The book of Ezekiel reveals how that the cherubim which are four living creatures constitute the Lord`s chariots, in Ezekiel 2 considering the description of these chariots in Ezek. 1and 10 we can observe, that it is in one place seen as one creature and in another four creatures, each having four heads.
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched from over their heads above.
Ezek. 1: 22
Also out of the midst there of come the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of man. Ezek. 1:5
Then I looked, and behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as appearance at the likeness of the throne.
Ezek. 10:1
And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen; who took it, and went out. And there appeared in the cherubim the form of a man’s hand under their wings
Ezek. 10:7-8
This living creatures or these four living creatures in that description of their activities in which they run and return as flashes of lighting unveils them to be the four chariots that goeth forth from standing before the LORD of all the earth as shown in Zech. 6:5-7. Furthermore the association of the movement of their wings and wheels being associated with the cloud of his glory and the whirlwind unveils them to be the four angels of the four winds of heaven revealed in Rev 7:1-3. These four angels being considered in another perspectives as a single living creature is the white horse that the LORD of host sits upon as seen in Rev. 19
And saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called faithful and truth, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Rev. 19:11
Having established these premises, we shall begin to examine the relationship between the seraphim and cherubim. Before we do this, we will need to explore more of what is revealed in scriptures about the seraphim. The seraphim are first encountered in Isaiah’s vision, Isa 6:1-7. Comparing the description of the bodies and their activities with that which is seen in the throne room of Rev 4, we can conclude that the four beasts before the throne of God in Rev 4 were the same that Isaiah saw which are the seraphim.
First of all we are to note that while the seraphim are surrounding the throne and sometimes hovering above it, the cherubim are distinctly seen under the throne.
In Rev 6 and Zech. 6, we see that the four beasts before the throne of God gives authority to four groups of horse riders. Before we go further, let us consider the heads of both the seraphim and the cherubim.
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.
Ezek. 1:10
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast a calf, and the third beast had face of a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:7
The four beast calls John to come see and is show four riders on different coloured horses. These horses were authorized to manifest different judgements. We in considering Zech. 6 discover that these coloured horses have the same colours with the four chariots that goeth from standing before the LORD. Of course the four horsemen of Rev 6:1-7 are different from the four chariots of the LORD. For the fourth horsemen “Death and Hades” are not God’s ally for in Rev 20:14, they are cast into the lake of fire.
Studying the book of Ezekiel unto whom the four living creatures were revealed in great details and the subsequent judgements and prophecies that follows, we will understand that that in which this creatures run to and fro the earth, returning as flashes of lighting do they execute God’s word in the issues of the plagues and judgement which in Ezekiel 14 are summed up into four.
For thou saith the lord GOD; how much more when i send my four sore judgements upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it men and beast. Ezek. 14:21
And in that day will I make covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safety. Hos. 2:18
The seraphim did call John to come and see but we are neither told nor shown that the things which the horsemen received were given to them by these four beasts. We would say that the seraphim in manifesting the opening of the first four seals reveals how that it is through the cherubim in allowing and empowering these four horsemen that these four plagues are exerted against the inhabitants of the earth with the church still in it. In this according to the prophecies of Hosea 2 is the church punished also of their sins and under the fifth seal is she in the wilderness where God allures her and is taken and in the sixth seal, the false bride is judged and in seventh seal the bow, sword and the battle is broken.
Concerning the angels, they are some key truth that are revealed in scriptures.
Considering the seal- the four hundred years of the bondage of Abraham seed is as the first four seals- the fifth seal manifesting the two witnesses and their various plagues is as Moses and Aaron exerting those ten plagues even into their journey in the wilderness where the children of Israel are preserved and are thus fed forty years with manna in the company of the two witnesses. Their crossing the river Jordan is that opening of the sixth seal that unleashes the wrath of the Lamb after the seven vials had being poured forth. The sixth trumpet unleashes the four angels of the river trumpeted unto the war of Armageddon.
