I was just thinking about how some angels have the attributes of animals. For instance, Cherubim have attributes of a lion, eagle, ox (or bull), and a man.
The Cherubim in the book of Ezekiel (chapters 1, 10, and 11) seem to be made up of all these things at once:
Ezekiel 1:5-11
“Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.”
In the book of Revelation, there appears to be Seraphim (Seraphim have six wings, Isaiah 6:2) which have only one face but similar attributes:
Revelation 4:6-8
“…and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
Why would God ascribe these traits to His messengers? I had a funny thought—maybe He made some of the animals in the image of the angels. The Bible does not tell us when the angels were made. I always kind of assumed it was in the beginning, when God created the “heavens and the earth,” because angels dwell in the heavens. The Bible does tell us the following:
Job 36:6-7
“Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
This still does not tell us when angels were made, however. Just that they were around when God laid the foundations of the earth.
Then I noticed, if my theory was true, that would mean that God would have made angels in His image before He made man in his image. They do have some traits of men, some even more than the Cherubim. So that makes the theory seem unlikely.
Then I thought, “Maybe God picked animals that He considered noble and ascribed their traits to His angels.” He does show favor to characteristics of certain animals; the noble eagle, the powerful bull, the mighty lion, and of course, the being that God favors most (though not an animal): man.
I guess we’ll never know when angels were made while we’re here on earth, or why God ascribed the attributes of both man and animal to them, but it’s something I plan to ask when I get to Heaven.
<><
The Cherubim in the book of Ezekiel (chapters 1, 10, and 11) seem to be made up of all these things at once:
Ezekiel 1:5-11
“Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.”
In the book of Revelation, there appears to be Seraphim (Seraphim have six wings, Isaiah 6:2) which have only one face but similar attributes:
Revelation 4:6-8
“…and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”
Why would God ascribe these traits to His messengers? I had a funny thought—maybe He made some of the animals in the image of the angels. The Bible does not tell us when the angels were made. I always kind of assumed it was in the beginning, when God created the “heavens and the earth,” because angels dwell in the heavens. The Bible does tell us the following:
Job 36:6-7
“Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
This still does not tell us when angels were made, however. Just that they were around when God laid the foundations of the earth.
Then I noticed, if my theory was true, that would mean that God would have made angels in His image before He made man in his image. They do have some traits of men, some even more than the Cherubim. So that makes the theory seem unlikely.
Then I thought, “Maybe God picked animals that He considered noble and ascribed their traits to His angels.” He does show favor to characteristics of certain animals; the noble eagle, the powerful bull, the mighty lion, and of course, the being that God favors most (though not an animal): man.
I guess we’ll never know when angels were made while we’re here on earth, or why God ascribed the attributes of both man and animal to them, but it’s something I plan to ask when I get to Heaven.
<><
No comments:
Post a Comment