What significance do the cherubim have in Exodus 25:19 for God's presence? The Command Revisited – Exodus 25:19 “Make one cherub on one end and a second cherub on the other; from one piece with the mercy seat you are to make the cherubim on its two ends.” Cherubim as Guardians of Holiness • First appearance: “He stationed cherubim … to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24) • Function: mark an inviolable boundary; nothing unclean may pass. • In the tabernacle they announce, “This space is sacred; God Himself is here.” The Throne-Bearers of the LORD • “The LORD reigns … He is enthroned between the cherubim.” (Psalm 99:1) • The lid of the ark (mercy seat) serves as an earthly footstool of the heavenly throne (1 Chronicles 28:2). • One solid piece: cherubim and cover are inseparable, underscoring that wherever the throne is, the guardians are present. Visible Sign of an Invisible Presence • God promises, “There I will meet with you, and from between the two cherubim … I will speak with you.” (Exodus 25:22) • Blood sprinkled here on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:14-15). • The cherubim frame the very spot where mercy triumphs over judgment; they witness reconciliation while still proclaiming God’s blazing holiness. Echoes in the Prophets and Psalms • Ezekiel’s visions (Ezekiel 10) show mobile, living cherubim bearing God’s glory; the tabernacle carving is a condensed symbol of that reality. • “He mounted a cherub and flew” (2 Samuel 22:11) – poetic picture of God’s swift, sovereign intervention. Foreshadowing Christ’s Work • Hebrews 9:5 calls the cherub-shadowed lid “the mercy seat,” then points to Jesus as the true atoning sacrifice. • At the empty tomb, “two angels in white were sitting, one at the head and one at the feet” (John 20:12) – a living tableau of the mercy seat now vacated because the perfect sacrifice has risen. Why This Matters Today – God is simultaneously approachable (mercy seat) and awe-inspiring (cherubim). – Holiness is not relaxed under grace; it is satisfied through blood. – Worship gains depth when we remember we draw near the same throne between the cherubim (Hebrews 4:16; Revelation 4:6-8). Key Takeaways • The cherubim in Exodus 25:19 assert that God’s presence is real, holy, and enthroned among His people. • They guard, exalt, and spotlight the place where atonement is made. • Every believer now approaches that throne through the finished work of Christ, the greater mercy seat. |
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