1. The Construction of the Mercy Seat
The Lord commanded Moses to make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. He was to make two cherubim of gold at the two ends of the mercy seat, one cherub at one end and the other cherub at the other end. The cherubim faced each other, and their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat. The mercy seat was placed on top of the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the two tablets of the law, the golden pot of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded. The mercy seat was the throne of God on earth, the place where His presence dwelt between the cherubim.
2. The Meaning of the Word "Mercy Seat"
The Hebrew word for mercy seat is kapporet, which comes from the verb kaphar, meaning "to cover" or "to make atonement." The mercy seat was the place where atonement was made. The Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint) uses the word hilasterion, which means "propitiation" or "place of propitiation." Paul uses this same word in Romans when he writes that God set forth Christ as a "propitiation" (hilasterion) through faith in His blood. The mercy seat is thus directly connected to Christ. He is the true mercy seat.
3. The Mercy Seat as the Place of God's Presence
The Lord said to Moses, "And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel." The mercy seat was the place of divine revelation. God spoke from between the cherubim. This points to Christ, who is the Word of God. In Him, God has spoken fully and finally. He is the place where God meets with man. He is the revelation of the Father.
4. The Blood Sprinkled on the Mercy Seat on the Day of Atonement
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest took the blood of the bull and the blood of the goat and sprinkled them on the mercy seat seven times. He did this to make atonement for the sins of the people. The blood covered the law that was inside the ark. The law demanded judgment, but the blood interposed between the law and the presence of God. The high priest did not enter without blood. The mercy seat could not be approached without sacrifice. This points to Christ, whose blood is the only basis for approaching a holy God.
5. The Cherubim and the Glory of God
The cherubim on the mercy seat represented the angelic hosts who attend the presence of God. Their wings covered the mercy seat. They gazed down upon it, indicating their reverence for the place of atonement. Peter writes that the angels desire to look into the gospel. The cherubim on the mercy seat point to the heavenly reality that the atonement made by Christ is a subject of angelic contemplation. The mercy seat was the meeting place of justice and mercy, law and grace, God and man.
6. Christ as the Propitiation (Mercy Seat)
Paul writes, "Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed." The Greek word for propitiation is hilasterion, the same word used in the Septuagint for the mercy seat. Paul is declaring that Christ is the mercy seat. God set Him forth publicly, visibly, on the cross. He is the place where atonement is made. He is the place where God's wrath is satisfied. He is the place where God meets with sinners.
7. The Law Within the Ark Covered by the Mercy Seat
Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the two tablets of the law, the golden pot of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded. The law represented God's standard of righteousness. The manna represented God's provision. The rod represented God's chosen priesthood. The mercy seat covered all of these. The blood of atonement was sprinkled on the mercy seat, not on the law. This signifies that Christ's blood covers the demands of the law. The law is not destroyed; it is satisfied. The mercy seat does not remove the law; it covers it so that judgment does not fall.
8. The Mercy Seat and the Throne of Grace
The writer of Hebrews urges believers to "come boldly to the throne of grace." The throne of grace is the mercy seat. In the Old Testament, the mercy seat was a throne of judgment because the law demanded judgment. But because the blood of Christ has been sprinkled, it is now a throne of grace. The same place where judgment once resided is now the place where mercy is dispensed. Christ has transformed the throne of judgment into a throne of grace. Believers may approach with boldness because the blood has been applied.
9. The Mercy Seat Was Hidden from the People
Under the Old Covenant, the mercy seat was hidden behind the veil. Only the high priest could see it, and only once per year. This signified that access to the mercy seat was restricted. But when Christ died, the veil was torn in two. The mercy seat was no longer hidden. The writer of Hebrews says that believers have boldness to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus. The mercy seat is now accessible. The way is open. Every believer can approach the throne of grace.
10. The Believer's Approach to the Mercy Seat
The mercy seat is not a physical object to be venerated. It is a type of Christ. Believers approach the mercy seat when they come to God through Jesus Christ. He is the place of atonement. He is the propitiation. He is the throne of grace. There is no other place to meet with God. There is no other blood that can atone. There is no other sacrifice that can satisfy. Let every believer come boldly to the throne of grace, through the mercy seat, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Conclusion
The mercy seat was the solid gold cover of the Ark of the Covenant, overshadowed by the cherubim. It was the place where God met with Moses and where the blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. The mercy seat is a type of Jesus Christ, whom God set forth as a propitiation (mercy seat) through faith in His blood. Christ is the place where God meets with sinners. He is the throne of grace. Let every believer approach the mercy seat with boldness, trusting in the blood of Christ alone.