 1.1, Gen. 1.8).
The power of Angels is bestowed by God. He determines for any Angel the abilities that the Angel will possess. Some abilities have been shown in many Christian tales:
- Be invisible to physical perception;
- The ability to fly in the spiritual;
- Ability to manifest in material:
- The ability to appear in the physical human body, the ability to influence the physical world;
- Vision through time, vision of both the face of the human soul and the thoughts of a person in the soul and in the gaze, the deepest thoughts of a person’s heart;
- The ability to destroy entire cities;
- The possibility of sinful choice exists for angels in Christianity, but is absent in Islam and Judaism;
Angels also include archangels.
You can learn more about the difference between seraphim, cherubim and angels from the video:
Cherubim and Seraphim, what is the difference?
- Seraphim (the meaning of this word according to some: flame, burning, and according to others exalted, noble) is one of the nine ranks of the heavenly hierarchy, closest to God, mentioned by the prophet. Isaiah in connection with his vision (Isaiah 11:2-6). In the vision of the prophet. Isaiah imagines the seraphim surrounding the throne of the Lord; they have a human image, but at the same time each of them has six wings: with two they cover their faces, as unworthy to look at the Lord of hosts, with two legs, as unworthy of the Lord looking at them, and with two they fly in order to tirelessly fulfill the heavenly commands of their King and Lord, and incessantly sing the song: “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! the whole earth is full of His glory! “And from the sound of their voice the foundations of the building shook and the temple was filled with smoke of incense. Therefore, the seraphim are not just spirits, but the highest spiritual beings, closest to God, as they are depicted in the heavenly hierarchy, occupying first place in the first person (see Dion. Areop. Heavenly Hierarch. ch. V-IX).
Cherub. The word cherub appears for the first time in the book. Genesis in the following words: “And (God) placed in the east of the Garden of Eden a cherubim with a flaming sword, after the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, to guard the way to the tree of life” (3:24). Then it speaks of cherubim during the construction of the Tabernacle during the time of the prophet Moses (Exodus 25:18-22) and during the creation of Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6:27, 8:6-7, 2 Chronicles 3:10-13). Their depiction in human form, but with wings, and the placement of these images in the Holy of Holies above the Ark of the Covenant and the atonement, with their faces bowed to it, allows us to see that they, as the highest spiritual beings, are awarded special closeness to God, standing before His throne , reverently serve Him, always ready to do His will, penetrating into the mysteries of our salvation (Ex 25:18-22, 1 Pet 1:12). In the Psalms of David (17:11, 79:2), Isaiah 37:15 and other saints. writers (1 Kings 4:4, 2 Kings 6:2, 22:11, 2 Kings 19:15, 1 Chronicles 13:6-8) the Lord appears to be seated on cherubim, which also shows their special closeness to God. Prophets Moses and Ezekiel and Evangel. John speaks of them as real beings, and they are placed together with the angels and among the angels (Ps 103:3-4, 17:11, 4:6-9, 5:11). Cherubim constitute a special, highest order in the heavenly hierarchy, distinct from angels (5:11-14, 7:11). They seem to be the intellectual forces closest to God, endowed by God with special perfections and having their own special ministry. Cherub guards the mysterious tree of life in the Garden of Eden. Cherubim overshadow the Ark of the Covenant and purgatory, penetrating the mysteries of salvation (Heb. 9:5). Cherubim surround the throne of the Almighty and the Lamb in heaven, and incessantly day and night they glorify His infinite perfections, not only in the great work of creation, but also in our redemption. In them is the fullness of the highest life and the highest reflection of the glory of God (4:6-8, Eze 28:14). In the heavenly hierarchy of Dionysius the Areopagite, they are placed next to the seraphim in the first rank, thus occupying second place among the nine ranks of angels. - In rank?
- Both belong to the highest hierarchy, Seraphim is higher than Cherubim.
- In the Christian system of angelic hierarchy, this is the first angelic rank.
Seraphim, 1st angelic rank
"The Seraphim stood around Him; each of them had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
And they called to each other and said: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of His glory!
(Isa. 6:2-
Cherubim - 2nd angelic rank
The name Cherub means great knowledge. Together they had twelve wings, as an indication of the sensory world, the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the passage of time determined by them, the image of cherubs has a symbolic meaning: the face is a symbol of the soul, the wings of service and the action of the forces rising on the left and right, and the lips are a hymn to glory in unceasing contemplation.
