Cherubim
The Cherubim (Hebrew: כְּרוּב cherub; plural כרובים, cherubim "fullness of knowledge", "outpouring of wisdom"<ref>Dionysius Areopagita: Himmlische Hierarchie. Aus dem Griechischen übersetzt von Josef Stiglmayr. (Bibliothek der Kirchenväter, 1. Reihe, Band 2) München 1911, S. 32), also called Spirits of Harmonies, are exalted spiritual beings who, like all beings of the first hierarchy, have the direct sight of the Godhead and directly execute its will. They are at the same time the actual zodiacal beings. They are usually depicted as four-winged animal beings. This distinguishes them from the Seraphim, who are depicted with a human body.
The four leading Cherubim are also depicted as tetramorphs with three animal heads (bull, lion, eagle) and a human face, comparable to the [Sphinx]]. Their dominion extends far beyond the borders of our solar system and together with the Thrones and Seraphim they belong to that region whose outward expression is the zodiac. The Cherubim have the mission of expanding in wisdom the developmental goals of a planetary system, which they receive from the Deity. This is a completely supra-personal wisdom, which they gather in the millions of years of the becoming of the world and then radiate in sublime power.
Literature
- Rudolf Steiner: Geistige Hierarchien und ihre Widerspiegelung in der physischen Welt, GA 110 (1991), ISBN 3-7274-1100-7 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Die Evolution vom Gesichtspunkte des Wahrhaftigen, GA 132 (1999), ISBN 3-7274-1320-4 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Die geistigen Wesenheiten in den Himmelskörpern und Naturreichen, GA 136 (1996), ISBN 3-7274-1361-1 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Mysterienwahrheiten und Weihnachtsimpulse. Alte Mythen und ihre Bedeutung, GA 180 (1980), ISBN 3-7274-1800-1 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
- Rudolf Steiner: Esoterische Unterweisungen für die erste Klasse der Freien Hochschule für Geisteswissenschaft am Goetheanum 1924, GA 270b (1999), ISBN 3-7274-2700-0 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com. Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English. Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA) Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF. |