This exegetical exercise attempts a hermeneutics or interpretation of one of the most misunderstood genres of both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian in the role of angels, Cherubim and Seraphim.
The author argues that the narrative that describes them is meant to jog our analogical imagination so that our finite mind can try to picture what it is like to be in the presence of the divine. The use of symbols such as animals, sounds, numbers etc is a means of pushing our finite mind to its utmost limit so as to get as close as it can to what is infinite.
This is particularly at a time of crisis or dystopian times such as the current Covid-19 pandemic in order to provide hope that evil is not winning but that whatever discombobulation we may be undergoing are but the birth pangs of a new heaven and a new earth. What are described as angels were not mythic creatures. They were human messengers of God.
When the concept migrates into Greek mythology, angels, like Hermes, are still messengers but they are more supernatural than terrestrial. When Greek mythology and Hebrew mythology about angels, they gave rise to all kinds of pictorial representations. The purpose of the representations was to stretch our minds and in the case of the Bible to help us reflect on the supernatural and to shore our belief that the Supernatural is still in charge.
In relation to the Cherubim and Seraphim, the Hebrew Bible does not even call them angels. It reserved the word angel for human messengers as in Gen 18. Whatever way they are presented in art, they are aids for analogical imagination rather than creatures to keep us awake at night or with which to frighten children. They do not exist outside our analogical imagination. Like Greek drama, when we read the narrative, we are not meant to be bystanders but participants.
In Isaiah 6, for instance, you are not meant to observing Isaiah but you are a co-participant in his drama. If he is afraid, you are also afraid. If he is dejected, you are also dejected. If at the end there is a silver lining at the end of his horizon, that should go for you too. The narrative is meant to have a cathartic effect.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Covid-19 and Apocalypse
3. Getting to Grips with Apocalypse
4. What’s Analogical Imagination got to do with Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim?
5. A Twitter Discussion about Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim
6. The Death of a King and Existential Crisis
7. A Prophet or Seer is invited into the Celestial Throne Room
8. What’s Going on in these Two Texts?
9. Isaiah’s Vision
10. John’s Vision
11. An Exemplar from the Prophet Ezekiel
12. Conclusion
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This article explores the nature of biblical imagery concerning angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim, arguing that these descriptions serve as tools for the "analogical imagination" rather than literal entities intended to incite fear. By examining historical apocalyptic literature in the context of existential crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, the author demonstrates how such visions were designed to provide comfort and reaffirm divine presence during periods of societal turmoil.
- The role of analogical imagination in interpreting transcendental truths.
- Biblical perspectives on angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim as pictorial metaphors.
- The relationship between apocalyptic literature and existential societal crises.
- A comparative analysis of the visions of Isaiah, John, and Ezekiel.
- The importance of cultural and historical context in understanding ancient texts.
Excerpt from the Book
9. Isaiah’s Vision
Isaiah has an experience of drawing close to God. Just the thought of entering this space is enough to give you more than goose pimples. He provides us with some clues of how frightening the whole experience is. This took place “In the year that King Uzziah died,” which according to Old Testament chronology is dated around 738 BCE. The eighth century BCE was a time of great uncertainty in the Middle East. To compound matters, a king — the symbol of security and stability — dies. Daggers are already being drawn by competing claimants to the throne. The enemy across the border is figuring out how to take advantage of this. Something a buffoon like Donald Trump would not understand by refusing to concede defeat and share intelligence with the presumptive incumbent, Joe Biden. The vision is really an extended metaphor or picture to help us engage our analogical imagination. King Uzziah was king of Judah for a very long time, 52 years (790–738 BCE) — half a century! During his reign, Judah was always under the shadow of the powerful Assyria to the north. Isaiah can be excused for panicking when the king dies and for imagining the worst. As a prophet — in Steven L McKenzie’s “forthtelling, not foretelling” sense (McKenzie 2005: 67–90) — his only recourse is to God and to interpret the signs of the times in the light of revelation. Isaiah 6.1–13 is a pictorial presentation of what it was to come nearer to the divine and to try and make sense of the discombobulation of his fellow country men and women. The “vision” tells us that he “saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.” He is probably looking at the high priest performing his duties in the Temple and for a moment he lets his imagination run away with him.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author outlines the inspiration for the article, sparked by a family discussion, and introduces the central concept of "analogical imagination."
