Cherubim and the Garden of Eden

After Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were kicked out of Eden by God, who then sought to prevent the man and woman from returning to their idyllic home and enjoying the benefits of the Tree of Life. God’s chosen guardians were Cherubim.

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Genesis 3:24

Cherubim are oft depicted as a being with four faces (lion, ox, eagle, and man) at the center of an array of four wings. These wings may be shown covered with eyes.

The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that “the word cherub (cherubim is the Hebrew masculine plural) is a word borrowed from the Assyrian kirubu, from karâbu, “to be near”" and applies to those heavenly spirits who were near to God.

In Christian angelic hierarchy, Cherubim hold the second highest rank in the First Sphere, below Seraphim. They are held to be guardians of light, representing the judgement of God. Cherubim are also mentioned in Jewish and Kabbalistic angelic hierarchies.

SOURCES
Catholic Encyclopedia: Cherubim
Bible Gateway: Genesis 3:24
Christian Angelic Hierarchy - Wikipedia
The Cherubim

IMAGE CREDIT
Cherub - Wikipedia (Public Domain)