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We’ve
all seen them; those beautiful, mischievous, chubby-cheeked angels
that adorn romantic
cards, baby nurseries and gift store shelves. But many people only
associate these
cute little angels as current day symbols of love and comfort when in
fact, cherubs have
a long and interesting past that have their origins in many
religions.

Cherubs,
also known as seraphim, were originally depicted in Zoroastrian, and
later Hebrew
and Christian religious texts, as four-sided, four-faced winged
creatures that guard
the throne of God, the entrance to the lost Garden of Eden, and the
covenant of the Ark.
Later Christians differentiated cherubs and seraphim, with cherubs
being the second highest
order of angels, after the first-order seraphim. In both Christian
and Islam religions,
the cherubim (karibiyun in Islam) live in heaven and continually
praise God (or Allah).

In
fact, it wasn’t until the Renaissance period that westernized
Christianity began to change
the image of the cherub into the one we know now. In fact, the cherub
that we encounter
today, with its sweet looking, child-like face and wings, better
describe another form
of angel found in the Hebrew tradition, the ‘putti,’ another form
of angel entirely.

But
whatever the origin, cherubs today are associated with attributes of
God, such as love,
divine thought and happiness. As angels, they are looked upon by many
as providing
divine protection and guidance to loved ones on earth. It is these
meanings that make cherub figurines such a loving and wonderful gift for those
celebrating the birth of their
child. While it seems unusual for a gift that celebrates birth to be
equally as good as a
symbol to comfort bereavement and loss, it is their representation of
God’s love and protection
that makes them so.

Often
for those grieving in bereavement, adding angel and other cherub
figurines to their home
environment help them to remember and focus upon God’s love and
immortality, and
his eternal promise of being reunited with their loved one in heaven
in time to come.

Even
bereaved without any religious belief or affiliation can be comforted
by depictions and
figures of angels and cherubs, as in popular secular culture they
have come to represent
love and goodness. These angels can be a form of support that you can
provide to
them for when you cannot be there.

Whatever
the religion, whatever the spiritual need, angels such as cherubs can
be wonderful
symbols of your love and support. Best yet, there can never be too
many angels
to watch over your loved one. A gift of an angel, such as cherub
figurine, or an angel
pin will be a welcome show of your love and support for those you
love.

Angel figurines are popular items. Collectors fill their homes with shelves of
ceramic and wooden angels, pictures are hung over the doorways that
read, “This house is protected by Angels!” and key chains
are given as gifts that plead, “Never drive faster than your
guardian angel can fly!” The angel craze is growing, but every
student of the Bible is aware that those angelic images of beautiful,
peaceful women in flowing robes with snowy-white wings, are not quite
true to life.

There
are many myths about angels that have been accepted as truths in the
world today.

1.
Angels are not people who have died. Angels are created beings, just
like us. We do not earn wings and a halo for our good behavior when
we die.

2.
Not all angels are good. Lucifer convinced one third of all the
angels in heaven to revolt against God with him. These angels chose
to follow Lucifer rather than God. These unholy angels are now called
demons, but they are still fallen angels.

3.
There are no baby angels. Angels do not marry nor do they have
children with other angels.

4.
Angels cannot die. God created them as immortal beings.

5.
Angels are not all-knowing. They do the bidding of the Father. The
Bible proclaims that no man knows the day or the hour of the end of
the Earth except the Father in heaven, not even the angels of heaven.

6.
There are no female angels. Because angels are described as having
beautiful features and are clothed in flowing white garments, they
may be mistaken for women, (thus the popularity of beautiful women
angel figurines) but the Bible has no mention of a single female
angel in heaven.

7.
Angels hold a lower status than humans in the heavenly hierarchy.
Human saints will judge all angels .Man was created lower than
angels, but he will sit in judgment of them at the end of time.

8.
Hell was never created for man. God created Hell as a place of
confinement for Lucifer and his followers. God’s intention was that
no man perishes, but all would come to Him.

9.
Angels and demons cannot separate us from God by force. If we are
far from God, it is a matter of free will.

10.
Angels do not have halos, but their countenance may seem to glow from
being in the presence of God.

11.
Angels do not always have wings. Although they are created with
wings, they are spiritual beings who can take on many different forms
when needed, even disguising themselves as men.

12.
Angels do not sit on clouds and play harps all day. They are God’s
messengers and do His work. They comfort, protect and watch over
humans. They praise God incessantly. They are strong warriors, able
to wipe out an entire civilization when so instructed. They fight
against fallen angels in spiritual battle day and night, without
ceasing. They carry the souls of the dead saints to heaven.

13.
Angels are not unorganized masses of beings that do whatever they
please all day. They are arranged into a type of military ranking and
give and receive orders.

14.
Man is warned not to worship angels. Worship and adoration are
reserved for God alone.

15.
Man’s greatest battle is not against other men, but against the evil
spirits or fallen angels.

Traditional
angel figurines may not be historically accurate depictions of these
messengers of God, but for many, they serve as a reminder that forces
unseen are at work around us and that God is in control of the
universe, making them popular symbols of comfort and faith.