Document Type
Religion and Philosophy
Abstract
Solomon’s Temple is described in significant detail in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. It may surprise the reader to know that virtually all iconography included in the Temple’s design were standard forms of communicating religious concepts in the Ancient Near East. This can present some theological problems. Is Israel’s “use" of other pagan nations' religious symbolism an issue when communicating the holiness of God? To understand further the relationship between culture, politics, and Ancient Near Eastern religion, I spent one month doing archival research in England’s multiple museums analyzing ANE object collections. Through a report of my work, this essay seeks to understand these multi-cultural symbols, specifically of cherubim and vegetation, in order to elevate our ability not to criticize but rather comprehend what the author of the text is trying to communicate, and how Israel perceived their relationship with YHWH on a theological and political level.
Recommended Citation
Sulewski, Jack W.
(2026)
"The Royal and Divine Garden: Cherubim and Vegetation Imagery in Solomon’s Temple and the Ancient Near East,"
Global Tides: Vol. 20, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/globaltides/vol20/iss1/2
Included in
Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, History of Christianity Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons
