What is the significance of the cherubim in Exodus 36:35? Text “He made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.” – Exodus 36:35 Earliest Canonical Appearance Genesis 3:24: “He drove out the man and placed cherubim…to guard the way to the tree of life.” Their first task is to secure the boundary between a holy God and sinful humanity. This sets the pattern: whenever cherubim appear, a demarcation line around divine presence is in view. Architectural Context of Exodus 36:35 • The veil described here closes off the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies) from the Holy Place. • It mirrors Exodus 26:31-33, but 36:35 records the actual construction, confirming earlier instructions—textual unity evidenced in both Masoretic and Dead Sea Scroll witnesses (4QExod). • Materials (blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen) evoke heavens, royalty, sacrifice, and purity. • “Skillfully worked” translates ḥōšēb, lit. “artist-weaver,” indicating raised embroidery so the cherubim stand out in relief—three-dimensional reminders to priest and people. Tabernacle Theology 1. Throne Guardianship: In the Ancient Near East, thrones of human kings were flanked by composite creatures (e.g., lamassu of Assyria). The tabernacle curtain adapts the form but rejects idolatry; Yahweh is enthroned invisibly “between the cherubim” (1 Samuel 4:4; Psalm 80:1). 2. Heavenly Pattern: Exodus 25:40 says the entire sanctuary follows a heavenly archetype. Later visionaries (Ezekiel 1; Revelation 4) see cherubim around God’s throne, confirming that the embroidered veil reflects celestial reality, not myth. 3. Boundary Marker: Only the high priest may pass the veil, and only once yearly with sacrificial blood (Leviticus 16). The cherubim enforce that rule visually. Canonical Survey of Cherubim • Exodus 25:18-22 – Solid-gold cherubim on the mercy seat. • 1 Kings 6:23-28 – Two 15-foot wooden cherubim overlaid with gold inside Solomon’s temple. • Ezekiel 10 – Cherubim as living wheels-within-wheels who bear the glory as it departs Jerusalem. • Revelation 4:6-9 – Four living creatures full of eyes, singing “Holy, holy, holy,” echoing Isaiah 6. Theological Significance A. Holiness and Separation The veil gives a vivid, daily reminder of mankind’s Edenic exile. The cherubim’s woven wings symbolically forbid casual entry, preserving the transcendence of the Creator. B. Mercy through Mediated Access Blood sprinkled before the cherubim on the mercy seat speaks of atonement provided by God Himself (Leviticus 16:14-15). The embroidered guardians are therefore not only sentinels but silent witnesses that mercy triumphs over judgment when blood is applied. C. Cosmic Order by Design Fine-tuned symmetry in the tabernacle’s dimensions (multiples of five and ten) parallels mathematically precise constants in creation. The cherubim motifs reinforce a universe intentionally ordered—consistent with intelligent design studies that highlight irreducible complexity in biological systems and anthropic fine-tuning in cosmology. Christological Fulfillment • Matthew 27:51: “At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” The tear begins with God, not man, announcing that the cherubim’s guarding role is fulfilled in the atoning death of Christ. • Hebrews 9:11-12: Christ “entered the greater and more perfect tabernacle…not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood.” The embroidered guardians now stand open-winged to welcome those united to the resurrected Messiah. • 1 Peter 3:18: “Christ also suffered once for sins…the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God.” The significance of the cherubim is ultimately evangelical: they testify that a way back to God exists, but only through the crucified and risen Lord. Practical and Devotional Applications • Worship Reverence: Recognize God’s holiness; approach with “reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28). • Gospel Communication: Use the veil and cherubim as bridges to explain separation and reconciliation when sharing Christ. • Hope of Restoration: The Eden theme assures believers of a coming day when access is unhindered (Revelation 22:4). Summary The cherubim in Exodus 36:35 are not decorative filler but theologically loaded emblems. They guard holiness, foreshadow atonement, affirm the ordered design of creation, and find their crowning meaning in the torn veil of Calvary and the open tomb of Christ. |
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