Clement of Alexandria. Stromata
Cherub means nothing less than complete wisdom. That is why the Cherubim are full of eyes: their back, head, wings, legs, chest are all filled with eyes, because wisdom looks everywhere, has an open eye everywhere.
John Chrysostom - the one who wrote knew, I didn’t see them…. so I can't help you
- The main angel in both power and authority is the archangel, Jesus Christ, also called Michael (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9). Seraphim, cherubim and angels obey him.
Seraphim are the retinue at the throne of God. Their responsibility is obviously to proclaim the holiness of God and to preserve the purity of God's people (Isaiah 6:13, 6,7).
Cherubim are also seen in the presence of God. By carrying or accompanying the throne of God, they support His majesty (Psalm 79:2; 98:1; Ezekiel 10:1,2).
Angels (meaning messengers) are representatives of God. They carry out God's will, whether it concerns the salvation of God's people or the destruction of sinners (Genesis 19:126).
Cherub is a winged creature that lives in the sky. In the Holy Scriptures you can find references to these creatures. Cherubim, along with seraphim, occupy the most honorable place in the hierarchy of angels - they are closest to God.
Mentions in the Old Testament
Anyone who has read the Book of Genesis remembers that it describes a cherub with a fiery sword who guards the entrance to Paradise. And David writes that these angels served as a kind of transport on which God moved. In many places in the Old Testament you can read that he sits on cherubim. The prophet Ezekiel also mentioned these creatures. Describing the fall of the ruler of Tire, he notes that he looks like a cherub, whose robe is strewn with shining precious stones. God expelled him from Paradise to earth because he became proud, thereby sinning. An unenviable fate befell him. Yes, it turns out that even a cherub angel can commit a sin. This makes him look like a man.
Ark of the Covenant, decorated with figures of cherubs
The first rank of angels - Seraphim
Seraphi we are in the Christian tradition the highest angelic rank, closest to God
SERAPHIM (Heb. seraphim, “flaming”, “fiery”) are mentioned only once in the Bible, Isaiah 6:1-6. The purpose of the seraphim in the hierarchy of heavenly angels is to exalt the praise of the holiness of God and to carry out the holy purposes of God on earth. They are the first participants in Divine bliss, the first to shine with the light of the magnificent Divine glory. God is Love, and the Seraphim, constantly tapping into this fiery Divine Love, are filled with the fire of Divinity above all other ranks. Seraphim - and the word itself means: fiery, fiery. Fiery burning Divine Love, by the unsearchableness of Its mercy, the immensity of Its condescension to all creatures, and otherwise to the human race, for the sake of which this Love humbled itself even to the cross and death, always leads the Seraphim into indescribable sacred awe, plunges them into...
HEAVENLY HIERARCHY
Archangels, Angels, Principalities, Thrones, Dominions, and Seraphim of the six-crested, and many-pure Cherubs of Divinity, wisdom of the organ, Power and Power of the Most Divine, Christ's prayer to grant our souls peace and great mercy.
The Word of God says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). By the name of heaven it is natural to understand spirits (Col. 1:16), that is, the spiritual invisible world, or Angels. The Holy Scriptures, from the book of Genesis to the Apocalypse, present us with Angels acting, fulfilling the commands of the Almighty and protecting pious people with their cover. The Holy Scripture tells about the power and willpower of the Angels; their fiery love for the Creator testifies to the purity and holiness of those standing at the Throne of God.
Angels are the heavenly army, according to what is said in the Gospel: “And suddenly a large heavenly army appeared with the angel, glorifying God and crying: glory in the highest...
The Orthodox Church, guided by the views of ancient church writers and Fathers of the Church, and in particular, the essay “On the Heavenly Hierarchy,” bearing the name of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, divides the angelic world into nine faces, or ranks, and these nine into three hierarchies, three ranks in each. The first hierarchy consists of those closest to God, namely: thrones, cherubim and seraphim. In the second, middle, hierarchy: power, domination, strength. In the third, closer to us: angels, archangels, principles (Orthodox Confession). We meet the counting of nine angelic faces in the “Apostolic Constitutions,” by St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, at St. Gregory the Theologian, at St. Chrysostom; later - at St. Gregory Dvoeslov, St. John of Damascus and others. These are the words of St. Gregory the Dvoeslov: “We accept the nine ranks of angels, because from the testimony of the word of God we know about angels, archangels, powers, authorities, principalities, dominions, thrones, cherubim and seraphim. Thus, almost testify to the existence of angels and archangels...
