Heaven's Royal Sacrifice--Cherubim--Day 7

 

The Veil

I think we all have a picture in our minds of a cherubim. We would probably more likely use "cherub" as the ai overview in google describes it--"a baby or a young child with a round, sweet, and angelic-looking face, often with a rosy complexion and a pleasing, innocent appearance."  I found this video on instagram and it says it all.                                                                                                                           Cherubim

The first time we encounter cherubim (plural of cherub), is in Genesis 3:24   God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils.   Then He planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He placed the man He had formed.  God told Adam that He is FREE (emphasis mine) to eat of any tree of the garden, except one.  After God gave this command, He said "It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a helper corresponding to him."  So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to come over Adam, removed one of his ribs, made it into a woman, and gave her to the man.  Adam responded with joy over finally having someone the same as him.  They were naked and unashamed.  But then...the couple ate of the tree that Adam was commanded not to eat, first Eve then Adam.  Sin brought a curse on each of the players--the serpent would be doomed to crawl on his belly; the woman would have pain in childbirth, and the man would have to work the thorny ground with painful labor just to get enough to eat.  The LORD God traded the fig leaves--man's effort to cover his own sin--for clothing from skins and He clothed them.  The consequence of their sin evicted them from the garden--from the Presence of God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze.  God drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.  Genesis 2-3 

Cherubim are a class of angelic beings, whose name likely means to guard or to cover.  So why did God command Moses to skillfully weave cherubim into the veil?  What was behind the veil that needed guarded, covered?  The "only" thing behind the veil is the ark of the covenant.  But it is everything.  Exodus 25:10-16 The ark's template was given along with every other element of the tabernacle.  Moses was to put the "tablets of the testimony", the Ten Commandments, inside the ark.  On top of the ark--the lid, essentially--would be the mercy seat.  

"Make a mercy seat of pure gold, forty-five inches long and twenty-seven inches wide.  Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat.  Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end.  At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat.  The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another.  The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat. Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark.  I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites." (Exodus 25:17-22)

The ark of the covenant (or testimony) is like the garden of Eden.  The Presence of God will dwell there among His people yet again.  He is faithful in His steadfast love to them, but the consequence of sin  remains.  The cherubim woven into the veil are a reminder to the Israelites and specifically to the priests that sin still separates them from God.  Even the high priest, who can go behind the veil into the Holy of Holies once a year, would see the cherubim perched on the mercy seat and know that his contact with the LORD God is only as much as the LORD Himself will allow.  

The veil is now complete.  The LORD spoke to Moses in Exodus 40:1-3 to erect the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, put in it the ark of the testimony, and to screen the ark with the veil.  I wonder what the priests thought when they saw the finished veil as they stood in the Holy Place for the first time.  They saw blue for heaven, purple for royal, red for sacrifice, linen for purity, and now cherubim to block them from it all?  I wonder what the high priest--Aaron--thought the first time he entered the Holy of Holies and saw the cherubim guarding the mercy seat, the place where God said He would meet them?  God was right to evict Adam and Eve from His Presence.  God was right to keep the priests from being fully in His Presence.  Their lives are a testimony to the separation sin brings.   But, until then, because God has sworn by His own Name to keep His promises; because He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6-7 He moves back in to dwell among His beloved people.  It's a guarded dwelling, it's a covered dwelling. 

"Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.  But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up.  For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys." (Exodus 40:34-38)

It's not like it was in the Garden of Eden.  But, praise God, it's also not like it will someday be!!!