What is the meaning of Ezekiel 28:14? You were anointed as a guardian cherub • The verse opens by declaring, “You were anointed as a guardian cherub”. Scripture presents cherubim as real, personal beings who literally surround God’s throne and safeguard His holiness (Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:18-20; Psalm 18:10; Ezekiel 10:1-22). • “Anointed” points to a specific, divine commissioning. Just as kings and priests were anointed for service (1 Samuel 16:13; Exodus 28:41), this mighty angel was set apart to guard God’s glorious presence. • Isaiah 14:12-15 describes the same exalted being’s fall, revealing that the one who once protected God’s glory later desired that glory for himself. For I had ordained you • God says He personally “ordained” (or established) this cherub. The appointment came from God alone, affirming His absolute sovereignty (Psalm 33:11; Proverbs 16:4). • Angels do not evolve into their roles; they receive them. Job 1:6 shows angels assembling only at God’s summons, and 1 Timothy 5:21 speaks of “elect angels,” underscoring God’s choice. • This line reminds us that every position—whether angelic or human—is granted by God and must be stewarded in humble obedience (James 4:6-10). You were on the holy mountain of God • The “holy mountain of God” is a literal, heavenly reality where God’s throne is situated (Psalm 48:1-2; Isaiah 14:13; Hebrews 12:22). • Earlier, verse 13 spoke of “Eden, the garden of God,” indicating that the mountain and the garden overlap as the dwelling place of God’s glory. • Moses glimpsed this mountain when he entered the cloud on Sinai (Exodus 24:15-18). The cherub enjoyed direct access there continually—an honor emphasizing how tragic his later rebellion would be (Ezekiel 28:16). You walked among the fiery stones • Ezekiel’s visions associate “fiery stones” or coals with God’s throne and the radiance of His presence (Ezekiel 1:13; 10:2). Isaiah saw a seraph take a burning coal from the altar before God (Isaiah 6:6). Revelation 4:5 speaks of “seven torches of fire” blazing before the throne. • To “walk” among them pictures unrestricted movement in the very heart of God’s holy fire, something only holy beings could survive (Daniel 7:9-10). • The statement underscores how close this cherub once lived to God’s glory—making his fall (Ezekiel 28:17; Luke 10:18) a sobering warning about pride and unfaithfulness. summary Ezekiel 28:14 portrays a real, exalted cherub whom God personally anointed, ordained, and placed in the immediate blaze of His presence on the holy mountain. That privileged status magnifies the gravity of the rebellion recorded in the following verses and echoed in Isaiah 14 and Luke 10:18. The passage reminds believers of God’s sovereign right to appoint, the necessity of humble obedience, and the catastrophic cost of forsaking the place God has graciously given. |
    |