"FAITH POISED FOR FLIGHT"

March 12 2000 pm
MF Blume

Exod 25:18-20  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

1Kin 6:23-29  And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high. And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits. And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one measure and one size. The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the other cherub. And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. And he overlaid the cherubims with gold. And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.

1Kin 8:6-8  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.



The Lord has opened up some further understanding regarding the Cherubims and specifically their wings.
• They regard a message of faith.

The Cherubims always had Wings stretched upward on high.
• These are Wings that are positioned as ready to fly.

As we noted, cherubim represent the Church.
• A pastor with whom I fellowshipped in service and preached with noted that there was always a question about cherubims and what they were, although he heard explanations before.
• He said even the scholars had a question mark in their minds about cherubims.
• But, cherubims represented the Church.
• Exodus 25:18-19 says the cherubims were IN the mercy seat and OF the mercy seat.

In the New Testament, Hebrews 9 refers to the Mercy seat and the Greek word used there for mercyseat is the same greek word translated as PROPITIATION in the Bible.
• And 1 John 2:2 says...

1John 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins...
Jesus is the MERCYSEAT.
• So if the cherubims were IN the mercyseat and OF the mercyseat, we can say whatever they represent is IN CHRIST and OF CHRIST.
• AND THAT IS THE CHURCH.
Exod 37:7  And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
The cherubims were of ONE PIECE OF GOLD with the Mercyseat.
• In other words, they represented something that in the New Testament is ONE WITH CHRIST.

THE CHURCH.

Cherubim lined the WALLS of the TEMPLE.
• Because Christ dwells in the praises of His people.

Cherubim lined the ceiling of the tabernacle.

Cherubim were even on the DOORS of the Temple, as they were on the VEIL and also stood in the ENTRANCE of the Garden of Eden.

Cherubim in English actually means “BLESSINGS”.
• The Church is meant to be a group of people who are BLESSINGS, and we will show you why.

The Cherubim were fashioned from the gold of the mercy seat with their WINGS STRETCHED ON HIGH.
• As we said, WINGS as in position to FLY.

A reference in Isaiah makes direct reference to wings ready to fly.

Isai 40:28-31  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
"CHANGE THEIR STRENGHTH."

The marginal reference for RENEW THEIR STRENGTH notes that the Hebrew sense of the phrase also means CHANGE THEIR STRENGTH.

• Waiting on the Lord is standing by faith, and expecting God to come and deliver when things are going bad.
• Reminds me of Moses and Israel at the Red Sea, when Moses told the people to STAND STILL, as trouble came behind, and SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD.

And after the Red Sea opened and swallowed all the pursuing soldiers, God said this:

Exodus 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
God described His power of coming to their rescue and delivering them from the armies as LIFTING THEM UP ON EAGLES WINGS.

What the cherubims represent with their wings held aloft on high, is the CHRISTIAN whose FAITH is steady and right there all the time to see God come and work in his/her behalf.
• Wings poised and ready for flight represents WAITING ON THE LORD.
• No fretting, nor running away in frenzy, but KNOWING they are one with God and that God will not let them down if they call on Him for help.

When trouble comes, my wings are poised and ready for flight , for I know that the Lord will meet my needs.

When you do not have faith in someone to meet you at a specified place, you will not wait for that person there.
• But to wait upon the Lord in times of trouble takes faith.
• You know He will meet you.

The Word says that He loves me and cares for me.
• I simply believe what it said!
• I believe I am united to Him like the Cherubims were of ONE PIECE OF GOLD with the mercy seat.
• They were in union with the mercy seat.
• The propitiation.

In fact, PROPITIATION MEANS to AVERT A TRAGEDY.
• The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the mercy seat between the cherubims.
• The eyes of the cherubims were fashioned to look upon the place where the blood was sprinkled.
• The blood was sprinkled on the PROPITIATION, because the tragedy was that man’s sin would eternally damn his soul.
• But the BLOOD averted that tragedy.
• The sprinkled blood from the sacrifice covered their sins away from God’s sight.

Jesus is the PROPITIATION for us today.
• His single sacrifice, as opposed to many in the Old Testament, REMITS our sins, and averts the tragedy of eternal damnation.

