Exodus 25:20
The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The cherubim's faces are directed towards each other and then down towards the mercy seat, symbolizing a unified divine attention and a constant gaze upon the place where God’s mercy would be made known. This posture highlights not just passive presence, but active, attentive guardianship and a deep yearning to observe the divine mystery of atonement.
God instructs Moses to construct a special chest, the Ark of the Covenant, and a lid for it called the mercy seat, both to be adorned with golden cherubim. This sacred furniture will house the stone tablets of the Law (the Testimony) and serve as the place where God will uniquely meet with and speak to His people.
Imagine two magnificent angelic beings, wings spread wide, faces turned down with intense focus. What were they guarding, and why such devotion?
The cherubim, described with outstretched wings overshadowing the mercy seat, weren't just decorative. Their posture and placement held profound meaning:
This wasn't just a lid; it was the most sacred spot on earth, a golden bridge between divine justice and human need. What made it so special?
The 'mercy seat' (or atonement cover) was the crucial focal point of the Holy of Holies. It was more than just a physical covering for the Ark; it was a symbol of God's gracious provision for His people:
Understand the original words
sakak · Hebrew Verb
To cast a shadow over or to protect by extending wings. In a biblical context, it implies a posture of reverence, service, and covering in the presence of God's glory.
This passage directly references the cherubim and the mercy seat in the context of the heavenly tabernacle, reinforcing their symbolic significance in God's presence and atonement.
1 Peter 1:12This verse highlights the deep desire of angels to understand the salvation made available through Christ, paralleling the cherubim's gaze towards the mercy seat, which represented God's plan of redemption.
Ezekiel 1:10Ezekiel's vision of living creatures with four faces (man, lion, ox, eagle) provides another Old Testament depiction of angelic or divine beings with multiple perspectives, similar to the cherubim described in Exodus.
Psalm 80:1This psalm directly invokes God's presence as 'enthroned between the cherubim,' referencing the imagery of the mercy seat and cherubim as the place where God meets His people.
Exodus 37:9This verse describes the actual construction of the cherubim and mercy seat, mirroring the instructions given in Exodus 25 and providing a parallel account of their physical form and placement.
calvinExodus 25:1-22: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
Expandentque cherubim duas alas superne tegentes alis suis propitiatorium, et se mutuo aspicient: ad propitiatorium erunt facies cherubim.
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put th…
pooleExodus 25:20: "And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be."
Towards God, who is supposed to sit there, whose face the angels in heaven always behold, and upon whom their eyes are fixed to observe and receive his commands; and towards Christ, the true propitiatory, which mystery they desire to look into , 1 Peter 1:12 ; not envying mankind…
The cherubim's faces are directed towards each other and then down towards the mercy seat, symbolizing a unified divine attention and a constant gaze upon the place where God’s mercy would be made known. This posture highlights not just passive presence, but active, attentive guardianship and a deep yearning to observe the divine mystery of atonement.
God instructs Moses to construct a special chest, the Ark of the Covenant, and a lid for it called the mercy seat, both to be adorned with golden cherubim. This sacred furniture will house the stone tablets of the Law (the Testimony) and serve as the place where God will uniquely meet with and speak to His people.
God instructs Moses to construct a special chest, the Ark of the Covenant, and a lid for it called the mercy seat, both to be adorned with golden cherubim. This sacred furniture will house the stone tablets of the Law (the Testimony) and serve as the place where God will uniquely meet with and speak to His people.
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"The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be." — The cherubim's faces are directed towards each other and then down towards the mercy seat, symbolizing a unified divine attention and a constant gaze upon the place where God’s mercy would be made kn…
