There must be an awful lot of metaphoric language going on when the Bible speaks of God having wings. A God who is everywhere sure doesn't need wings.

In John 10 Christ said "I am the door".

In Rev 1 Christ in heaven - is actually being described.

So... that is an example of a difference in context that is helpfuul when doing exegesis of the text.

in Christ,

Bob

Yes, I agree that wings on heavenly beings is perhaps a metaphor. What would that metaphor mean?

Angels, I suspect, are very much like us, except for our genetic de-evolution. They tend to wear simple, linen clothing. Their jobs, of course, are to deliver messages to us. Angel translates as Messenger.

Cherubim function in the transportation of the Throne of God. When their wings touch, the Throne moves. When their wings drop, the Throne stops. Among them are coals of fire, lightning, swift movement, a thunderous roar, and huge, glittering, whirling wheels.

Instead of every surface covered with human-like eyeballs, we should consider the possibility of facets, maybe circular, something like the silicon cells in some solar panels. We may be looking at technology far beyond our comprehension.

The Seraphim, we can picture, as fiery, flying serpents, [red dragons], as a number of scriptures describe Satan. Satan may very well be a sapient, fiery, flying serpent with powerful, telepathic abilities, able to posess nearly defenseless human beings.

I think the Bible is right when it describes angels as having wings, hands, feet, faces and robes of light.

in Christ,

Bob

As was pointed out at the very beginning of this topic and what has prompted this whole topic is that the Bible does not ever actually describe angels as having wings. Seraphim and Cherubim are different heavenly beings that are described as having wings. God is described as having wings. But not angels.

One might assume wings where angels are described as moving through the air or appearing in the sky or hovering above the earth. But we do not picture Jesus as having sprouted wings at his Ascension doing that very thing. The Bible just says he went up. And we know that things can move through the air or hover in the air without wings. And if we believe angels have any supernatural abilities, defeating gravity would not require actual wings as would natural earthly creatures like birds. It is only in extra-Biblical sources, art and church tradition that actually puts wings on angels.

Tom

Where is the "Cherubim" or "Seraphim" are not angels text?

Lucifer is an angel -- he is also Cherubim - so it will be interesting to see where the text is for "Cherubim are not angels".

in Christ,

Bob

Unless:
1. There is a demon lookalike for every person who ever died,
2. Satan looks exactly like people think Jesus does, and
3. Angels naturally look like ordinary humans,

I'd say that angels have the power to change their appearance at God's will. What their natural appearance is, I have no idea, and for all we know they have no "natural" appearance but are always changing according to their tasks.

Bob, I think one might find that verse at the same place as the text that says Cherubim and Seraphim are the same thing as angels. And perhaps one might find in the same place the text that says Lucifer was a Cherubim or a Seraphim.

Isaiah uses the term Seraphs/Seraphim for certain creatures around God's throne. The more frequently used word Cherub/Cherubim is used by Ezekiel and that same word is also used for the guardian posted at the gate to the Garden of Eden after the fall. But in neither case is the word used that we translate as angel which literally means messenger.

The original language used in the Scripture for these various heavenly beings are distinctly different words with quite different meanings, the descriptions given by the prophets of their appearance is vastly different and the described functions and activities are very different.

It seems only church tradition and extra-Biblical sources or perhaps commonly held assumption that concludes that they are all the same type of heavenly being.

Tom

I was pretty sure Ezekiel said somewhere that Lucifer was a cherub...