Angels, seraphim, cherubim
Angels
Depiction of St. John as an angel
Angels are commonly mentioned in Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious texts. Since angelology relates more to theology than to symbolology, we will limit ourselves to only some aspects of this problem. The word mal'achim (harbingers) used in the original Old Testament part of the Bible was translated into Greek as angeloi (Latin angeli) and was initially interpreted as a personification of the will of God, and then as members of the heavenly army, belonging to the City of God and being in relation to to each other in strict subordination according to numerous classes or ranks (cherubim, seraphim, thrones, dominions, principles, authorities, powers, archangels, angels). This plan for the arrangement of celestial services dates back to Dionysius (or Pseudo-Dionysius) the Areopagite (c. 500), it served as the basis for the creation and theological justification of the structure of the celestial spheres as the basis ...
The ethereal heavenly forces in the Christian tradition have their own complex hierarchy. It is best presented in the work of an unknown author “On the Heavenly Hierarchy” (created at the turn of the 5th-6th centuries).
Its authorship has long been attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens and an outstanding theologian, whose memory is honored on October 16 (3). According to this hierarchy, the 9 ranks of angels are divided into three degrees, faces or “spheres” - on icons they are often depicted precisely as spheres.
The first area includes:
Seraphim - burning, flaming, fiery. Six-winged angels close to the throne of the Creator, glorifying Him, flaming with love for God and encouraging others to do so.
Cherubim are intercessors, minds, disseminators of knowledge, outpouring of wisdom, four-winged and four-faced angels. They continually contemplate God and transmit to the world the wisdom they receive from Him. In Orthodox worship at the liturgy, the Cherubic hymn is sung: “Like the Cherubim secretly form the Life-giving Trinity...
Angelologia. Orthodox teaching about angels
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How to depict the incomprehensible?
“Angels, strictly speaking, are indescribable,” says art critic Archpriest Boris Mikhailov. — The language of Christian culture is the language of symbols. You and I are rational people and we are trying to understand the language of ancient symbols with the help of modern concepts, but this is almost impossible.” Nevertheless, angels are depicted on icons. Some - like beautiful young men, others - like winged, but not at all humanoid creatures. Ekaterina STEPANOVA, together with church art historians, looked into why the icon painters decided that angels looked exactly like this.
Heavenly hierarchy
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”—the Bible begins with these words. “Under the sky in the Bible, according to one interpretation, of course it is not our earthly sky, but the Higher Heaven,” explains Lyudmila Shchennikova, art historian, leading researcher at the Moscow Kremlin Museum. - This invisible Sky represents...
~ AquaMarinka ~ Higher Mind (118436) 8 years ago In Christianity, the host of angels is divided into three classes, or hierarchies, and each hierarchy, in turn, is divided into three faces. Here is the most common classification of angelic faces, which is attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite:
First hierarchy: seraphim, cherubim, thrones. Second hierarchy: domination, strength, power. Third hierarchy: principles, archangels, angels.
Seraphim belonging to the first hierarchy are absorbed in eternal love for the Lord and reverence for Him. They immediately surround His throne. Seraphim, as representatives of Divine Love, most often have red wings and sometimes hold lit candles in their hands. Cherubim know God and worship Him. They, as representatives of Divine Wisdom, are depicted in golden yellow and blue colors. Sometimes they have books in their hands. Thrones support the throne of God and express Divine Justice. They are often depicted in the robes of judges with a rod of power in...
What is the difference between a cherub and a seraphim?
Seraphim (from Hebrew - fiery) is an angel standing at the highest hierarchical level. These creatures are closest to God and have three pairs of wings. In the Christian tradition, seraphim are depicted in scarlet color, because... they are fiery spirits.
Famous Russian artists, such as Mikhail Vrubel and Viktor Vasnetsov, once presented to our court their vision of these fiery creatures. (The picture below shows the work of V. Vasnetsov)
Cherub is also an angel, but one step lower; it is the second most important angelic rank. Cherubim are also close to God, they are called “song-speaking spirits”, they have four wings, and on icons they are usually depicted in blue, azure color. Sometimes they can be depicted with two heads – a lion’s and a human’s. It is known that on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant there were two cherubim with outstretched wings. Descriptions of cherubs in Christian and Jewish traditions are quite accurate,...