As Moses and Aaron in the plague led out the Israelites unto the crossing of the Red Sea so the two witnesses in their numerous plagues brings out God’s people from Babylon even as the two angels brought Lot and his family out Sodom. Concerning these two angelic visitors there is much to assert from the previous study, we do see how that the Seraphim orchestrates the activities of the Cherubim.
The Cherubim have four faces on their head, this gives these angelic beings the ability to take any form as necessary to executes God’s command in any of the four classes of living creatures in the heavens, earth and sea. The form, appearance and likeness that angels can take and the multiplicity of their activity is that which is inherent in their nature. Angels can appear as horses, as a lion, as eagle, as man or woman as the assignment may require. In the design of the ark of the testament, we are shown a description of the two covering cherub, that cover the atonement cover with their wings. In the design of the walls and curtains of the temple are embroidered and engraved designs of cherubim having a man’s head and a lion’s head in between the palm trees.
Concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the appearance unto father Abraham and the angels unto Lot, with scriptural parallelism of similar events, we see in the case of Elisha who was surround with horses and chariots of fire pointing to that in which that these two angels that comes unto Lot are of the cherubim that goeth forth from standing before the LORD. For the men Sodom were struck with blindness even as the host of Syria on coming to surround Elisha habitation in Dothan were struck with blindness after Elisha’s servants eyes were opened to see the vision of horses and chariots of fire.
And he pressed open them greatly, and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did have unleavened bread and they did eat. Gen 19:3
In the night before Lot and his family were to be delivered from the hand of the People of Sodom and Gomorrah, there was a form of the feast of unleavened bread even as in the night that the children of Israel were to be delivered from Egypt, they have the feast of unleavened bread. The mystery of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in that feast delivereth the saints from Sodom and Egypt.
Now considering the life of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, both function in the same spirit and power and of them both, it is declared “my father, my father, the horsemen of Israel and the chariot thereof. And we see these two prophets’ associated angelic chariot and horses.
And it came to pass, and they still went on, and talked, that, behold, they appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted theme both asunder; and Elijah went up by whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them into pieces.
2Kings 2:11-12
It is not that Elijah was a chariot or a horsemen, both as a prophet and father over Israel, he was a commander of the activities of this angelic host and of such he did possess the spiritual force and power that is a chariot even as it. As there were horses and chariot of fire round Elisha in his environment where he lived so it is to manifest God’s angelic host that manifest territorial authority. So God’s horses and chariots of fire constitutes the divine territorial spirits.
Is expressed illustrated in the scripture below.
And it came to pass in the seven time, that he said behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not ... And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1King 18:44-46
We note that Elijah was empowered by the hand of the LORD to be faster and be better than the king’s chariot. The phrase “... And gird up your loins” reveals to us the place of the belt of truth in our spiritual armoury and how that it is state and condition influences the character of the spiritual strength and power.
Prophet Elisha who was warning on the spirit and power of Elijah having these angelic hosts of cherubim, horses and chariots of fire ministering to him by asking of the LORD did direct their affairs even is smiting the Syrian host with blindness as the two angels that came to Sodom in Lot’s house. And so our LORD Jesus Christ did say
Thinkest thou that I can now pray to my father, and he shall presently give more than twelve legions of angels?
Matt 26:53
The LORD’S army consists of chariots and horsemen.
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place
Ps 63:17
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horsed, clothed in fine linen, white and clean
Rev 19:14
According to the different facilities of the human soul, the spirit has varying depths of manifestation from the mind to the emotions explained above.
Concerning the sixth trumpet and the sixth seal were shall usher in the fay of the LORD after the judgement of the seven walls are poured forth are given a detailed description of the Lord’s army in Joel 2
Blow yet the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is right at hand ... The appearance of them is as the appearances of horses, and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the top of the mountains shall they leap, like the noise of the flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Joel 2
The astral realm is the realm of the power of the air, it is that which is the interest of the spiritual and physical realities in the air which holds the breathe of life and is defined by imaginations and that which is of our human spirit that flows through our breathe; the breathe of life in our nostrils.
