The Mercy-Seat
Hebrews 9:5
If we could go behind the
veil with the High Priest on the day of atonement, into the holy of holies, the
very first thing that would strike our eyes would be “the cherubim of glory
shadowing the mercy-seat;” but we would not look long at the
cherubim. Their eyes, their faces, their wings direct our attention away from
themselves to the mercy-seat.
Christ Our Propitiation
The mercy-seat represented
Christ, God’s propitiation, the propitiation for our sins (Ex. 25:17,
21-22; 1 John 2:1-2; 4:9-10; Rom. 3:24-26). In fact the word translated “propitiation”
elsewhere in the New Testament is the same word that is translated “mercy-seat”
in Hebrews 9:5.
The Day of Atonement
In the Old Testament, on the
Day of Atonement, Aaron took the blood of the paschal lamb behind the veil,
into the holy of holies, and sprinkled the blood on the mercy-seat, making
ceremonial atonement for the sins of the people of Israel. And the holy Lord
God promised to meet his people there upon the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, in
peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
That ceremonial service was a beautiful, instructive
picture of the obtaining of eternal redemption for God’s elect by Christ, our
great High Priest. “By his own blood (by the merit of his blood) he
entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
The mercy-seat of the Old Testament was typically what Christ is in reality:
the place of substitution, sacrifice, satisfaction, atonement, reconciliation,
forgiveness, peace and worship.
The Publican
The Publican in Luke 18
cried, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” He understood exactly what
was portrayed in the Old Testament mercy-seat. It is reflected in his prayer.
He prayed, “God, look on the blood upon the mercy-seat, the blood covering your
holy law, which I have broken, and be propitious to me, the sinner, forgiving
my sin for Christ’s sake.”
God’s Presence
Standing in the holiest of all with Christ, our Aaron, our great High Priest, suddenly, we realize that we are standing before the mercy-seat, the symbol of God’s presence. With blood upon the mercy-seat, covering the broken tables of the law, there we see the glory of God in the pardon of sin by the sacrifice of Christ (Lev. 9:23-24; Isa. 6:1-6; Ps. 85:9-11). The holy Lord God not only meets us upon the mercy-seat, there in Christ, he abides with us. No matter where we are if we are in Christ, the name of the place is Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is there. Our lives are hid with Christ in God (Isa. 43:1-5).
Inside The Ark
Hebrews 9:4-5
Come into “the Holiest of all”, by the “golden censer” of our Savior’s merits, asking God to show you Christ our Ark as he was portrayed in that Old Testament type. What can be found in the ark? Let’s do by faith what no mortal man could ever do in those days of types and shadows. Let’s lift up the mercy-seat and look inside the ark. Remember, the ark was but a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. What do we see in the ark? We see the two tables of the law of God, which we have broken. The broken law, our sins, is under the mercy-seat, under the blood.
God’s Purpose
Those broken tables of the law, under the blood, represent God’s purpose of grace. The law was written upon tables of stone, representing both the hardness of our hearts and the inflexibility of God’s law. The law represents our curse and condemnation by reason of sin. The tables of God’s broken law were always kept in the ark, under the mercy-seat (Ex. 25:16, 21), representing perfect redemption by Christ. That perfect redemption of his elect is the purpose of God (Rom. 8:28-31). The law of God, being perfectly satisfied by Christ, cries as strongly for our salvation as the grace of God. We are, in Christ, free from the law, because the law’s demands have been fully met for us by Christ’s obedience and blood.
God’s Power
Look again, there is something else inside the ark. There is Aaron’s rod that budded. That rod represents God’s power. Aaron’s rod that budded portrayed the gospel of Christ, the Man whom God has chosen (Num. 17:10). Christ, the Rock of our salvation, was smitten by Moses’ rod, which represented God’s holy law. The water of life flows out to sinners by Aaron’s rod, the gospel, which is the power of God before which Dagon must fall, the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16-17).
God’s Provision
There is one more thing inside the ark, the golden pot that had manna. That is a picture of Christ, God’s Provision (Ex. 16:33-34). It was a golden pot, portraying the richness of God’s free grace in Christ. It was a big pot, holding an omer of manna; and Christ is a great Savior, a bounteous store of mercy and grace! This golden pot had manna, the bread of heaven, portraying Christ, the Bread of Life. All God’s provision for sinners is in Christ Jesus. His name is Jehovah-jireh, the Lord will provide (Eph. 1:3). All the provisions of grace, of providence, and of eternity are in Christ! Come to the Ark Christ Jesus. The way is open. All who come to God by Christ are forever saved. All we need, all God requires, all that heaven can bestow is in Christ, the Ark. Come to the Ark!