And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
The above describes the mystery of God’s presence manifested in His mercy. It depicts His presence in the face of the one He appears in, and transference of the same presence into the one receiving Him, face to face.
1 Corinthians 13
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly [without fully understanding]; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Thus says the Sender in Paul, to the receiver Timothy, I have covered you under My wings, in which you have put your trust, continuing until My mercy has had its full effect.
2 Timothy 2
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that labors must be first partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the LORD give you understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel [as He is now raised in you]:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes [in whom, when mercy has had its full effect, Christ shall rise], that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory [His presence manifested in them].
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him [when He appears to us in the man in whom God has chosen to show His glory], he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the LORD that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as does a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus [again, these names tell of those who are opposing the LORD at His appearing and not allowing others to Join with Him and rise, and hide their rejection of Him behind their claims of love];
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The LORD knows them that are his [coming to them face to face – His presence in those He sends to raise them by the same presence resurrected in their bodies which are dead without Him]. And, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these [the profane and vain ideas of these false teachers, whose errors and blindness witness against them], he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts [flee the ideas of your childhood, and become man – see 1 Corinthians 13 above]: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the LORD out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes [avoid the questions of those who aren’t looking for truth, out of a pure heart, but rather just want to argue and muddy the clear truth they cannot deny, but do deny].
24 And the servant of the LORD must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
The word “purge” in verse 21 above is the Greek word ekkathairo, meaning to thoroughly cleanse, only appearing one other time, in 1 Corinthians 5:7, where it speaks of purging out the old leaven, which we know is corruption.
The same men spoken of above in 2 Timothy 2:17 (who have married the LORD’s {The Father’s} bride, telling His church they cannot join with Him, and do so because they themselves have taken her), are the same spoken of in 1 Corinthians 5:1. As above, 1 Corinthians 5:2 then tells us we must purge ourselves of these men and their ideas, the leaven spoken of in verse 7, by taking them away from among us. These are those Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2, who are sitting the house of God, in His place opposing Him and exalting themselves. We know he there tells us these are those holding God’s people down (katecho) and who will hold them down until they are taken out of the way.
We know the words there rendered “withholds” and “lets” are from the Greek word katecho, which means to hold down, and refers to those Paul has earlier spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4 as the sleeping, who will rise with the dead, who he tells us in verses 16 and 17 are now being called by the LORD’s manifested presence to rise and join with Him.
1 Corinthians 5
1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you. [Purge out these men and their ideas – the false teachers and false preachers among you, because of their leaven which corrupts the whole lump.]
3 For I truly, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that has so done this deed,
4 In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our LORD Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the LORD Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven [the old ideas that have that have produced the air of corruption these men and those who follow them have risen into], that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortionists, or with idolaters; for then must you needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortionists; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not you judge them that are within?
13 But them that are without God judges. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. [Purge yourselves from these men and their ideas, so “that the word of the LORD may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you {seen as the word of God}: 2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men.” 2 Thessalonians 3]
1 Thessalonians 4
11 And that you study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12 That you may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that you may have lack of nothing.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the LORD, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the LORD shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the LORD himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the LORD so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our LORD Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify [educate] one another, even as also you do.
We know the place where we all meet the LORD is in the “air,” from the Greek word aer, which only appears seven times in the word of God. We know from previous in-depth studies, this aer first, in Ephesians 2:2, describes the air we were once in, along with all the world, but were from it quickened to life. It is the course of the world, the working Satan (for its Hebrew meaning of resisting and opposing God), who is there called the “prince” of this power, which now works in the children of disobedience. We know it is the “air” we are told of in Revelation 9:2, which is darkened, meaning become without understanding when this same fallen angel is released from/by the never-ending fall of man (the bottomless pit) away from God.
Revelation 9
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall [Satan, the prince of the power of the air] from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit [the never-ending fall of man away from God]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun [the church] and the air [aer] were darkened [understanding removed] by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon [flying in the air and devouring] the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power [to rot men from the inside – poisoning their minds].
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God [which is understanding] in their foreheads [in their minds].
Ephesians 2
1 And you has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [aer], the spirit [the poison] that now works in [ideas that leaven the minds of] the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us [brought us from death to life, by joining us] together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)
6 And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the LORD:
22 In whom you also are builds together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
The “air” where we meet the LORD is also spoken of in Revelation 16:17 as the seventh angel pours out His vile into it and the voice is heard from the throne, saying, “It is done.” “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.”
Friends, this air is the space between the wings of the cherubims, where the LORD said He would meet with us.
Exodus 25
20 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.
21 And you shall put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.
22 And there I will meet with you, and I will commune with you 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 you in commandment unto the children of Israel.
The cherubims represent those who God has chosen to give His word to and through, and in this delivery, we by understanding see the LORD above and between (the mediator of) the process, and His presence, His glory, by it, is manifested. This education, by His divine purpose and power, His grace which saves us by our faith in Him, in it (the process), for our Salvation and Deliverance, is His mercy, which is the ultimate revelation of His person and character.
The fallen ones, those in whom the spirit of disobedience and opposition to God works, are those choosing to perish rather than repent and be corrected. This is the offence seen in the rebellion of Satan, the cherubim who instead of delivering the message as given, altered it to fulfil his lust for power and exaltation.
Ezekiel speaks to these men as the prince of Tyrus, a name we know tells of them as the false rock, from where they claim the word that flows from them is the word of God, while in them is at work the power of disobedience and rebellion against the true Power. Ezekiel goes on to speak against the king of Tyrus, the spirit in the men, the father of the prince, Satan himself as the original fallen cherub that covered the mercy seat. We know this speaks of the origin of the fall of man, when God’s messengers strayed into their own ideas, and men followed their advice rather the waiting for God, to, in His perfect time, manifest His presence.
We know this is seen in Jonah’s fall into the belly of the earth, and then leaving behind the lying vanities of men, looking again to the habitation of God, came from the belly of hell and out of the hold of the earth (in a pattern again into the air). The false preacher and false teachers, in making the conscious decision to keep their worthless ideas, forsake their own mercy.
Jonah 2
1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,
2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and you heard my voice.
3 For you had cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all your billows and your waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, I am cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.
5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet have you brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto you, into your holy temple.
8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice unto you with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
10 And the LORD spoke unto the fish [what was agitating the sea, the people at large], and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land [where there is no waters, no word of God, because of the false rock, by whose corrupt advice the sea was agitated].
Ezekiel 28
1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus [the false rock], Thus says the LORD God; Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet you are a man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God:
3 Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from you:
4 With your wisdom and with your understanding you have gotten you riches, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasures:
5 By your great wisdom and by your traffic have you increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches:
6 Therefore thus says the LORD God; Because you have set your heart as the heart of God;
7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon you, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your brightness.
8 They shall bring you down to the pit, and you shall die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.
9 Will you yet say before him that slays you, I am God? but you shall be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slays you.
10 You shall die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, says the LORD God.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus [the false rock], and say unto him, Thus says the LORD God; You seal up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 You have been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of your tabrets and of your pipes was prepared in you in the day that you were created.
14 You are the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set you so: you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
15 You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you.
16 By the multitude of your merchandise they have filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned: therefore I will cast you as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness: I will cast you to the ground, I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you.
18 You have defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of you, it shall devour you, and I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.
19 All they that know you among the people shall be astonished at you: you shall be a terror, and never shall you be any more.
20 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
21 Son of man, set your face against Zidon [where they hunt for souls, the false church], and prophesy against it,
22 And say, Thus says the LORD God; Behold, I am against you, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of you: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23 For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
24 And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the LORD God.
25 Thus says the LORD God; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.
26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.
When the voice is heard from the throne saying “It is done,” it is the same voice heard saying the same thing, when all things are made new, when these words are seen as faithful and true.
Revelation 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Psalms 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handy-work.
2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his [own] errors? cleanse you me from secret faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression [which is defined here in these last verses as the words of men who are opposing God].
14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