The celebration of the Council of the Archangel Michael of God and other disembodied Heavenly Powers was established at the beginning of the 4th century at the Local Council of Laodicea, which took place several years before the First Ecumenical Council. The Council of Laodicea, by its 35th canon, condemned and rejected the heretical worship of angels as creators and rulers of the world and approved their Orthodox veneration. The holiday is celebrated in November - the ninth month from March (with which the year began in ancient times) - in accordance with the number of the 9 ranks of Angels. The eighth day of the month points to the future Council of all the Heavenly Powers on the day of the Last Judgment of God, which the holy fathers call the “eighth day,” for after this age, which runs in weeks of days, the “eighth day” will come, and then “the Son of Man will come in His Glory.” and all the holy angels with Him” (Matthew 25:31).
The Angelic ranks are divided into three hierarchies - highest, middle and lowest. Each hierarchy consists of three ranks. The highest hierarchy includes: Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones….
We are Cherubs (actually, Hebrew….
The Greek word “angelos”, which entered European languages, is a translation of the Hebrew “mal’ah” - messenger, messenger. Angels serve the one God, give him praise, and carry his will to the elements and people. In the most ancient books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch of Moses, the books of Kings, Chronicles) there are quite a lot of stories in which angels participate.
But if we re-read them carefully, we will be surprised to see that these legends do not give reason to believe that angels are always kind and beautiful. Depending on the will of the God who sent him, an angel can be equally benign or angry, and sometimes in his hand is not a flower, but a punishing sword.
The appearance of angels in these legends is not described at all, so it is not at all clear what they look like. An angel can take the form of a person - a wanderer, a companion, but what is his true appearance? This is far from the only question that remains unanswered.
The book of Genesis mentions angels and cherubs, but what are the differences between them? Angels were created by God or...
Cherubim are among the most mysterious creatures of the Divine hierarchy, since the Bible does not have a single description of these heavenly creatures. According to Christian tradition, among God's helpers they occupy second place after the seraphim.
In this article
Who are they
The word “cherubim” came into Russian from Hebrew, where it sounded like “kerubim” (“kruvim”). One of the meanings of this word is “like a young man.” Other researchers see consonance with the Greek word, which refers to griffins - winged creatures with the body of a lion, the head of an eagle and fiery eyes. Another version finds the roots of the name in the Assyrian language, where there is the word karibu - “blessing”. This is how cuneiform sources referred to the guardians of the world order, who looked like huge winged bulls.
At the very beginning of the Old Testament, a cherub with a fiery sword is described guarding the Garden of Eden. In the Psalter, King David mentions cherubim, who serve the Lord as flying creatures to move through the air. And God himself in the Bible is often called “He who sits on the cherubim.”
Cherub with a fiery sword
The book of the prophet Ezekiel writes about the king of Tire, comparing him in wisdom, beauty and greatness with a cherub. Judging by the description, the cherub is a supreme being from the Garden of Eden, whose clothing shines with precious stones. But the king of Tire fell into the sin of pride and lost his greatness.
Cherubim are given special attention in the description of the Ark of the Covenant, which was created under the direct orders of the Lord. The lid of the Ark was decorated with two figures cast in gold, installed opposite each other. The wings of the cherubs were open, as if protecting the sacred relic of the Jews.
The wise Israeli king Solomon ordered to make two huge cherubs from olive trees and cover them with gold. These statues reached five meters in height, and their wingspan was the same. The wings closed and formed a kind of protective cover for the sanctuary. In Solomon's Temple, images of cherubs were painted on walls, doors, curtains and bedspreads.
These images are mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel in his vision; there is a description of the cherubim, who had two faces: human and lion.
Second highest angelic rank
Cherubim occupy a high place in various religious traditions, which is quite natural. They originally appeared in Judaism, on the basis of which later Christianity arose.
In Judaism
According to Hebrew traditions, the Lord created cherubim on the third day, and they are still part of God’s inner circle. At the time of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, when Moses led his fellow tribesmen to the shores of the Red Sea, God flew to the aid of his people precisely on a cherub.
In the Jewish interpretation of Ecclesiastes (called midrash in Hebrew), cherubim are among the creatures through which the soul of a sleeping person communicates with the Creator. This interpretation also says that the Lord, sitting on a cherub, monitors events in the Universe. It is emphasized that the cherub does not belong to the material world and is itself a part of God.