2. The Covid-19 and Apocalypse: This chapter connects historical pandemics to apocalyptic narratives, showing how they evoke existential crises and the search for meaning.
3. Getting to Grips with Apocalypse: The author clarifies the etymology of "apocalypse" as an unveiling of truth and discusses its role in symbolically taming catastrophe.
4. What’s Analogical Imagination got to do with Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim?: This section defines the key terms and introduces David Tracy’s philosophical framework of interpretation.
5. A Twitter Discussion about Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim: The author analyzes social media reactions to biblical creatures, debunking misconceptions about their literal appearance.
6. The Death of a King and Existential Crisis: A close reading of Isaiah 6:1-13 is provided, highlighting the prophet's encounter with the divine during a time of political instability.
7. A Prophet or Seer is invited into the Celestial Throne Room: This chapter examines the apocalyptic language and divine encounter described in Revelation 4:1-11.
8. What’s Going on in these Two Texts?: The author argues that both Isaiah and Revelation use pictorial representation to assist in imagining the presence of divinity.
9. Isaiah’s Vision: An in-depth exploration of the historical and symbolic context of Isaiah’s encounter with God and his subsequent mission.
10. John’s Vision: The chapter focuses on the apocalyptic context of Revelation, written during the reign of Domitian, and its aim to inspire perseverance.
11. An Exemplar from the Prophet Ezekiel: This section provides an excerpt from Ezekiel’s vision to show commonality in the semantic pool of ancient apocalyptic imagery.
12. Conclusion: The article concludes by summarizing the pedagogical purpose of biblical symbols and the role of the reader as an active participant.
Keywords
Analogical Imagination, Apocalypse, Apokalypsis, Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Covid-19, Existential Crisis, Biblical Exegesis, Transcendence, Pictorial Language, Isaiah, Revelation, Ezekiel, David Tracy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this article?
The article explores how biblical accounts of angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim function as metaphorical tools to help humans process the experience of the divine during times of existential crisis.
What are the central themes explored?
The central themes include the nature of analogical imagination, the recontextualization of apocalyptic literature during global crises like the Covid-19 pandemic, and the symbolic interpretation of ancient biblical visions.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to provide clarity on the nature of "bizarre" biblical creatures and to demonstrate that these artistic impressions are intended to jog the imagination toward the transcendent rather than to instill fear.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The work employs a theological and exegetical method, specifically utilizing the philosophical framework of "analogical imagination" as proposed by David Tracy to interpret ancient religious texts.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines specific biblical passages from Isaiah, Revelation, and Ezekiel, contrasting them with modern perceptions of apocalyptic literature and the social media age.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
The work is best defined by terms such as analogical imagination, apocalypse, biblical exegesis, divine transcendence, and symbolic representation.
How does the author relate Covid-19 to the apocalypse?
The author views the Covid-19 pandemic as a contemporary existential crisis, similar to those faced by ancient prophets, where apocalyptic imagery serves as a way to interpret dissolution as a precursor to renewal.
Why does the author consider the depictions of angels in modern culture "nightmares"?
He suggests that modern misconceptions and literalist interpretations of artistic depictions fail to grasp the symbolic, metaphoric nature of these figures, thereby transforming helpful pedagogical images into objects of terror.
What is the significance of the "analogical imagination" for the reader?
It allows the reader to transcend finite, literal understanding and engage with infinite concepts of divinity through finite metaphors, effectively turning the reader from a bystander into a participant in the narrative.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Tarcisius Mukuka (Author), 2020, Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim and Covid-19. Analogical imagination or a matter of nightmares?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/979038
