The above
picture comes from the catacombs of Alexandria [Kom es-Shogafa], which
date to the Roman Period. It shows a Pharaoh honoring an Apis Bull. The
worship of cow dieties started very early in Egyptian history. Here we
see the bull diety being covered/protected by Maat, a feminine diety
figure.

During Israel’s 400 year sojourn in Egypt they would have
been exposed to such things almost continuously. It is therefore no
surprise that at Sinai they turned to worshiping a golden calf. Also,
it is very likely that their depiction of the Cherubim on the Ark of the
Covenant would have been very similar to the Maat figure shown here.

This
type of depiction is typical of hundreds of other similar ones. It is
also reminiscent of the portrayal in Ezekiel 28, which speaks of a
“covering Cherub”, “the annointed Cherub who covers”. This Cherub was
“the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” Because
of its beauty it fell from its exalted position. Many believe its
description is also to be found in Isaiah 14 where the following is
said, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For
you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the
congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be
brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.” (Isaiah
14:12-15)

This all suggests a mythology in the Bible accounts of
the Throne of YHWH originally being covered by a single “covering
Cherub” who fell due to pride and a desire to be as God Himself. This
single covering Cherub seems to have been replaced by two Cherubim as in
the description of the Ark of the Covenant. These two Cherubim are
described in the Hebrew with “their faces each to his brother”
(Ex.25:20) Does this suggest YHWH God’s care for His creations, with
each Cherub continually helping his brother not to fall into the same
temptation of the original single covering Cherub?