1 Kings 6:23

The cherubim have been well described as "God's judicial executive, whoever it is entrusted to, and in whatever circumstances it is shown." They do not appear to be a distinct order in God's creation. They are symbolic figures instead. In His ways of government and judgement God sometimes uses angels and sometimes men. Whichever it may be, the instruments He employs would be God's cherubim for the moment.

In the tabernacle they were hammered out of the same piece as the mercy seat, and they overshadowed it. They looked toward what lay hidden in the ark — the covenant of the law, placed inside it and written on tables of stone. The cherubim, two in number, were witnesses of the contents of the ark. At the same time they were attributes of the judicial power of God. These attributes made the covenant sure.

While the cherubim that belonged to the ark of the covenant remained unchanged — for it was the same ark that was in the tabernacle — Solomon put on either side of it the big figure of a cherub carved of olive wood and overlaid with gold. Each was ten cubits high… Then, instead of these cherubim looking downward toward the mercy seat like those on the ark, they looked outward. The word "inward" really means "toward the house," that is, outward. This fits the reign of righteousness that Solomon and the temple foreshadow. While there was nothing but the covenant, they gazed at it. But once God has established His throne in righteousness, He can turn toward the world to bless it according to that righteousness.

In the temple the cherubim have their faces toward the house, that is, outward. God's attributes no longer look only at the covenant, keeping it despite everything. They also look outward to bless. It is the time of the millennium, but the veil appears again here in the temple. Whatever the blessing of the true Solomon's reign may be, Israel and the earth have no immediate, direct access to Him who is hidden in the heavens.

Also, in the inner sanctuary were two cherubim carved from olive wood. The olive is symbolic of Christ, from whom the Spirit of God (the oil) is sent from the Father. These were also covered with gold. The cherubim symbolise the government of God. Since there were two, this reminds us of the perfect balance of God's government. It involves both justice and grace, and both matter equally.

The wings of these cherubim spread out twenty cubits, filling the full width of the inner sanctuary, "and they stood on their feet, and their faces were toward the house." They are shown here not as looking into the ark, with the judicial action proper to them held in suspense. Instead, from their place in the inner sanctuary, they look out on the priests in their service before the veil, then on the worshippers in the outer court, and at last look on with perfect satisfaction at a world purified by judgment and brought into complete subjection to the God and Father.