"And he made two cherubim of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat one cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubim on the two ends thereof. And the cherubim spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubim " (Exod. xxxvii. 7–9).

"And within the oracle he made two cherubim of olive tree, each ten cubits high. And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubim were of one measure and one size. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. And he set the cherubim within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubim, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. And he overlaid the cherubim with gold" (1 Kings vi. 23–28).

"And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cheru

bim covered the ark and the staves thereof above" (1 Kings viii. 6, 7).

"And in the most holy house he made two cherubim of image work, and overlaid them with gold. And the wings of the cherubim were twenty cubits long one wing of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub. And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub. The wings of these cherubim spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward. And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim thereon. Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was five cubits" (2 Chron. iii. 10-15).

We also read of Cherubim being in the curtains of the Tabernacle and upon the walls of the Temple.

"And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubim shall it be made" (Exod. xxvi. 31).

"And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, within and without. And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within and without. And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree the lintel and side posts were a fifth part

of the wall. The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim, and upon the palm trees. So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall. And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. And he carved thereon cherubim and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work" (1 Kings vi. 29-35).

Third. Cherubim described in figurative language, and seen in visions of an emblematic and symbolical character. As for instance, in the visions of Ezekiel, or the words of David, in Psalm xviii. 10, "He rode upon a cherub and did fly.”

The allusions to Cherubim in the first and second classes seem to present the idea of their being keepers or guardians. In this respect they occupied a position similar to that of the remarkable creatures discovered at Nineveh and elsewhere, which guarded the portals of temples and palaces.

The references under the third class involve the idea of their bearing the throne or majesty of the Deity on their wings. Under this aspect, they remind us very forcibly of the wings bearing an eye, or sun, or a globe in the mythologies of Egypt, Assyria, and Persia.

The Cherubim over the mercy seat appear to have

been there in the attitude of worshippers and in the act of adoration. This, however, is nowhere distinctly stated.

It is well known that the most varied and contradictory opinions have been held respecting the nature of the Cherubim; among others the following:Robinson looks upon them as symbolic representations of the Divine attributes. Bloomfield, as symbolic emblems of the Divine nature, denoting the supreme government of the Deity over all creation, and His tutelary presence. Wemyss, as symbols of God's regal glory. Parkhurst, as symbols of the Trinity and human nature of Christ. Lowman, Pierce, and Macknight, as symbols of the excellence of God's servants. Taylor and Newcome, as symbols of angels in their relation to the redeemed. Mede thinks them symbols of God's manifested perfections. Dr. Adam Clarke supposes that they were emblematical of the eternal power and Godhead of the Almighty. Smith looks upon them as emblematical representatives of redeemed and glorified man. Barnes, in writing upon the four living creatures of Revelation iv. 6, which we think to be the same as the Cherubim, Genesis iii. 24, and the seraphim, Isaiah vi., seems disposed to regard them as symbolical beings designed to furnish some representation of the government of God-to illustrate, as it were, that on which the Divine government rests, or which constitutes its support; to wit, power, intelligence, vigilance, and energy.

Elliott thinks that the four living creatures of Revelation iv. and v. symbolise the Church on earth. McLeod appears to entertain very similar views, for he says that "the Church of God, if viewed under all circumstances, will be found to be possessed of attributes corresponding to the complex properties and figures of the living ones. Her moral and spiritual qualities on earth are symbolised by their bodies, faces, hands, feet, wings, wheels, and divers actions. And while these diversified and combined properties represent the Church on earth, their splendour, their nearness to God and His throne, and especially their plenitude of spiritual life, may be supposed to exhibit them as inhabitants of the better country. In all things they are actuated and directed by the Holy Spirit. Being all one in Christ Jesus,' and 'members of the same body,' they all sympathise with one another; the other attributes of their spiritual nature, as seen in heaven, harmonise with their state and functions as ministers of God on earth."*

Mr. Fairbairn, in his work on "The Typology of Scripture," in summing up respecting the Cherubim says, that they were in "their very nature and design artificial and temporary forms of being, uniting in their composite structure the distinctive features of the highest-kinds of creaturely existence on earthman's first and chiefly. They were set up for repre sentations to the eye of faith of earth's living creaturehood, and more especially of its rational and immortal,

*" The Cherubim and Apocalypse," by Alex. McLeod, p. 4.