What is difference between Archangels and Cherubim?Submit YOUR questions, through our easy to use form, to our team of mature Christians known as the Email Evangelists! Question: What is the difference between Archangels and the Cherubim? Answer: Archangels and Cherubim are spirit beings who are at God's service and endowed with tremendous power and knowledge. They are collectively called angels, the host of heaven (1Kings 22:19, etc.), or "principalities and powers" (see Romans 8:28). Interestingly, the Bible only reveals the names of three angels. Two of them are almost certainly archangels: Michael and Gabriel. The third named angel, Lucifer (who became the devil), was not one of them. Interestingly, although the Bible refers to Cherubim (plural of Cherub) in several places, Archangels are directly referred to only twice: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an ARCHANGEL . . ." (1Thessalonians 4:16, NKJV throughout) and "Yet Michael the ARCHANGEL, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses" (Jude 9) The only spirit being directly designated as one of the Archangels is Michael, who is also called "one of the chief princes" (Daniel 10:13) and "your prince" (v. 21). He (and no doubt others like him) have and will be involved in major events around the world: "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought . . . " (Revelation 12:7-8). Gabriel, because he has been involved in major Biblical events, is likely one of the Archangels (though the Bible does not directly say so): "Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, 'Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.' . . ." (Daniel 8:15-16)
It was Gabriel who gave Daniel the famous 70 weeks prophecy that revealed when the Messiah would appear (Daniel 9:20-21, 24). This angelic being also announced the miraculous births of both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ (Luke 1:13, 19, 26-27, 31). |