During one of my most recent Bible studies, we were studying Angels. One of my youth students said that he had seen a documentary that described the physical features of angels, and they were the scariest creatures he’d ever seen. From his response, I knew right away that he was probably talking about Cherubim. So when I asked my other Bible study students what they knew about angels and other heavenly hosts like Cherubim, I realized that none of them clearly understood each of the hosts separately. So we had to go through the differences and similarities between Angels vs. Cherubim.
The main difference between Angels and Cherubim is their physical appearance and role. It is believed that angels take a more human form in their features, while Cherubim look a little wild with four faces, four wings, and four feet, as written in Ezekiel 1:10-11. Also, Angels are mostly messengers of God, while Cherubim guard the holy place of God. One of their similarities is that they are all submissive to God, the creator of all.
Join me as I write about the differences and similarities between Angels and Cherubim. I will also write about what the Bible says about each of them. Read on to find out.
Angels vs. Cherubim: Difference in the definition
Angels are holy beings that praise, worship, and serve God, and He uses them to deliver messages to His people. They possess some human features like talking and having names that humans can relate to. For example, in the Bible, there is an Angel Gabriel and an Angel, Michael. Angel Gabriel showed up to Mary and talked to her in a manner that human beings communicate. This implies that angels are also holy heavenly beings that understand and communicate in the language of humans.
On the other hand, Cherubim are holy heavenly, winged beings whose physical features are close to humans, animals, and birds. When their wings move, they sound like God’s voice from afar, according to Ezekiel 10:5-14. Unlike the angels that are messengers, Cherubim rest on God’s throne and are responsible for guarding the presence of God. For example, the first Cherubim mentioned in the Bible were put at the entrance of the Garden of Eden to protect the holy garden of God, Genesis 3:24.
What does the Bible say about angels and cherubim?
Angels
- Angels are intelligent and emotional and exercise the will of God.
- God sent angels to guide believers according to Hebrews 1:14. They are sent with answers to our prayers. They participate in turning people to God and are always there for human beings in times of danger.
- According to Luke 16:22, angels take care of righteous men in their death. The scripture talks about the end of the rich man and the poor man—parable. When the poor man died, Angels carried him to the bosom of Abraham, and the rich man was just buried.
- According to Genesis 1:26, angels do not procreate, but there is a set of them. The verse says that man and other creatures in the world will multiple and fill the earth.
- Angels are not born, and they cannot die, according to Matthew 22:30
Cherubim
It is suggested that Cherubim are mentioned 92 times in the Bible, and from the 13 books that talk about Cherubim, we can understand their nature biblically.
According to the Bible, A Cherub was put at the entrance of the Garden of Eden
According to some interpretations, Cherubim are meant to protect the tree of knowledge so that humans cannot access it again. When human beings disobeyed God, they were taken away from the Garden of Eden, and the Cherubim were put there to guard the garden, according to Genesis 3:24.
Also, other interpretations of the scripture describe Cherubim as creatures that are there to remind us that we cannot experience the goodness of God on our own without seeking God. So they are at the entrance as a reminder that we need God to make it through it.
Cherubim rest on the throne of God and guard His presence
In Exodus 25:22, golden Cherubim were put above the seat of mercy where God would sit to address people. God would sit between the wings of the Cherubim. Therefore the role of Cherubim could be to guard the presence of God.
Their wings carry the voice of God
In the book of Ezekiel 10:5-14, Cherubim are connected to the voice of God. The movement of the wings of the Cherubim sounds like the voice of God.
Their physical feature is nothing close to a human physical feature
Ezekiel 1:10-11 gives a clear description of Cherubim. They have four faces; the face of a lion, an Ox, an Eagle, and a human being. Also, they have four wings and four feet.
Differences between angels and cherubim
|
Parameters of Comparison |
Angels |
Cherubim |
|
Role |
Praise Worship and Submit to God. Messenger of God |
Helpers of God. Guard the presence of God |
|
Physical appearance |
Mostly take the form of human beings with two wings |
Four faces; ox face, lion face, eagle face, and human face. They have four feet. They have four wings. |
|
Language spoken |
The language human beings can understand, e.g., Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary. |
Language not known. |
|
Their names in the Bible |
Two names are given to two different angels; Gabriel and Michael |
Only one name; Lucifer. (It is suggested that Lucifer was a cherub) |
|
Communication with humans |
The Bible gives instances when angels communicate with human beings, e.g., the angel Gabriel communicated with Mary. |
It does not mention Cherubim using any verbal communication with humans. |
Similarities between the angels and cherubim
They were both created by God
All creatures in heaven and earth were created by God, and that includes cherubim and angels.
They both submit to God
As much as angels and Cherubim have powers, they are limited and submit to God. They act according to the will of God.
They are eternal beings
Angels and Cherubim were not born but created and will never die.
They both cannot procreate
Angels and Cherubim cannot give birth to their babies because, in the first place, it is believed that there is no marriage in heaven. The only procreation that happens amongst creatures in the world.
What is the origin of angels and cherubim in the Bible?
It is suggested that the origin of angels and Cherubim is traced back to before the existence of the physical world. It is believed that angels and Cherubim were created before God created the physical world. They sang to God as he created the world and all other creatures. Job 38:4-7 mentions that the morning star (Lucifer) and other angels sang for God and praised Him as he created the world. Considering that Lucifer was a Cherub, it is safe to conclude that the origin of Cherubim and Angels dates back to the period before the physical creation of the world.
Is a cherub a baby angel?
It is believed that there is no procreation in heaven because there is no marriage. Therefore, a Cherub cannot be a baby angel. Also, a cherub is second in rank after Seraphim, the first in rank. In addition, the Cherub’s physical appearance differs from the angel’s look—fewer chances for it to be a baby angel.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
