Hello everyone!This is my first post on these boards, but I've been lurking around for a while.I've wanted to get a tattoo for quite some time now but I've never had any idea what to the tattoo should be of. I've decided to get a symbol that marks I am God's and always will be. I ended up deciding on getting the Seraphim symbol. Unfortunately you'd have to google that image since I can't post links or images yet.Most sources will tell you the Seraphim are the angels closest to God and burn with a fiery passion for the Lord. However, there is a certain fallen seraphim that I want nothing to do with.Can anyone give me a solid meaning behind the seraphim symbol? Would it be considered a holy/good symbol? Does it have any evil connotations?
Seraphim and their meaning.
- Thread starter ChaosPhoenix
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Hi ChaosPhoenixWelcome to CB glad to have you join us the best source I know for the facts on Seraphim is the Jewish Encyclopedia you can find the link anytime in our Christain resource Thread herehttp://www.christianityboard.com/jewish-en...edia-t9248.htmlHeres only a small sample of what is said: Vision of Isaiah. Class of heavenly beings, mentioned only once in the Old Testament, in a vision of the prophet Isaiah (vi. 2 et seq.). Isaiah saw several seraphim, their exact number not being given, standing before the throne of Yhwh. They were winged beings, each having six wings—two covering their faces, two covering their feet, and two for flying. The seraphim cry continually to each other, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (vi. 3). The "foundations of the thresholds" (R. V.) of the Temple were moved by the sound of their voices. One of the seraphim flew to Isaiah with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar, and with which he touched the lips of the prophet to purge him from sin. Isaiah gives no further description of the form and appearance of the seraphim; he apparently assumes that his readers are acquainted with them. Nevertheless, it may be concluded from the description that the seraphim were conceived as having human faces, human hands, and human voices. However, one should not too hastily conclude that the seraphim were winged human forms. At least this was not the original conception, although later Judaism pictured them so. The seraphim are frequently mentioned in the Book of Enoch (xx. 7, lxi. 10, lxxi. 7), where they are designated as δράκονες ("serpents"), and are always mentioned, in conjunction with the cherubim, as the heavenly creatures standing nearest to God. In Rev. iv. 6-8 four animals are pictured as standing near the throne of God; each has six wings, and, as in Isaiah, they sing the "Trisagion."http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp...search=Seraphimhttp://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp...h=Seraphim#4352
Yea, Here's a link from the Wikipedia article on their role in Christianity:
St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae offers a description of the nature of the Seraphim: "The name 'Seraphim' does not come from charity only, but from the excess of charity, expressed by the word ardor or fire. Hence Dionysius (Coel. Hier. vii) expounds the name 'Seraphim' according to the properties of fire, containing an excess of heat. Now in fire we may consider three things. "First, the movement which is upwards and continuous. This signifies that they are borne inflexibly towards God. "Secondly, the active force which is 'heat,' which is not found in fire simply, but exists with a certain sharpness, as being of most penetrating action, and reaching even to the smallest things, and as it were, with superabundant fervor; whereby is signified the action of these angels, exercised powerfully upon those who are subject to them, rousing them to a like fervor, and cleansing them wholly by their heat.
Their relationship with serpents is a bit disconcerting, but I guess serpents aren't inherently evil (as no creature of God is).(ChaosPhoenix;68194)
Yea, Here's a link from the Wikipedia article on their role in Christianity:
From my studies in the bible, God's creations... a snake, is certainly not evil, but the term "snake" / "serpent" is associated with evil... the term are mostly refered to the characteristic of man and woman. When we call someone a "snake" / "serpent" it means we don't trust them... as it's been proven in numerous places in the bible.