And for the Cherubims to look at the blood on the PROPITIATION, and have their wings poised for flight, shows us very vividly the target of the FAITH of the Child of God who KNOWS God will deliver whenever trouble comes.
• Because of the same sacrifice of Jesus that first saved me, I also can be delivered from any troubles I face ever after.
I recall that God so loved me and the rest of the world that He gave in sacrifice His only Son.
• And when trouble comes, I look to that again.
• I realize that if God’s greatest sacrifice for us already occurred in saving us, I know anything else is less than that.
• And if He did that already, He will surely do anything I need of Him.
• So I LOOK TO THAT EVENT.
• I LOOK TO THAT BLOOD.
• And I POISE MYSELF AND EXPECT HIM TO DELIVER ME!

IT IS FAITH TO EXPECT GOD TO COME WHEN YOU DO NOT SEE HIM COMING.
• But the reason you stand still is because YOU KNOW HE WILL COME, whether you see Him coming now or not.
• FAITH.

These people have confidence in their union with Him.

When describing the Temple, we read that in addition to the cherubims on the mercy seat of the ark, and on the walls and doors, there were two giant cherubim made from ten cubits height of olive wood.
• And between the two, they stretched their wings from one end of the room to the other.
• And the Bible says this.

1Kings 8:6-7  And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
The ark’s PLACE was between these two giant cherubims in the Temple.
• And the staves used to transport the ark were pulled out of the loops.
• It belonged there and it was there to stay.
• No need for staves since no need for transporting it any more.

This represents the thought that God’s place is found WHEREVER THERE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE FAITH POISED FOR FLIGHT.
• That is where you find Him.
• If people want to hear God’s word they come to where the cherubims are one with Him, poised with faith for flight.
• They are the church people who live by faith.
• If you ask anyone about God, ask these people.

Exodus 25:22  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all [things] which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
I f you want to be the location where God’s place will always be, then you must unite to the propitiation.. The mercy seat, Jesus Christ, and unite to His death.
• Christians are defined as people who died, were buried and risen with Jesus Christ.
• Also seated with Him in heavenly places.

When you get ready to be saved, and get baptized, make your mind up to unite with the BODY of believers.
• You need a pastor.
• You need to hear the preaching of the Word whenever it is physically possible for you to be here and hear it.

Notice that you always find cherubim together in groups.
• They are never isolated and alone.
• This speaks of the BODY concept of the Church.
• The Church is a CORPORATE UNITY.
• Isolated self-proclaiming prophets of God are liars.
• God’s word, He told Moses, comes from between a FELLOWSHIP OF BELIEVERS.
• Cherubims together in Christ.

There was the chariot of the cherubims.

1Chronicles 28:18  And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.
Ezekiel chapter 1 shows Ezekiels vision of cherubims, living creatures, with God’s throne over their heads and at each of four corners of the CHARIOT were wheels within wheels.
• This says that God wants His glory transported by His people.
• The throne sat above the heads of the cherubims as the priests held aloft the ark of the covenant, with its “thronal” mercyseat over their heads.
• The priests were in the place of the cherubims in Ezekiel’s vision.

Unite with the folks who look to the Blood of Jesus at the cross, and lift their wings up in faith as if to say, “”Because of that cross, and my union to Christ through that death of Jesus, I will call upon God and wait upon Him to deliver me out of trouble, and free me with wings of eagles.”

Judy Garland sang of birds flying over the rainbow.
• By faith, SO CAN I.

Isaiah 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Christians walk in HUMILITY, as the wings of the cherubims covered their feet, and face.
• Hiding their own face for others to see His face.
• God’s throne was amongst these seraphims or cherubims who were humble before God.
• God’s removes Himself far from those of a proud spirit who want people to see themselves.
• God draws near the humble who cling to Jesus for salvation.
Psalm 18:4-19  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.  The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.  And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.  He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.  At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.  Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.  Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.  He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.  They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.  He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
We seem to get the idea that God rides a chariot of cherubims.
• He flies upon the FAITH OF HIS PEOPLE to the rescue of those who call upon Him.
• And sometimes God uses a brother or sister to help us... God riding upon a cherub!