June 12th, 2021

This is the third Sunday after Pentecost, and it is the Sunday after our first look at the first cherubim in the Bible, the ones guarding the way to the tree of life. This Sunday’s Old Testament text [Ezekiel 17:22-24] also happens to be about trees.
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It may be a coincidence that the next time cherubim are mentioned in the scriptures, a special type of tree is also mentioned there. The ark of the covenant was made out of acacia wood, a hardwood usually used to make cabinets, etc. (see Exodus 25:10).

The ark of the covenant was to be the footstool of the LORD’s throne (see 1 Samuel 4:4 and Psalm 132:7). And above the ark were to be two cherubim—made out of gold this time (see Exodus 25:18)—although there was the instruction at Exodus 20:4 not to make any graven or carved image. Here we see a very special exception.

Trees are important. Trees have life. And do not forget about the tree of life! More importantly, it is the LORD who ultimately makes all these trees and gives life. EVEN MORE important is the Lord Jesus Christ who gave up his one life on a tree. And then there is this verse from Deuteronomy [21:23] that shows the great significance of it all: Cursed to God is he who is hanged on a tree (a somewhat-literal translation).’

The cherubim are also important. And the cherubim are most mentioned frequently when it comes to the tabernacle and temple. The word ‘cherub’ has been connected to blessing, and that is what the LORD does in that situation, since he is no longer so far away. The word in Hebrew is connected to a word in the ancient language of Akkadian which means to pray, consecrate, and bless [See Ludwig Koehler & Walter Baumgartner’s, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament: Study Edition; Brill, 2001; volume 1, page 497.] The temple is a place to communicate with the LORD, and it is a place in which he has chosen to give out his gifts.

There are four living creatures that are connected to the LORD’s throne, and those four creatures show the different ways in which the LORD is actively communicating and giving out his gifts. [See also Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, book 3, chapter 11, section 8.]

When the four living creatures are listed for the first time in Ezekiel 1(:10), when Ezekiel has the vision—he says at the very beginning of the book, ‘I saw the visions of God’—they are in the usual order of the four gospel accounts: Human (& Matthew), Lion (& Mark), Ox (& Luke), Eagle (&John). Much has already been said about the connections between these four gospel accounts and the four living creatures, but there is still much more that could be written.

When the glory of the LORD is leaving the temple in Ezekiel 10 (see especially verse 14), there is a slightly different order of the creatures, and there is also a cherub instead of an ox. The change from an ox to a cherub is not a significant one, and it may even be helpful since it may be more proper to think of a cherub as a composite creature that could be ridden. When we think of a cherub, we can get too used to an angel in human form. (See also 2 Samuel 22:11 & Psalm 18:10.)

The reason for the change from ox to cherub may be that the ox would have been listed as the first of the four creatures. And perhaps the cherub is mentioned instead because this is a special event and an ox is seen to be a lowly, hardworking animal. The glory leaving the temple is an important thing and should not be seen as a mundane task.

The glory leaving the temple is a significant prediction of what was ultimately going to happen in the New Testament. At first glance, the glory leaving the temple would leave a person being sad. But if that glory were given to Jesus, there might be a totally different reaction. And a possible reason for pointing to the Gospel according to Luke (since the ox/cherub is connected to this gospel account) is that this account goes back in its genealogy, all the way to the Adam (see Luke 3). In this way, this account would ‘lead the way’ for the glory to be given to Jesus.

Something is promised, and then something is given. At the heart of the issue are the words of the Lord. He is dependable in what he says. This is emphasized in the last part of the verse of the Old Testament text (again, in a somewhat-literal translation): ‘I, Yahweh, have spoken and done.’ This focuses on first the words and then the actions of the LORD. And that is what we see promised in the scriptures. And this is what we see that goes on during worship.