Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH God):

Adam As the Anointed Cherub Instead of Satan!

by HOIM Staff

Many in the churches of God have been taught that Satan was once a beautiful angel who became lifted up with pride, sinned against YEHOVAH God, and was cast out of heaven. Does not Ezekiel 28 say he was perfect until iniquity was found in him? And does not Isaiah 14 speak of him as Lucifer, a powerful angel who sought to be as YEHOVAH? Herbert W. Armstrong has echoed these ideas in his book Mystery of the Ages, stating that,

"when God placed angels -- apparently a third of all (Rev. 12:4) -- on the newly created, perfect, beautiful and glorious earth, he set over them, on a throne, to administer the government of God, an archangel -- the great cherub Lucifer....This Lucifer was a super being of awesome, majestic beauty, dazzling brightness, supreme knowledge, wisdom and power -- perfect as God created him! (Ezek. 28:15)....it is plain that Lucifer had nothing less in mind than knocking the Creator God off his throne and becoming supreme God himself. Apparently he planned to put himself in place of God, over the universe!...Michael and his angels fought against the dragon....And the great dragon was cast out...he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Dodd, Mead & Company: NY. 1985, pp. 77-81).

There was a time when many of us supposed these things were taught in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 28, within the prophecy about the king of Tyre. But I will say this quite simply: The subject of this prophecy was "a MAN" (verse 2); not an angel!

In a long set of prophecies about Tyre and its king, predicting their fall and destruction, Ezekiel creates this lament over the fall of the king of Tyre. The prophet symbolizes the arrogance and conceit of the king in mythological terms. He is compared to the beautiful, perfect, first human in paradise (28:12-13). The translation of 28:14 is difficult, and the king may be compared to a guardian angel (cherub), or perhaps he may have been appointed a guardian cherub. In any case, he is privileged to walk on the holy mountain of YEHOVAH God, among the stones of fire. The point of these symbols is that the man had direct access to the Presence and Glory of YEHOVAH God.

While we may be tempted to see Satan in these verses, as many ancient commentators did, the actual reference is to the king of Tyre. The king’s arrogance and self-understood greatness is described in mythological terms, drawn from the Bible and the surrounding culture. These mythological attributes emphasize in striking visual symbols the greatness of his fall from the heights of power. The symbolism draws from the fall of Adam and other sources, and not from the fall of Satan, which comes much later in Jewish religion. Compare 31:8-9, which describes the pharaoh of Egypt in terms of Eden also. Adam fell from a very high position and Ezekiel describes his position before YEHOVAH God.

Ezekiel 28:12-19: "Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD God, "You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.

"By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.'"

It is often viewed that Ezekiel is describing the fall of Satan as he utilizes the King of Tyre to depict this powerful and privileged being as a cherub that fell from heaven, the holy mountain of YEHOVAH God. But a closer examination shows that this is actually a picture of a human being clothed in royal priestly garments before the throne of YEHOVAH God. G. K. Beale points this out in his book, A New Testament Biblical Theology, (pg. 618):

“Some identify this figure as Satan, but that this figure is Adam is pointed to by the description in Ezek.28:13. The jewels that are said to be his covering in Ezek.28:13 are uniquely listed in Exod.28:17-21, which describes the jewels on the ephod of Israel’s high priest, who is a human and not an angel….Therefore Adam was to be the first priest to serve in and guard God’s temple.”

Exodus 28 reveals a parallel of the jewels of the priest’s ephod in Ezekiel’s figure, except that in the Ezekiel figure only 9 stones are mentioned:

Exodus 28:15-22: "You shall make a breast piece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it. It shall be square and folded double, a span in length and a span in width. You shall mount on it four rows of stones; the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald; and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.

"The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a seal, each according to his name for the twelve tribes. You shall make on the breastpiece chains of twisted cordage work in pure gold." 

The three stones not mentioned in Ezekiel that are recorded in Exodus are the jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. I suppose there could be some aspect of a numerological explanation that might be brought to bear. For example, the number 9, which is used 49 times in Scripture, symbolizes divine completeness or conveys the meaning of finality. Keep in mind that when Adam was given his commission by YEHOVAH God there were no twelve tribes in existence. Therefore, the number nine would be sufficient to portray the perfect priest in the perfect garden.

All of the stones in Ezekiel are described as “stones of fire” or “fiery stones.” The Cambridge New English Bible (1970) translates the verse as "I set you with a towering cherub as guardian; you were on God's holy hill and you walked proudly among stones that flashed with fire" and in verse 16, "stones that flashed like fire." A. S. Hartom's Hebrew commentary (published 1953) of Umberto Cassuto's Masoretic text translates the literal Hebrew "stones of fire" as "sparkling stones" (in modern Hebrew), that is, cut gemstones, a continuation of the imagery from the previous verse. The only Temple imagery that includes sparkling stones is the image of the Urim and Tumim breastplate worn by the high priest that includes many of the stones mentioned in verse 13. The Urim and Tumim had twelve stones representing the twelve tribes and was used to make inquiries of the Divine will. The stones were said to flash with a fiery light in accordance with the answer to a question.

Yehoshua Brand in Ceramics in Talmudic Literature claims that the "stones of fire" in Ezekiel 28 is one of the Old Testament names for glass and alludes to the immensely lucrative Phoenician glass industry in Tyre. Suffice it to say, for this application, the nine stones of fire in Ezekiel are still fully representative for the priests’ bejeweled clothing to make the point that the cherub in question represents a man rather than an angel.

Satan Is An Angel -- Not a Cherub

But Ezekiel 28 does describe this one in Eden, in the garden of YEHOVAH God, as a cherub. Does this mean that Adam was a cherub? Or for those who believe that this figure is Satan, that he is actually a cherub, as some would identify a cherub as a rank of angel?

The answer is no to both. Satan is an angel, not a cherub which Scripture establishes as a heavenly animal. As such, animals, even heavenly animals, are not charged with sin. Judgment on sin is limited to only angels and people. 1 John 3:8, "the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil."

Romans 3:21-23: "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." 

Even though animals don’t practice sin, an angel, veiled through a serpent, acted worse than an animal in the garden as he essentially murdered those made in the image of YEHOVAH God.

John 8:44: "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him."

Genesis 3:14-15: "The LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life; and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.'" 

Satan, as a serpent or dragon, is characterized as base as an earthly animal -- not an angelic being who should be following and serving the one true God. The other thing to consider is that Satan is described as ruler of the demons, which would necessarily make him a rebellious angel, not a heavenly animal.

Matthew 25:41: "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.'"

Matthew 12:24: "But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.'"

Revelation 12:9: "And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him."

This following verse seems to imply that Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. This would make him, by default, of the order of angels. Only an angel, albeit a rebel angel, can appear as an angel of light who is associated with other demons.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15: "No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." 

By the way, a better reference than Ezekiel’s, relating to Satan’s rebellion and fall from grace, can be seen in Isaiah’s account of YEHOVAH God’s judgment on the King of Babylon. This king may more closely represent the one who is “ruler” of this world, or as Paul describes him, “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Isaiah 14:12-15: "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit."

So, in summary, for those who believe that angels and cherubs are of the same type of being, it would make sense to equate the cherub of Ezekiel 28 as an angel and not a human being. From this perspective one could conclude that the cherub in question, who was thrown from the “holy mountain of God,” is none other than Satan. But as has been demonstrated, the Scriptures are clear. Chayyah and zoon, as they describe both seraphim and cherubim in Hebrew and Greek respectively, are heavenly animals, not angels.

Adam, however, was a man who is equated with the king of Tyre, whose heart [was] lifted up and said, "I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the seas" (Ezekiel 28:2).

Adam As a God?

How is it possible that Adam’s heart could even entertain such a notion? Let me remind you of the promise the serpent, Satan, made to Eve, and by extension to Adam in the garden, the holy mountain of YEHOVAH God’s earthly sanctuary.

Genesis 3:5: "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 

There is no question that Adam understood the implication of this promise as it was expressed in the actions of Eve and then embraced by Adam in the very next verse.

Genesis 3:6: "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise [i.e., to be like God], she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." 

To presumptuously think you could be like YEHOVAH God may have been ill-advised, but Adam didn’t appear to blink. And YEHOVAH God would remind both the King of Tyre, and by extension backwards to Adam, what they really are.

Ezekiel 28:2: "Yet you are a man and not God, Although you make your heart like the heart of God."

In the vision that YEHOVAH God shows Ezekiel, he further describes this scene in Eden and the consequences of Adam’s sin:

Ezekiel 28:13-16: "You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were the anointed cherub who covers, and I placed you there.

"You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you. By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire."

So, the figure in Ezekiel 28, described as a cherub, is not Satan, but Adam. Of course, this begs the question. How can Adam be regarded a cherub in the context? In the same way that Judas could be described as a devil:

John 6:70-71: "Jesus answered them, "Did I myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" Now he meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him." 

The Messiah did not mean that Judas was in fact a devil in the sense that he was a rebel angel who fights against YEHOVAH God and His Kingdom. Rather the Messiah employs a metaphor equating the actions and desires of Judas on a par with Satan to the degree that he is an accuser of the One who is righteous.

Judas ultimately betrayed the Lord, as he delivered the Messiah over to the authorities to be slain at the tree. It is this same Judas of whom we are told that his dark heart was influenced and subsequently possessed by Satan to pursue that which would lead to the arrest of the Messiah.

John 13:2: "During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him." 

John 13:26-27: "Jesus then answered, 'That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.' So when he had dipped the morsel, he took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, 'What you do, do quickly.'" 

And so, in John 6:70-71 Judas is a devil through his actions as he is associated with “the” devil, Satan. In the same way, Adam is described as a cherub, not in the sense that he is literally a heavenly animal, but to the extent that he shared the same role of the cherubim, that of guardian of the domain he initially was given charge. In that sense he can be equated to a cherub.

Remember the role of the cherubim. They stand as guardians around the throne of YEHOVAH God, even as they were given the role to stand as guardians at the entrance to the earthly tabernacle of YEHOVAH God; that sanctuary contained in the Garden of Eden, to which Adam was charged to cultivate and protect. In fact, the very words used in Ezekiel 28:14 demonstrates this role:

Ezekiel 28:14 (NAU): "You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire."

The word “covers” in the Hebrew essentially means to overshadow or cover in the sense of guarding that which it overshadows. In fact, this is how other translations treat this verse.

Ezekiel 28:14 (NIV): "You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones."

Ezekiel 28:14 (ESV): You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked."

Ezekiel 28:14 (NET): "I placed you there with an anointed guardian cherub; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked about amidst fiery stones." 

Again, the immediate context in Ezekiel is of this cherub residing in Eden as a priest who was to guard the garden.

Ezekiel 28:13: "You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared."

And so, to call Adam a cherub is designating him a priest in the sanctuary of Eden as one responsible to guard the way to the presence of YEHOVAH God. He was to advance YEHOVAH’s gift of a Kingdom given to him and his family, and in the process to magnify the name of YEHOVAH God who created him perfect and beautiful.

Ezekiel 28:15: "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you." 

The Day Adam Died

On the day that unrighteousness was found in Adam was the day he died. And how is that depicted here in Ezekiel? By comparing him to an ungodly ruler of Tyre who elevated himself to a position through treachery.

Ezekiel 28:18: "By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you."

The sanctuaries that Adam profaned are reflected in a perfect Eden where he, along with his wife, would have communed with their God and Creator. But that sanctuary was meant to be extended as a kingdom filled with Adam’s offspring who carried the name of YEHOVAH God in righteousness. Instead, YEHOVAH turned him to ashes, according to Ezekiel 28:18, just as He promised in the day that he rebelled in the beginning of Genesis.

Genesis 3:19: "By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." 

The Hebrew word for dust in Genesis 3:19 is aphar, and it essentially addresses that part of the earth that we would call dirt or dust. There are other passages that use this same word in a context that necessitates the need for fire to consume something so as to turn it to ashes or dust. This would parallel the image of Adam eschatologically being turned to ashes by YEHOVAH God in His fiery wrath in Ezekiel 28:18. Moses uses this same word when addressing the ceremonial purification of an unclean person.

Numbers 19:17 (NAU): "Then for the unclean person they shall take some of the ashes (aphar, dust) of the burnt purification from sin and flowing water shall be added to them in a vessel." 

Another reference where aphar is used is found in 2 Kings as it related to vessels used to worship false gods that are to be burned outside of Jerusalem as they in turn become ashes:

2 Kings 23:4 (NAU): "Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the Temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes (aphar, dust) to Bethel."

Notice the reference to the priests who were also doorkeepers, and by implication, guards to the entrance into the Temple of the LORD. In this case the idols made for Baal and Asherah, (ostensibly representing the serpent making its way into the Garden sanctuary) have already entered into the Holy Place. But YEHOVAH God commands the high priest, along with the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to take the tainted vessels and burn them to dust as they carry them to Bethel, which means house of YEHOVAH God.

