A cherub is, basically, a sphinx.  Or, more exactly, a sphinx is a variation on a cherub.  While the sphinx is a watered-down version, the cherub was a sphinx-like creature with the head of a man, the wings of an eagle, the fore-body of a lion and the rear-body of a bull.  These are the same four symbols described as being a part of the throne of Yahweh, in both the Revelation and the opening chapters of Ezekiel.  They are also the same four symbols of the standards of the leading tribes situated around the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Click the images below to see the full-sized version of this flyer from Biblical Archaeology Review (published a few years ago) describing the cherub, and note the cherubs on these pages.