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| 1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. |
Of the Cherubims – Symbols of God's love and power. T125
Always connected with the immediate presence or throne of God. (Rev. 4:6) R529:6*
Likeness of a throne – Symbol of authority and rulership. A92
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| 2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight. |
Over the city – Babylon, Christendom. D527
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The man clothed with linen – Pastor Russell (see comment and additional comments Eze. 9:2)
Between the wheels – In the overlapping time between the Gospel and Millennial Ages.
Under the cherub – God dwells between the cherubim as represented in the Shekinah light in the Most Holy of the Tabernacle. There the light represents His Wisdom, the two cherubim represent His Love and His Power. What was under the two cherubim? It was the Mercy Seat - Justice.
Fill thine hand – "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." (Eccl. 9:10) The hand indicates what we do with the gifts we are given. In this case, Pastor Russell is told to take Coals of fire - the truth - and get to work (the hand) in its service.
Coals of fire – The word of God, Present Truth. Psa. 18:12-13 Note also that these coals of fire (Psa. 18:13) are also called "hail stones." - see Rev. 16:21 In other words, these Coals of Fire represent the "Seven Last Plagues." Rev. 15:1
Between the cherubims – Where God dwells (1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chron. 13:6; Psa. 80:1; 99:1; Isa. 37:16)
It is interesting to note that 7 times in God's word we find this description, that He dwells between the cherubims.
Scatter them over the city – Pour out the seven last plagues upon Mystic Babylon.
He – Pastor Russell.
Went in – To get the coals of fire (plagues, truth) from under the cherubim.
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| 3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. |
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| 4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory. |
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| 5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh. |
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| 6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels. |
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| 7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out. |
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| 8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings. |
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| 9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone. |
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| 10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.
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| 11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went. |
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| 12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had. |
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| 13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel. |
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| 14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. |
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And every one had four faces: – This indicates that the Four Attributes of God all work in connection one with another, i.e., one is never in violation of the others.
Since the sequence in which these 4 attributes are displayed in the Bible, (Eze. 1:10; 10:14; Rev. 4:7) is different each time, it behooves us to determine why. The thought seems to be that the attribute which is mentioned first is the one most prominently on display at that time.
The first face was the face of a cherub – Justice. This is actually the key for understanding that this attribute is Justice. The context here is that the Man Clothed with Linen (7th Messenger) is to scatter coals of fire (the plagues - judgments of God) over the (nominal) city, i.e., over Christendom. Thus, this attribute would be justice.
It is also of interest that this is the only attribute where the symbol changes. In Eze. 1:10 it is an ox. In Rev. 4:7 it is a calf. It is for us to determine why and what is God telling us by this.
Our initial thought is that a progression is being shown going from calf (young animal) to an ox (full-grown animal) to a cherub (mighty heavenly being). Since the mightiest of these is the cherub and the setting here is the pouring out of the seven last plagues, and these plagues are both the just reward coming to society as well as the fact that "in them is filled up the wrath of God," it seems appropriate that that the cherub should here be indicating God's justice.
The second face was the face of a man – Love. Man was made in the image of God and "God is love." 1 John 4:8, 16
The third the face of a lion – Power. Gen. 49:9; Num. 23:24; 2 Sam. 17:10; Pro. 30:30; 1 Pet. 5:8
The fourth the face of an eagle – Wisdom. Likely a reference to an eagle's far-sightedness In all three occasions where these attributes are shown in this manner, the Eagle (Wisdom) is always the last one mentioned.
Please see Four Attributes in Symbol. |
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| 15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar. |
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| 16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. |
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| 17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. |
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| 18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. |
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| 19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. |
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| 20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims. |
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| 21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. |
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| 22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward. |
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