Midrash Tadshe says that the images of two cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant represent two main divine qualities - mercy and justice.
In Christianity
In the era of early Christianity, theologians did not have a common opinion regarding cherubim. Many saw in them only a symbol that explains the actions of the Creator.
However, the theologian Clement of Alexandria, who lived in the 2nd–3rd centuries AD, classifies cherubim as “song-speaking spirits.” He deciphers the name cherub as “Great Knowledge” and gives a detailed description of these spirits. In particular, he writes that cherubs have 12 wings - this corresponds to the 12 signs of the Zodiac and symbolizes the passage of time.
In addition, the theologian writes that the face of these angels is a symbol of the soul, and the wings indicate actions in the name of the Almighty, and the lips symbolize high speeches praising the Lord.
In the 4th century, a stable view of this group of angels developed in the Christian religion. Archbishop John Chrysostom says that cherubim personify the wisdom of the Creator. Their images are filled with many eyes that are scattered throughout their body. This is the wisdom of the omnipresent and omniscient God.
The Byzantine monk Theodore the Studite classifies cherubim as the highest angels, closest to God.
In the theological treatise “On the Heavenly Hierarchy,” Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite called the cherubim the second highest angelic rank. The theologian especially pointed out the ability of these angels to know the Lord and contemplate his image in all its splendor. In addition, this work says that cherubim convey the highest wisdom and divine light to those beings who cannot communicate with the Lord directly.
Who are they calling now and what do they look like?
Currently, there is debate among believers regarding the nature of cherubim. There is an opinion that cherubim are not among the angels, but only carry out the orders of the Lord, that is, they act as messengers. Thus, cherubim are classified as heavenly couriers, unfairly depriving them of their angelic rank.
This interpretation looks like a simplified view of the structure of the Heavenly Kingdom, since the Creator uses different messengers for different assignments, and if the matter is important, it is unlikely to be entrusted to an ordinary angel. However, sometimes the highest angels act as ambassadors, for example, the Archangel Gabriel, who conveys the will of the Creator to the prophets.
The appearance of cherubs also gives rise to a lot of debate. There is a description of four creatures that the prophet Ezekiel met at the throne of Heaven: a lion, a bull, an eagle and a man. But after the story of the golden calf, which was worshiped by the Jews who had gone astray, God decided to create a special angel. The appearance of the cherub contains features of all four creatures.
There are other interpretations that depict these angels in their own way: four-winged creatures; wheels emitting bright fire; frightening creatures with numerous eyes. In some Hebrew sources there is a statement that a cherub is not a living creature, but a certain attribute that is used in worship.
Most likely, cherubs had the ability to transform, and therefore any description of them refers to their manifestation in the material world. Their true nature is not perceived by human eyes; only beings of the spiritual world can see it: other angels and the Creator himself.
Cherubs in art are the most common misinterpretation
Scenes from the life of the Heavenly Kingdom have always attracted the attention of Renaissance painters. Moreover, such talented artists as Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael received orders from church authorities to decorate churches.
Apparently, the memory of the courts of the Holy Inquisition forced artists to exercise extreme caution when addressing divine themes. Some simply relied on the recommendations of the priests, others tried to please the customer, offering blissful pictures that were pleasing to the eye. This is how cute angels appeared in the paintings, more like Roman cupids than real angels. Moreover, they were depicted not only on canvases, but also stained glass windows and frescoes were decorated with them, and sculptures of these innocent winged babies were made.
Cherubs
Many of these images have survived to this day and are considered masterpieces of world art. At the same time, museum visitors, looking at these young creatures, mistakenly call them cherubs. However, these characters are in no way connected with the true cherubim, who occupy the second most important place in the Lord’s circle.
In Renaissance painting, this winged youth was called putto (that is, “baby”), or putti in the plural. They were rarely placed in the center of paintings. Usually they played an auxiliary, decorative role in the main design. This framing was often done by students so that the master could direct all his efforts to the main idea. The image of putti itself arose at the intersection of ancient mythology and biblical stories.
Genuine cherubs rarely became the object of painters' creativity. In any case, there are no special paintings dedicated to these angels. They appeared only where the plot of the picture required it. For example, Raphael Santi in the painting “The Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel” depicted God carried by an eagle, a calf, a lion and an angel.
