Cherub

The cherubim (plural of cherub) are a class of supernatural beings who appear in Scripture as guardians of the divine presence and throne. Their first appearance is at the east of the Garden of Eden, where God stationed them with a flaming, revolving sword to guard the way to the tree of life after the expulsion of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:24). In the tabernacle and temple, golden cherubim were fashioned on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant, their wings outstretched over the cover between which God declared he would meet with Moses (Exod. 25:17–22). Solomon's temple contained two great olive-wood cherubim, each ten cubits high with a wingspan of ten cubits, whose wings together spanned the entire breadth of the inner sanctuary (1 Kgs. 6:23–28).

Ezekiel's inaugural vision by the Chebar canal describes four living creatures with human, lion, ox, and eagle faces — identified in Ezekiel 10 as the cherubim — who support the divine chariot-throne. Their appearance there is terrifying and complex, combining features of multiple creatures with wheels full of eyes. Isaiah's seraphim (Isa. 6:2–3) are related beings who attend the divine throne and declare the holiness of God. In Revelation, four living creatures continue this tradition around the heavenly throne (Rev. 4:6–8). Cherubim are not the gentle winged infants of Renaissance art but powerful, multi-formed guardians of divine holiness.