"Threatening our children or employees is evidence of a lack of true authority.
The rewards and penalties should already be clear, and if there is disobedience, discipline should be administered the first time, not further threatening.
If we have to threaten to compel our children
or anyone else that we are in charge of to obey us,
then somehow it has already been established
that our "yes" did not really mean 'yes,'
and our "no" did not really mean 'no.'"
Rick Joyner
Part 3 God's Throne and the Four Living Creatures
5 Also from within it came
the likeness of four living creatures.
Ezekiel wrote, “. . . so I knew that they were cherubim”
(Ezekiel 10:20;see 10:21, 22).
What are cherubim?
These creatures always appear
in a most intimate relation to the glory of God.
They are seen as engaging in worship and service to God.
In Ezekiel’s vision, they were
bearing up and transporting the throne of God
(see Ezekiel 10:1–4).
1 And I looked, and there in the firmament
that was above the head of the cherubim,
there appeared something like a sapphire stone,
having the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen,
and said, “Go in among the wheels, under the cherub,
fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim,
and scatter them over the city.”
And he went in as I watched.
3 Now the cherubim were standing
on the south side of the temple when the man went in,
and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 Then the glory of the LORD
went up from the cherub, and paused
over the threshold of the temple;
and the house was filled with the cloud,
and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory.
Ezekiel 10:1–4 NKJV
Cherubim are spiritual creatures
(Psalm 18:10; Hebrews 9:5).
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
Psalm 18:10 NKJV
5 and above it were the cherubim of glory
overshadowing the mercy seat.
Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
Hebrews 9:5 NKJV
Some think they are angels of the highest order,
but that idea is not provable by Scripture;
they are never called angels.
In ancient Israel, the cherubim
were God’s attendants and messengers.
Representations of cherubim
were found in the tabernacle (Exodus 36:35).
35 And he made a veil of blue, purple,
and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen;
it was worked with an artistic design of cherubim.
Exodus 36:35 NKJV
Having these did not violate Exodus 20:4
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—
any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth;
Exodus 20:4 NKJV
because they were not worshiped.
When Solomon built the temple,
he had two gold cherubim, fifteen feet high,
standing separately from the ark
but still located in the most holy place (2 Chronicles 3:10).
10 In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim,
fashioned by carving, and overlaid them with gold.
2 Chronicles 3:10 NKJV
Passages for further study include
Genesis 3:24;
Exodus 25:18–22; 26:31; 1 Samuel 4:4;
2 Samuel 22:11; 1 Kings 6:26–35.
Ezekiel noted concerning the wings
that each had two touching another being (v. 11).
This is reminiscent of the cherubim
on the ark of the covenant, whose wings touched
above the ark (Ex. 25:18–22).
the likeness = Such a representation
of the holy angels (living creatures)
as God saw fit to make use of,
came out of the midst of the fire:
for angels derive their being and power from God:
their glory are a reflection of His gloriousness.
Ezekiel 1and 10 and Revelation 4 and 5
all give descriptions of four living creatures,
though they vary in description in these two books.
Just as the beast of Revelation 13
describes a conglomerate of the four beasts
described in Daniel 7,
the four living creatures are similar yet different as well:
And this was their appearance:
they had the likeness of a man.
I saw four living creatures
and four wheels connected together
By the four living’ creatures he understands cherubim:
and we have no need of any other explanation,
for he explains it so in chapter 10.,
when he saw God in the temple,
the four living creatures were under his feet,
and he says they are cherubim.
The question arises, why here there are four living creatures
when two cherubim only embraced the Ark of the Covenant;
and next, why he describes four heads to each:
Why did he not place two cherubim,
with which God was content?
for he seems here to depart
from the command of God himself:
And when Moses was gone
into the tabernacle of the congregation
to speak with him,
then he heard the voice
of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat
that was upon the ark of testimony,
from between the two cherubims:
and he spake unto him. Numbers 7:89 NKJ
now, four heads and round feet,
do not suit the two cherubim
by whom the Ark of the Covenant was surrounded.
The number of living creatures is significant.
God wished to teach us that his influence
is disseminated through all regions of the world,
for we know the world
to be divided into four major parts;
(the four world monarchies represented by four beasts,
Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 7:1-28).
and that the people might know
that God’s providence rules everywhere
throughout the world,
so four cherubim were present.
Angels were represented by cherubim and seraphim:
for those who are called cherubim
here and in Ezekiel 10,
are called seraphim in Isaiah 6:2;
and we know that angels are called
principalities and powers, (Ephesians 3:10,)
and are rendered conspicuous by these titles,
while Scripture calls them
the very hands of God himself. (Colossians 1:16.)
Since, therefore, God works by angels,
and uses them as ministers of his power,
then when angels are brought forward,
there the providence of God
is made known or declared
by their very presence.,
and his power in the government of the world.
This, then, is one reason why
not two cherubim only
were placed before the Prophet’s eyes,
but four: because God’s providence
ought to be evident in earthly things,
for the people then imagined
that God was confined to heaven;
hence the Prophet teaches
not only that he reigns in heaven,
but that he rules over earthly affairs.
And for this reason, and with this end,
he extends his power
over the four quarters of the globe.
The rewards and penalties should already be clear, and if there is disobedience, discipline should be administered the first time, not further threatening.
