יחזקאל, פרק י׳, פסוק כ״ב

A prophet stands before a vision of heavenly beings, the cherubim, and realizes with absolute certainty that he has encountered them before. The entities appearing to him now are the exact same living creatures he witnessed during his earlier prophecy by the Chebar river.

This profound recognition stems from a perfect match in their physical characteristics. Their facial structures and overall appearance are completely identical to those from the past. The primary approach among commentators is that this similarity goes beyond mere physical resemblance; these are the very same entities in their true essence [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Offering a different perspective, [מלבי״ם] suggests that the prophet identified them through specific, distinct marks that served as recognizable signs.

Beyond their appearance, the unique way the cherubim move confirms their identity. They travel directly toward whichever side they choose to go [מצודת ציון]. Because each cherub possesses faces looking in every possible direction, they always have a front facing their path of travel. As a result, they consistently move straight ahead without ever needing to turn their bodies [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The combination of their physical features, identifying marks, and distinct manner of walking brings the prophet to the undeniable conclusion that he is witnessing the exact same revelation he experienced in the past.