Yea, Here's a link from the Wikipedia article on their role in Christianity:
St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae offers a description of the nature of the Seraphim: "The name 'Seraphim' does not come from charity only, but from the excess of charity, expressed by the word ardor or fire. Hence Dionysius (Coel. Hier. vii) expounds the name 'Seraphim' according to the properties of fire, containing an excess of heat. Now in fire we may consider three things. "First, the movement which is upwards and continuous. This signifies that they are borne inflexibly towards God. "Secondly, the active force which is 'heat,' which is not found in fire simply, but exists with a certain sharpness, as being of most penetrating action, and reaching even to the smallest things, and as it were, with superabundant fervor; whereby is signified the action of these angels, exercised powerfully upon those who are subject to them, rousing them to a like fervor, and cleansing them wholly by their heat.
Their relationship with serpents is a bit disconcerting, but I guess serpents aren't inherently evil (as no creature of God is).From my studies in the bible, God's creations... a snake, is certainly not evil, but the term "snake" / "serpent" is associated with evil... the term are mostly refered to the characteristic of man and woman. When we call someone a "snake" / "serpent" it means we don't trust them... as it's been proven in numerous places in the bible.
The serpent is the devil, Satan,lucifer he has many namesRev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
id you decide on the tattoo placement yet, by the way?Take care.(ChaosPhoenix;68192)
Hello everyone!This is my first post on these boards, but I've been lurking around for a while.I've wanted to get a tattoo for quite some time now but I've never had any idea what to the tattoo should be of. I've decided to get a symbol that marks I am God's and always will be. I ended up deciding on getting the Seraphim symbol. Unfortunately you'd have to google that image since I can't post links or images yet.Most sources will tell you the Seraphim are the angels closest to God and burn with a fiery passion for the Lord. However, there is a certain fallen seraphim that I want nothing to do with.Can anyone give me a solid meaning behind the seraphim symbol? Would it be considered a holy/good symbol? Does it have any evil connotations?
ChaosPhoenix, It is not a good idea to put a tattoo on yourself as a sign of religion. The Bible tells us that we should us NO sign, either in heaven or on earth or of anything under the seas to remind us of God, Ex 20:4,5. Can anything made by men resemble The Almighty God in heaven??? Isa 40:18-20. Under the Mosaic Law Covenant it was against God's law to put a tattoo on oneself, Lev 19:28. Even though Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, this prohibition does give us God's thoughts about tattoos.
Hello everyone!This is my first post on these boards, but I've been lurking around for a while.I've wanted to get a tattoo for quite some time now but I've never had any idea what to the tattoo should be of. I've decided to get a symbol that marks I am God's and always will be. I ended up deciding on getting the Seraphim symbol. Unfortunately you'd have to google that image since I can't post links or images yet.Most sources will tell you the Seraphim are the angels closest to God and burn with a fiery passion for the Lord. However, there is a certain fallen seraphim that I want nothing to do with.Can anyone give me a solid meaning behind the seraphim symbol? Would it be considered a holy/good symbol? Does it have any evil connotations?
ChaosPhoenix, It is not a good idea to put a tattoo on yourself as a sign of religion. The Bible tells us that we should us NO sign, either in heaven or on earth or of anything under the seas to remind us of God, Ex 20:4,5. Can anything made by men resemble The Almighty God in heaven??? Isa 40:18-20. Under the Mosaic Law Covenant it was against God's law to put a tattoo on oneself, Lev 19:28. Even though Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, this prohibition does give us God's thoughts about tattoos.
jtartar:Thanks for your interesting post.There are also tattoos which don't depict a likeness to any living thing or do not purport to depict God (impossible anyway), but rather have a Scripture ref. etc. in maybe a tasteful way, and which may bring about conversations.Also, for example a lady with the tattoo of an unsuitable former bf's name on her, who is then converted, might well wish to change it to sth faith related, eg, "Bill" changed to "Bible" or something. Hard to find fault with that, I guess.
Leviticus 19:28 - Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.I Corinthians 6:19 - What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?That being said, I do not wish at all to poison my body that belongs to God, so therefore, I wish to keep it pure.
J: Excellent verses to remember.The Leviticus passage also says about not trimming the edge of the beard; few preachers keep to that. Maybe the context is Old Testament Jews in the land, under the law.I guess some people are motivated to express faith in a tasteful way that will open up opportunities for many conversations.
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