We're No Angels

Since the conversation has turned to angels, for some inexplicable but amusing reason, I wanted to “fact check” myself. Turns out….I was right! According to Catholic Encyclopedia online, this is the Biblical description of the Cherubim:

"Ezechiel's vision of the Cherubim, which is practically the same in the tenth chapter as in the first, is one of the most difficult in Scripture, and has given rise to a multitude of explanations. The prophet first saw a luminous cloud coming from the north; from a distance it seemed a heavy cloud fringed with light and some intense brilliancy in the centre thereof, bright as gold, yet in perpetual motion as the flames of a fire. Within that heavenly fire he began gradually to distinguish four living beings with bodies as men, yet with four faces each: a human face in front, but an eagles face behind; a lion's face to the left and an ox's face to the right. Though approaching, yet their knees did not bend in their march, straight and stiff they remained; and for feet they had the hoofs of oxen, shod as it were with shining brass. They had four arms, two to each shoulder, and attached along each arm a wing. Of these four winged arms two were outstretched above, and two were let down and covered their bodies. These four living beings stood together, facing in four opposite directions, and between them were four great wheels, each wheel being double, so that it could roll forward or sideways. Thus this angelic chariot, in whatever of the four directions it moved, always presented the same aspect. And both angels and wheels were all studded with eyes. And over the heads of the cherubim, so that they touched it with the points of their outstretched wings, was an expanse of crystal, and on this crystal a sapphire throne, and on the throne one resembling a man, the likeness of the glory of Jehovah."

That would be found at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03646c.htm for those of you keeping score at home.

Two more interesting facts that I learned while trying to validate my remaining scraps of Biblical knowledge:

1) According to most of the sources I found, Satan himself was of the Cherubic order of Angels.

2) The actual name for those tacky French furniture babies is “Putti”…which I think suits them perfectly. It sounds adorable and vaguely obscene.

3) Eschatology is the study of the End Times. So while I did in fact have to study that too in my “Just-Like-Saved-Only-Not-As-Liberal” Junior High…it was a separate course. I was confusing it with Angelology…which I also had to study.

Go ahead….make a comment…get it off your chest, LOL.