The abominable serpent desolated the holy Temple of the LORD and precipitated the death of Adam, as Adam rebelled against his Creator and God, and who is now identified with the serpent. As a result, the LORD would fulfill the promise of death that is now seen in the vessels of wrath as He ceremonially turned them to ashes, subsequently burning them outside of the Holy Place, never to return. And now the cherubim would protect the integrity of the sanctuary by making sure the idolatrous vessels (now reflected in rebellious Adam and his wife) and their ashes, would remain outside the holy sanctuary. Of course, this comes with a merciful caveat where YEHOVAH God promises to one day restore them as He carried their ashes to Bethel; that future house of YEHOVAH God foreshadowing a new paradise.

Genesis 3:24: "So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life."

Ezekiel 28:18: "Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you" (emphasis added).

The Hebrew word for ashes here in Ezekiel, epher, is similar to the word for dust found in Genesis 3:19. The fire of YEHOVAH’s wrath that turns man to dust is the very fire that is associated with the sacrificial offering of a blameless substitute that YEHOVAH God freely and graciously offered to Adam and his family. It would be this sacrifice, seen in Abel’s offering, that would appease YEHOVAH’s wrath and restore men of faith to a right relationship with YEHOVAH God that would lead back to Paradise through that offering of faith.

Genesis 4:4 NAU: "Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering…"

Hebrews 11:4: "By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks."

And to what does Abel still speak?

Hebrews 12:22-24: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel."

Ezekiel, in chapter 28, is describing a man who had it all, who was given unfettered access to the living God in a Kingdom that YEHOVAH God prepared for him to share in. And yet, in his heart, he desired to be like YEHOVAH God -- knowing good and evil. For that he was cast off the holy Mountain of Eden only to return to the dust of the earth.

But as the grace of YEHOVAH God was extended to Adam, he found a righteousness in the promise of the seed of the woman through whom he would be reconciled back to his Creator. It is the seed of the woman, the Messiah, the mediator of a new covenant, whose sprinkled blood on his behalf was foreshadowed every time he and his family came before YEHOVAH God, in faith, with their acceptable sacrifice.

Adam was designated a cherub, a protector and guardian of this Kingdom, and he gave it all up for a lie from the father of lies. The cherubim described in the book of Ezekiel are a reminder of the role they play in the future Kingdom of YEHOVAH God.

Some Additional Thoughts

Let's summarize why Ezekiel 28 refers to Adam, not Satan as the most powerful of all angels -- now a leader of demons:

1). Was not Adam promised by Satan that he would be like a god once he ate the forbidden fruit?

2). The "death of the uncircumcised" (Ezekiel 28:10) can only apply to human beings -- not to Satan, whose "end" is specifically planned by YEHOVAH God to occur after judgment day.

3). The Prince-King of Tyre cannot be Satan because Satan cannot be killed or “die the death of the uncircumcised.” Satan is a spirit.

4). The prince had been in the Garden of YEHOVAH God, Eden. Coupled to the fact that the city was adorned with many beautiful precious stones, some think the allusion is to Satan, the most beautiful of creatures. But this does not make sense as the prophecy speaks of the city -- not the prince. "Eden" means "pleasure," and "garden" is self-explanatory. It was the "garden of God."

It refers to Adam since we are later told that Israel would be restored; and Satan will never, ever be restored, but Adam in his descendants were/are through the Messiah. Also, Adam was created on earth -- Satan was created before that time, in Heaven.

5). Tradition states that Satan was thrown out of heaven into Eden. Once he was in Eden, Satan tempted Adam and Eve. However, the text says that the Ezekiel 28 individual was in Eden BEFORE he sinned. Once his sin was found out, he was excommunicated. Also, consider that Eden was on earth, not in heaven. Therefore, this individual was expelled out of Eden, not Heaven. This individual relates more to a type of Adam -- not Satan.

6). Satan's downfall was initiated by the Messiah when he rose from the dead, but the final downfall of Satan is reserved for the Day of Judgment when he will be cast into the pit with his demons. On that day everyone will watch and fear because those who are his will share the same fate.

On the other hand the king of Tyre would fall in full view of his enemies, who would be astonished. The only onlookers to Adam's fall were the holy angels, who must surely have been astonished that YEHOVAH God's creature would so easily destroy his own perfection, but they were onlookers all the same. They had already witnessed the fall of Satan and his followers, so it cannot refer to Satan.

7). As for Satan having ever been a good or upright person, he surely was not. The Messiah once said the devil "was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44). This does not fit very well with the concept that he was in the beginning a holy angel and then, later -- perhaps thousands of years later became the devil. We also read that a person who commits sin "is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning" (1 John 3:8). This could not be rightly said of Adam.

