Hebrews 9:5

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. OVER IT - over "the ark of the covenant." CHERUBIM - representing the ruling powers by which God acts in the moral and natural world (note, Ezekiel 1:6; Ezekiel 10:1): sometimes the ministering angels; mostly the elect redeemed, by whom God shall rule the world and set forth His manifold wisdom: redeemed humanity, combining in and with itself the highest forms of subordinate creaturely life They stand on the mercy-seat, and on that ground become the habitation of God, from which His glory is to shine upon the world. They expressly say, Revelation...

5._Of which we cannot now, etc. _As nothing can satisfy, curious men, the apostle cuts off every occasion for refinements unsuitable to his present purpose, and lest a longer discussion of these things should break off the thread of his argument. If, therefore, any one should disregard the Apostle’s example, and dwell more minutely on the subject, he would be acting very unreasonably. There might be, indeed, an occasion for doing this elsewhere; but it is now better to attend to the subject of which he treats: it may further be said, that to philosophize beyond just limits, which some do, is not only useless, but also dangerous. There are some things which are not obscure and fitted for the edification of faith; but discretion and sobriety ought to be observed, lest we seek to be wise above what God has been pleased to reveal....

1-5 The apostle shows to the Hebrews the typical reference of their ceremonies to Christ. The tabernacle was a movable temple, shadowing forth the unsettled state of the church upon earth, and the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. The typical meaning of these things has been shown in former remarks, and the ordinances and articles of the Mosaic covenant point out Christ as our Light, and as the Bread of life to our souls; and remind us of his Divine Person, his holy priesthood, perfect righteousness, and all-prevailing intercession. Thus was the Lord Jesus Christ, all and in all, from the beginning. And as interpreted by the gospel, these things are a glorious representation of the wisdom of God, and confirm faith in Him who was prefigured by them....

Verse Hebrews 9:5. _AND OVER IT THE CHERUBIMS OF GLORY_] Cherubim is the plural of _cherub_, and it is absurd to add our plural termination (s) to the plural termination of the Hebrew. The _glory_ here signifies the _shechinah_ or symbol of the Divine presence. _SHADOWING THE MERCY-SEAT_] One at each end of the ark, with their faces turned toward each other, but looking down on the cover or propitiatory, ιλαστηριον, here called the _mercy-seat_. _OF WHICH WE CANNOT NOW SPEAK PARTICULARLY._] The apostle did not judge any farther account of these to be necessary; and I may be excused from considering them particularly here, having said so much on each in the places where they occur in the Pentateuch. What these point out or signify is thus explained by St. Cyril: Christus licet unus sit, multifariam tamen a nob

AND OVER IT - That is, over the ark. THE CHERUBIM OF GLORY - A Hebrew mode of expression, meaning “the glorious cherubim.” The word “cherubim” is the Hebrew form of the plural, of which cherub is the singular. The word “glory” used here in connection with “cherubim,” refers to the splendor, or magnificence of the image, as being carved with great skill, and covered with gold. There were two cherubim on the ark, placed on the lid in such a manner that their faces looked inward toward each other, and downward toward the mercy-seat. They stretched out their wings “on high,” and covered the mercy-seat, or the lid of the ark; Exodus 25:18; compare 1 Kings 8:6;...

EXPOSITION _The sphere _of Christ's "more excellent ministry," as the "Mediator of a better covenant," having been shown to be elsewhere than in the earthly tabernacle, the ministry itself is now contrasted with that of the superseded priesthood. With this view the latter is described, and shown to express in itself its own insufficiency and to point to a more availing one to come. HEBREWS 9:1 THEN VERILY (or, _now indeed_)_ _THE FIRST COVENANT ALSO (or, _even the first covenant_)_ _HAD ORDINANCES OF DIVINE SERVICE, AND A WORLDLY SANCTUARY (rather _its sanctuary of this world _(τὸ ἅγιον κοσμεκόν). The definite article points to the well-known one of the Mosaic dispensation, which, unlike the true one, was in its bearings, as well as locally and materially

AND OVER IT THE CHERUBIM OF GLORY,.... Or "glorious cherubim", where the Shechinah, or divine glory, dwelt, Psalms 80:1. These were over the ark, and were in number two, as were the cherubim which God placed at the garden of Eden, Genesis 3:24 according to the opinion of the ancient Jews u; and very likely these were made after the form of them. Some have thought them to be birds of a very terrible aspect, which were set there to deter Adam and Eve from coming to the tree of life; and both Philo w and Josephus x say, they were winged fowls; but the generality of the Jewish writers take them for angels y; and some of them say they were destroying angels, or noxious spirits z, which is not probable; but why angels should be so called, and what was their appearance, there are different opinions. Jerom says a the wo

1 _Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary._ An external sanctuary, a material structure, and therefore belonging to this world. Hebrews 9:2. _For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread: which is called the sanctuary._ Or, «the Holy Place.» Hebrews 9:3. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these

MERCYSEAT (Greek, "hilastērion", "place of propitation"). (_ See Scofield) - (Romans 3:25). _...

CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The first tabernacle and its worship (Hebrews 9:1)_ 2. The blood and the perfect work accomplished (Hebrews 9:11) 3. The Priest in heaven (Hebrews 9:24) Hebrews 9:1 The Spirit of God now brings forth the greatest and most blessed facts concerning Christ, the offering He brought, and what has been accomplished by that offering. First the worldly sanctuary, the tabernacle, which was connected with the old covenant is briefly mentioned. It was erected by divine command, exhibiting divine wisdom and foreshadowed, like the levitical priesthood, the better things to come. Yet it was a “worldly