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"In prayer, we stand where angels bow with veiled faces. There,
even there, the cherubim and seraphim adore before that selfsame throne to which our prayers ascend. And shall we come there with stunted
requests and narrow, contracted faith?" - Charles Spurgeon
SERAPHIM
are angelic beings regarded in traditional Christian angelology (the
study of angels) as belonging to their highest rank, associated with
light, ardor, and purity. Angels are spiritual beings who act as attendants, agents, or messengers of God.AAA
The word seraph means 'the
burning ones" or "serpents." Seraphs as fiery serpents are referenced in Numbers 21:6-9, the plague sent on Israel after they had spoken against Moses
and the LORD. Moses had to lift up a bronze serpent for them to look on,
be healed, and live. This foreshadowed the salvation found through
Jesus Christ on the cross. "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:14) Seraphim are described as six-winged creatures. The only
use of the actual word is in Isaiah 6, as the prophet receives His
calling:
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1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2Above
it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his
face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" 4And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
6Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7And
he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your
lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged." 8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for US?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
5So I said, "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts."
Seraphim display for us the posture of worship. They cover their faces with the first set of wings as a sign of reverence.
The Holiness of God is so radiant that no one can look on His face and
live. They cry out Holy! in homage to the LORD. The seraphim cover their feet with the second set of wings to demonstrate their humility and the awareness of their limitations and unworthiness before Him. The third set of wings represent service,
as they fly in joyful obedience to the LORD's bidding as He calls for them to move swiftly into action. Then God uses the seraph as His
instrument of atonement in Isaiah 6, to purge the iniquity of Isaiah before he is deployed. These postures of worship, humility, service, and redemption should be ours as well.
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