Son of man, prophecy against the prophets of Israel that prophecy, and say thou unto them that prophecy out of their hearts, hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD GOD; woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! They have seen vanity and lying divination... Therefore thus saith the lord God; Because ye have spoken vanity and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the LORD GOD. Ezek. 13:1-8
The passage of scriptures shows us the link between our spirits and the human imagination proceeding out of the mind of his heart. In Genesis 6 in the judgement of the flood we see that which associates our imagination with the air, through the breathe of life in our nostrils.
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.... And the LORD said, I will destroy whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:5-7
And Noah build an altar unto the LORD; and took out every clean beast and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done.
Gen 8:5-7
The seraphim, the four beasts before the throne in whose worship, the clouds of God’s glory are manifest are the creatures of the golden altar of sweet incense unto God. These are spirits of the golden altar and constitutes the voice of the golden altar. As these creatures were manifest in the unleashing of the four horsemen of Revelation 6 so are they manifest in unleashing the four angels held on the river Euphrates.
And the sixth angel sounded and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden alter which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, loose the four angels which are bound him the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:13-14
With that understanding which we obtain from this sense in the vision we shall understand, the relationship between the seal and the trumpet that the opening of the seals causes the sounding of the trumpet and in the sounding of the trumpet the beast commands the angel blowing the trumpet to authorize the necessary horsemen/men to execute the determined judgement whose activities on their exertions results in that which is described under the trumpets.
The four living creatures in their names are righteousness and judgement, mercy and truth. These are the four living creatures that are before the throne of God even as God’s chariots and horses are called salvation. These are the exactors of God’s word in the city, Zion. While the seraphs are about the throne, the chariots are about the city.
Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
Ps. 97:2-3
Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Ps 85:10
Justice and judgement are the habitation of my throne; mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Ps 39:14
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty… And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach these terrible things.
Ps 45:3-4
...... Thou didst ride upon thine horse and thy chariots of salvation.
Hab. 3:5
For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Isa 60:17
We see one of these seraphs ministering the righteousness and judgements of God for the cleansing of Isaiah’s uncleanness of lips in Isaiah 6. And so these could also be the angels that removes the filthy garments from Joshua the high priest, robbing him with new garments of righteousness and salvation with a crown of glory in Zech. 3. And also they could be the ones that coronate Jesus as the High priest when he ascended into Heaven at His resurrection to offer up his blood even as foreshadowed in the vision concerning Joshua, the high priest.
As these beasts are seen giving vials to the seven angels of Rev 15, coals of fire unto Isaiah, coal of fire unto the man clothed in linen of Ezek. 10. We can say that they are that which shall manifest the garment, robs and crowns of the saints....
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth those who are the heirs of salvation.
Heb. 1:14
The four unique descriptions of the beast manifest a fourfold revelation of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who is the beast of our salvation even as he is that serpent that Moses lifts in the wilderness.
The face of a man > The Son of man
The face of a lion > The Lion of the tribe of Judah
The face of an Ox > The Lamb of God
The face of an eagle >The Son of righteousness/ Bright morning Star.
Talking about the seals and the trumpet, we shall understand that Moses and Aaron doth typifies the two witness who in going unto the LORD God, standeth against Pharaoh unto the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt unto the wilderness. And after the death of both of them, in that Moses was buried and was no longer found perhaps God taking him- The children of Israel are led up to cross the river Jordan is as the crossing of the river Jordan after which prophet Elijah ascends into the heaven. These and much more shows us how that the ministry of two prophets of Rev. 11 is similar to Moses and Aaron, in that the two witnesses both shall manifests plagues against the people of the beast in Sodom and Egypt and are also as a prophetic covering like the wings of an eagle in the wilderness similar to the Israelites journey in the wilderness for 31/2 years after which they are killed. In the ascension of this two witness, the children of God crosses the spiritual river Jordan and are called up into heaven.
In their death, the fifth seal is fulfilled and in their ascension into heaven, the sixth seal and seven vials are manifest and God’s people crosses into the spiritual Canaan of their inheritance of the earth which is they shall fight through the seven vials unto the day of the LORD in the seventh vial, even as the Israelites fought battles after the crossing into Jordan beginning with Jericho. This Jericho the first, is the strategy in which the saints through the seven vials shall take over the kingdoms of the world under the sixth seal.
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