According to Genesis 2 and 3, it was not until after Adam was created, after he was placed in the garden, after he named the animals, after the woman was taken from his side, and after she listened to the serpent that Adam sinned. In a definite sense Adam was not a sinner from the beginning. But, we are told the devil was a sinner from the beginning. Instead of him being an angel that became the devil, if anything, the reverse would come closer to the truth: Satan seeks to transform himself into an angel of light to deceive (2 Corinthians 11:14).

8). Verse 14 uses the word "cherub", but it is still part of the poetical hyberpole of the comparison of the king of Tyre's fall into pride and sin with the fall of Adam. This chapter is not about a fallen angel from heaven. That concept of an angelic rebellion is Kabalistic mysticism, and not from the Bible. It contradicts Psalm 103:20 -- the angels that excel in strength are the heavenly angels. They do YEHOVAH's will, as opposed to those "angels"/messengers on earth -- men -- lesser strength -- who have a hard time obeying His commands.

9). Ezekiel 28:14 says, "You were the anointed cherub who covers." After YEHOVAH God had deposed Adam from his dominion in the Garden of Eden, He placed a cherub at the gate to guard it lest man should return and eat of the Tree of Life and live forever (Genesis 3:22-24). This cherub stands as a symbol of guardianship or protector of sacred and precious things. Satan was never a guardian and protector of the precious things of YEHOVAH God.

10). In rabbinic literature we find a number of traditions that connect the text in Ezekiel 28 with Adam. In the ancient Palestinian Liturgical Reading Cycle the lament was connected with Adam's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, but the majority of rabbinic literature concerns itself not so much with Adam's downfall but with his superabundant wisdom, righteousness, and glorious appearance prior to this.

11). Yes, Satan rebelled and was cast down at a later time, but the same can be said of Adam. And Adam’s experience is much more relatable to human readers. In his pride, Adam believed he knew better than YEHOVAH God, and that pride became the blueprint of human sin in every generation since.

12). Some say that Ezekiel 28 must refer to Satan because verse 16 says, "By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned." Since it is assumed that Adam and his family were the only human beings alive at the time, then it can't possibly refer to Adam -- who would he have traded with? However, when Genesis 1 and 2 are closely studied, it become apparent that TWO creation accounts are recorded here. There were other people and nations beyond the confines of the land of Eden -- see Genesis 4:14-15 and 17.

The Fall of the Prince-King of Tyre is using imagery from Adam’s fall from Paradise. The Prince-King of Tyre is being compared to Adam. In verse 17, we see that Prince-King of Tyre is brought back to the ground just like Adam returns to the earth: "Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you" (Ezekiel 28:17). Unfortunately, this passage is interpreted as Satan being excommunicated out of Eden or Heaven. However, a careful examination will show that the individual resembles more “Adam” qualities. The Septuagint version of this passage is rendered differently, which in turn gives further support for the Adamic imagery.

When we look at all these points, it is clear that Ezekiel 28 refers to Adam -- not Satan!  Many people, including the late Herbert W. Armstrong, think these verses refer to Satan, but when you see the consistency of Adam first being perfect, and high in knowledge and wisdom because YEHOVAH God taught him everything, and you also look at him falling for his sin/iniquity, being expelled from the Garden of Eden to live on earth like the uncircumcised peoples outside of Eden, the identity of this person becomes obvious.

In this long set of prophecies about Tyre and its king, predicting their fall and destruction, Ezekiel creates this lament over the fall of the king of Tyre. The prophet symbolizes the arrogance and conceit of the king in mythological terms. He is compared to the beautiful, perfect, first human in paradise (28:12-13). The translation of 28:14 is difficult, and the king may be compared to a guardian angel (cherub), or perhaps he may have been appointed a guardian cherub. In any case, he is privileged to walk on the holy mountain of YEHOVAH God, among the stones of fire. The point of these symbols is that the man had direct access to the presence and glory of YEHOVAH God.

While we may be tempted to see Satan in these verses, as many ancient commentators did, the actual reference is to the king of Tyre. The king’s arrogance and self-understood greatness is described in mythological terms, drawn from the Bible and the surrounding culture. These mythological attributes emphasize in striking visual symbols the greatness of his fall from the heights of power. The symbolism draws from the fall of Adam and other sources, and not from the fall of Satan, which comes much later in Jewish religion. Compare 31:8-9, which describes the pharaoh of Egypt in terms of Eden also.