How does the Bible describe cherub angels or cherubim? And what do they do?
Imagine entering a stormy cloud flashing with lightning. As you gradually enter the cloud, you see before you a colossal angelic being with four faces—one of a man, one of a lion, one of an ox, and one of an eagle—its body covered in eyes all around, its four wings outstretched, and its form glowing like burning coals of fire.
Now, think back to the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve, filled with sorrow, take their final steps out of paradise. They turn for one last look at the place where they once walked with God—only to see the entrance now guarded by a mighty cherub and a flaming sword, ensuring that the Garden stays sealed off forever.
Cherubim are not just strange-looking spirit beings. They are God’s mystical guardians, sealing off and protecting the holiest spaces. Wherever God appears to people, the mighty cherubim stand on watch.
This article digs deep into Scripture to accurately describe cherubim appearance and their role in divine encounters.
Contents
What is cherubim in the Bible?
In Hebrew, cherubim is a plural form of the word cherub. Cherubim are spirit beings in the Bible. In everyday language, we use the term “angel” from these spirit beings. So, you could say that cherubim are a type of biblically accurate angels.
The meaning of cherubim is unknown, but the word’s etymology refers to blessing or being mighty, which corresponds very well with their job as guardians of God’s throne.
Cherub angel verses in the Bible
For easy memorization, you can divide the cherubim verses into three groups.
The first group of verses describes the cherubim guarding sacred spaces. These spaces include the Garden of Eden, God’s throne in heaven, and on earth in Israel’s Tabernacle and Temple.
The second group is prayers addressed to God, who is enthroned “between,” “among,” or “above” the cherubim.
The third group of verses describes the looks of cherubim in heaven at God’s throne. These are the most intriguing verses and the ones we unpack first.
Biblically correct cherubim description
The best description of how cherubim look is in Ezekiel 1 and 10, where they are described as human-looking, four-winged, four-headed spirit beings full of eyes.
Ezekiel 1:5-8
Out of its center came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man. Everyone had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. Their feet were straight feet. The sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides.
Ezekiel 1:10-11
As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man. The four of them had the face of a lion on the right side. The four of them had the face of an ox on the left side. The four of them also had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.
Ezekiel 1:13-14
Their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and lightning went out of the fire. The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Ezekiel 10:12
Their whole body, including their backs, their hands, their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had.
The cherub had four wheels made of precious stones for moving: one to each side of the angel. Like their bodies, the wheels were full of eyes “all around”.
Ezekiel 1:15-16
Now as I saw the living creatures, behold, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. The four of them had one likeness. Their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.
Where do cherubim reside?
The Bible describes the cherubim as residing always around sacred, holy places where God is enthroned and meets with His people.
In the Garden of Eden
In Genesis 3:24, after God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He set cherubim and a flaming sword to guard the Garden, where God used to converse with Adam.
On the top of the Ark of the Covenant
In Exodus 25:18-20, God instructs Moses to set you two cherubim on top of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark had a golden lid called the “mercy seat” or “the place of atonement,” and the cherubim angels were set on top of the mercy seat, one to each end facing each other.
The Ark was placed in the innermost place of the Tabernacle and the Temple, the Holy of Holies, where God would manifest and speak to His people.
Exodus 25:18-20
You shall make two cherubim of hammered gold. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat. The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.
In the Tabernacle and the Temple
In addition to the Ark of the Covenant, you will find cherubim described on the inner walls of the Holy Place in the Tabernacle and the Temple. So, when you entered the Holy Place, you could see cherubim all around you guarding this sacred space.
Especially notable is that cherubim images were embroidered on the veils of the Tabernacle and Temple, which were placed in the doorway leading to the Holy of Holies, where God would manifest to His people.
In the Temple, the Holy of Holies had two massive cherubim on each side of the Ark of the Covenant. Their one wing was 2.2 meters (7.5 feet) long. One tip of a wing touched the Temple wall, one tip the other cherub’s wing, and so they both stood in the Holy of Holies, the Ark between them. The four wings reached 9 metres (30 feet) in total.
Carrying God’s heavenly throne
In Ezekiel 1 vision, Ezekiel sees a great cloud carried by a stormy north wind. The cloud was bright with flashing lightning around it (Ezekiel 1:4). Inside, in the center of the cloud, were the four cherubim (Ezekiel 1:5). Above their head was an expanse (Ezekiel 1:22), and above the expanse was God’s throne and on it someone “like in the appearance of man.” (Ezekiel 1:26)
Read more: Son of Man in Daniel 7
At Jesus’ garden tomb
When Mary Magdalene went to see Jesus’ tomb on the Sunday morning after the resurrection, she saw an angel who rolled back the tombstone and sat on it (Matthew 28:1-2). The image corresponds to the cherub at the Garden of Eden and in the Tabernacle and Temple veils.
The second time Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and looked inside the tomb, “and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.” (John 20:11-12)
The image corresponds to the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant. Especially when you recall from earlier that the Ark had a golden lid called the “mercy seat” and the cherubim angels were set on top of it, one at each end facing each other.
Although the passages don’t mention cherubs or cherubim, the angels’ location in these passages suggests that they were cherubim.
The Bible describes the cherub sitting on the stone as follows: His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow. And fearing him, the guards trembled and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:3-4)
Read more: Is Jesus God? Conclusive answer
What do cherubim angels do?
Cherubim are guardians of sacred spaces (Ezekiel 28:14). They are often called God’s throne guardians because they occupy and protect the space around God’s throne.
You can see the pattern from the previous sections describing the locations where cherubim angels appear. They are always around or at holy places where God appears, guarding against people trespassing where they do not belong.
Names of the cherub angels
The Bible doesn’t reveal the names of any of its cherub angels. However, according to Ezekiel 28:12-18, Satan used to be a cherub. God created him full of wisdom and beauty and set him in the Garden of Eden, on God’s holy mountain. Satan’s rebellion against God led to his fall from the highest positions in God’s hierarchy to the utmost lowest one.
Why should you care what the Bible says about cherub angels?
Cherubim are no ordinary angels—they are some of the most visually striking and mysterious beings in the Bible. With multiple faces, four wings, bodies covered in eyes, and glowing like fire, they defy common perceptions of what an angel looks like. Their appearance alone makes them one of the most intriguing figures in biblical accounts.
But beyond their awe-inspiring looks, cherubim also appear in some of Scripture’s most sacred and pivotal locations. They seal off holiness from things that are not 100% dedicated to God.
They also play a role in God’s revelation to man. Even at Jesus’ empty tomb, the positioning of the two angels reflects the image of cherubim atop the Ark’s mercy seat, emphasizing their deep connection to God’s presence and divine revelation.
After Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, the Temple veil has been ripped apart and the tombstone rolled back, but there are still guardian cherubs reminding you that by approaching God, you enter into a holy space.