If we have to threaten to compel our children
or anyone else that we are in charge of to obey us,
then somehow it has already been established
that our "yes" did not really mean 'yes,'
and our "no" did not really mean 'no.'"
Rick Joyner
Part 3 God's Throne and the Four Living Creatures
5 Also from within it came
the likeness of four living creatures.
Ezekiel wrote, “. . . so I knew that they were cherubim”
(Ezekiel 10:20;see 10:21, 22).
What are cherubim?
These creatures always appear
in a most intimate relation to the glory of God.
They are seen as engaging in worship and service to God.
In Ezekiel’s vision, they were
bearing up and transporting the throne of God
(see Ezekiel 10:1–4).
1 And I looked, and there in the firmament
that was above the head of the cherubim,
there appeared something like a sapphire stone,
having the appearance of the likeness of a throne.
2 Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen,
and said, “Go in among the wheels, under the cherub,
fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim,
and scatter them over the city.”
And he went in as I watched.
3 Now the cherubim were standing
on the south side of the temple when the man went in,
and the cloud filled the inner court.
4 Then the glory of the LORD
went up from the cherub, and paused
over the threshold of the temple;
and the house was filled with the cloud,
and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory.
Ezekiel 10:1–4 NKJV
Cherubim are spiritual creatures
(Psalm 18:10; Hebrews 9:5).
10 And He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
He flew upon the wings of the wind.
Psalm 18:10 NKJV
5 and above it were the cherubim of glory
overshadowing the mercy seat.
Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
Hebrews 9:5 NKJV
Some think they are angels of the highest order,
but that idea is not provable by Scripture;
they are never called angels.
In ancient Israel, the cherubim
were God’s attendants and messengers.
Representations of cherubim
were found in the tabernacle (Exodus 36:35).
35 And he made a veil of blue, purple,
and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen;
it was worked with an artistic design of cherubim.
Exodus 36:35 NKJV
Having these did not violate Exodus 20:4
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—
any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth;
Exodus 20:4 NKJV
because they were not worshiped.
When Solomon built the temple,
he had two gold cherubim, fifteen feet high,
standing separately from the ark
but still located in the most holy place (2 Chronicles 3:10).
10 In the Most Holy Place he made two cherubim,
fashioned by carving, and overlaid them with gold.
2 Chronicles 3:10 NKJV
Passages for further study include
Genesis 3:24;
Exodus 25:18–22; 26:31; 1 Samuel 4:4;
2 Samuel 22:11; 1 Kings 6:26–35.
Ezekiel noted concerning the wings
that each had two touching another being (v. 11).
This is reminiscent of the cherubim
on the ark of the covenant, whose wings touched
above the ark (Ex. 25:18–22).
the likeness = Such a representation
of the holy angels (living creatures)
as God saw fit to make use of,
came out of the midst of the fire:
for angels derive their being and power from God:
their glory are a reflection of His gloriousness.
Ezekiel 1and 10 and Revelation 4 and 5
all give descriptions of four living creatures,
though they vary in description in these two books.
Just as the beast of Revelation 13
describes a conglomerate of the four beasts
described in Daniel 7,
the four living creatures are similar yet different as well:
And this was their appearance:
they had the likeness of a man.
I saw four living creatures
and four wheels connected together
By the four living’ creatures he understands cherubim:
and we have no need of any other explanation,
for he explains it so in chapter 10.,
when he saw God in the temple,
the four living creatures were under his feet,
and he says they are cherubim.
The question arises, why here there are four living creatures
when two cherubim only embraced the Ark of the Covenant;
and next, why he describes four heads to each:
Why did he not place two cherubim,
with which God was content?
for he seems here to depart
from the command of God himself:
And when Moses was gone
into the tabernacle of the congregation
to speak with him,
then he heard the voice
of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat
that was upon the ark of testimony,
from between the two cherubims:
and he spake unto him. Numbers 7:89 NKJ
now, four heads and round feet,
do not suit the two cherubim
by whom the Ark of the Covenant was surrounded.
The number of living creatures is significant.
God wished to teach us that his influence
is disseminated through all regions of the world,
for we know the world
to be divided into four major parts;
(the four world monarchies represented by four beasts,
Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 7:1-28).
and that the people might know
that God’s providence rules everywhere
throughout the world,
so four cherubim were present.
Angels were represented by cherubim and seraphim:
for those who are called cherubim
here and in Ezekiel 10,
are called seraphim in Isaiah 6:2;
and we know that angels are called
principalities and powers, (Ephesians 3:10,)
and are rendered conspicuous by these titles,
while Scripture calls them
the very hands of God himself. (Colossians 1:16.)
Since, therefore, God works by angels,
and uses them as ministers of his power,
then when angels are brought forward,
there the providence of God
is made known or declared
by their very presence.,
and his power in the government of the world.
This, then, is one reason why
not two cherubim only
were placed before the Prophet’s eyes,
but four: because God’s providence
ought to be evident in earthly things,
for the people then imagined
that God was confined to heaven;
hence the Prophet teaches
not only that he reigns in heaven,
but that he rules over earthly affairs.
And for this reason, and with this end,
he extends his power
over the four quarters of the globe.
End Part 3
30
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