Connect the cherubim in 2 Chronicles 3:13 to their role in Exodus. Setting the Scene: Solomon’s Temple Cherubim • 2 Chronicles 3 describes Solomon building the first temple, the permanent earthly dwelling place for God’s name. • Within the Most Holy Place he set two massive cherubim carved from olive wood and overlaid with gold. Zooming In on 2 Chronicles 3:13 “ The wingspan of these cherubim was twenty cubits. They stood on their feet, facing the main hall.” • Twenty cubits (≈ 30 ft) from tip to tip—ten cubits per cherub. • Each stood upright, not kneeling, with faces turned outward toward the nave, visually linking the innermost chamber to the worshipers outside. Echoes of Exodus: Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant Exodus 25:18-20; 37:7-9 • Two smaller cherubim of hammered gold sat atop the mercy seat. • Wings stretched “upward, overshadowing the mercy seat,” and faces looked toward it. Exodus 26:1, 31; 36:8, 35 • Cherubim were woven into the fine linen curtains and the inner veil, surrounding the tabernacle’s Holy of Holies with embroidered reminders of heaven’s throne room. Shared Themes and Purposes • Guardianship – Both sets mark off sacred space. In Eden cherubim guarded the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24); in tabernacle and temple they guard the place where God’s glory dwells. • Throne imagery – The mercy seat is repeatedly called God’s “footstool” (1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalm 99:5). The giant temple cherubim enlarge that throne motif, their wings forming an even grander canopy over the Ark. • Orientation – In Exodus the cherubim face each other and the mercy seat; in Chronicles they face outward. The difference highlights a dual focus: reverence toward God’s throne and ministry toward God’s people. • Continuity – Solomon’s design scales up—but never alters—the pattern revealed at Sinai (Exodus 25:9, 40). The Spirit-inspired blueprint remains consistent from tabernacle to temple. Continuity of God’s Dwelling Among His People • Tabernacle (Exodus): portable sanctuary for a pilgrim nation. • Temple (Chronicles): permanent house for a settled kingdom. • In both, cherubim declare God’s holiness, mercy, and nearness—truths ultimately fulfilled when “the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us” (John 1:14). Practical Takeaways for Today • God keeps His designs and promises; what He specifies, He sustains. • His holiness is not diminished by accessibility—cherubim guard, yet their wings also invite worshipers to draw near through the blood on the mercy seat. • Earthly worship mirrors heavenly reality; every gathering of believers stands under the same sovereign, holy throne. |
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