Ezekiel 1 vs 10 — The Cherubim has a face of an Ox, what’s the face of a Cherub?

“Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies. And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went. As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.” Ezekiel 1:5–15

“And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.”Ezekiel 10:14

Cherub or Cherubim (plural) are angelic beings involved in the worship and praise of God. The cherubim are first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis.

“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24

Prior to his rebellion, Satan was a Cherub (Ezekiel 28:12–15). The tabernacle and temple along with their articles contained many representations of Cherubim (Exodus 25:17–22; 26:1, 31; 36:8; 1 Kings 6:23–35; 7:29–36; 8:6–7; 1 Chronicles 28:18; 2 Chronicles 3:7–14; 2 Chronicles 3:10–13; 5:7–8; Hebrews 9:5).

Chapters 1 and 10 of the book of Ezekiel describe the “four living creatures” (Ezekiel 1:5) as the same beings as the cherubim (Ezekiel 10). Each had four faces — that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (Ezekiel 1:10; also 10:14) — and each had four wings. In their appearance, the cherubim “had the likeness of a man” (Ezekiel 1:5). The distinction of the face of the cherub in Ezekiel chapter ten, is a distinction without a difference with respect to the face of the Ox in Ezekiel chapter one. The word cherub, originally signifies an ox as derived from Akkadian.

These cherubim used two of their wings for flying and the other two for covering their bodies (Ezekiel 1:6, 11, 23). Under their wings the cherubim appeared to have the form, or likeness, of a man’s hand (Ezekiel 1:8; 10:7–8, 21).

The imagery of Revelation 4:6–9 also describes cherubim. The cherubim serve the purpose of magnifying the holiness and power of God. This is one of their main responsibilities throughout the Biblical text.

The four living creatures found in Revelation 4:6–9; 5:6–14; 6:1–8; 14:3; 15:7; and 19:4. The texts that describe these creatures do not indicate that they are figurative — they are real, actual beings. The four living creatures (literally “beings”) are a special, exalted order of angelic being or cherubim. This is clear by their close proximity to the throne of God. Ezekiel 1:12–20 suggests that they are in constant motion around the throne.

Revelation 5:6–14 describes the duties or purposes of the four living creatures. They fall down and worship the Lamb, Jesus Christ, offering the same reverence to Him that they do to the Father (Revelation 4:6–9), substantiating Biblically the deity of Jesus the Christ. Along with the twenty-four elders, they have “harps and golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8). Harps are frequently associated with worship in the Old Testament, as well as with prophecy (2 Kings 3:15; 1 Chronicles 25:1). Incense represents the prayers of the saints. Therefore, taken together, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders hold in their hands all that prophets ever prophesied and believers ever prayed for — all about to come to pass.

The purpose of the four living creatures also has to do with declaring the holiness of God and leading in worship and adoration of God, and they are involved in some way with God’s justice, for when He opens the first four seals and sends out the four horsemen to destroy, their powerful voices, like thunder, command “come” (Revelation 6:1–8). The horsemen respond to the summons of the four creatures, indicating the power the creatures possess. That power is seen again in Revelation 15:7 when one of the four unleashes the last seven plagues of God’s wrath on mankind.

The four living creatures are very similar, if not the same, beings as those in Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 and Isaiah 6:1–3. They are four in number, full of eyes, have faces like the beings in Ezekiel 1:10, have six wings (Isaiah 6:2), and offer worship as the beings in Isaiah 6:3, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.” They may not be the exact same beings, but they definitely are comparable and of the same order.

Cherubim are of the first hierarchy or choirs of angels, second to Seraphim making them of the highest order of angels.