The Bible mentions several types of fabulous creatures that were close to God. One of them is a cherub. This is the name of the winged representative of the second angelic rank following the seraphim. These creatures take pride of place in the heavenly hierarchy.
About the heavenly hierarchy
The heavenly forces in Christianity, although ethereal, have their own strict and complex system of submission. At the turn of the 5th and 6th centuries, a treatise on the heavenly hierarchy was created, the authorship of which has not yet been established. In this text, which is most often attributed to the theologian Dionysius the Areopagite, the structure of the system of celestial forces is presented quite fully.
The heavenly hierarchy includes nine angelic ranks, which are divided into three levels, degrees, "spheres". By the way, on the ancient icons of the heavenly inhabitants, they are in fact depicted in the form of spheres. The first degree includes fiery and flaming seraphim. These are six-winged creatures closest to the divine throne.
Seraphim glorify God, burn with love for the Creator and awaken the same feelings in others.
The second level in the heavenly hierarchy is the cherubim. An unknown author of the essay presents them as creatures with four faces and four hands. These are intercessors who spread knowledge of God. The mission of the cherubim is to constantly contemplate the Creator. They also convey to the world the deep divine wisdom derived from a higher source.
Of the representatives of other celestial spheres, the most noteworthy are the archangels and angels. The first are heavenly teachers and superiors for representatives of the lower levels. But the angels, according to the Christian tradition, are in the heavenly hierarchy closest to the earthly world. Their task is to inform people about the intentions of the Creator, and also to instruct everyone on the path of a holy life full of virtue.
