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Key verse
Exodus 25:8,9
And let them make me a sanctuary;
that I may dwell among them.
9 According to all that I shew thee,
after the pattern of the tabernacle,
and the pattern of all the
instruments thereof, even so shall ye
make it.
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17 And
thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure
gold: two cubits and a half shall be the
length thereof, and a cubit and a half the
breadth thereof.
18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of
gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them,
in the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 And make one cherub on the one end, and
the other cherub on the other end: even of
the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims
on the two ends thereof.
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20 And
the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings
on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings,
and their faces shall look one to another; toward
the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims
be.
21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon
the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the
testimony that I shall give thee.
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will
commune with thee from above the mercy seat,
from between the two cherubims which are upon
the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will
give thee in commandment unto the children of
Israel.
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Introduction
Mercy seat
• the covering of the
Ark of Covenant.
• Fitted exactly on top of the Ark.
• Jehovah’s throne, place of communion
• place of appeasement, reconciliation.
Hebrew word – Kapporeth
Greek word – Hilasterion
English – Propitiatory or Mercy seat.
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The Mercy Seat
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Its Material
Its Dimension
Its Decoration
Its Significance
Its Purpose
Its Blessings
Its Application.
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1.Its Material.
Solid sheet of pure gold.
Different from the Ark – No wood
Placed above the Ark – crown of gold supported.
Only other furniture of pure gold – Candlestick.
Weight and worth – Most valuable of all.
Tells of the preciousness of its Type in God’s sight.
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2. Its Dimension
2 ½ cubits long and 1 ½ cubits wide – thickness?
Ps 103:11 "For as the heaven is high above the earth so
great is His mercy toward them that fear Him“
Strict limitations of saving grace.
“God’s mercy is wide enough to take in every sinner who
presents himself at the appointed Mercy-seat with
repentance. It extends no further than that. The limits
are divinely established, and are unalterable.“
No grace apart from the redemptive blood of Jesus.
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3. Its Decoration
A Cherub at either end beaten out of same gold
Wings outstretched to cover the Mercy Seat
Faces looking down upon the ark of covenant.
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Figure of the Cherubim.
Ex 25:17-22 repeated Seven times
First mention in Gen 3:24 Guarding the tree of life
Rev 4, Ezek 1, 10 related to the throne of God.
Cherubim - Highest among Angelic order.
Judicial acts and divine interference in judgment.
Striking significance - their place on Mercy seat.
God’s righteousness and wrath against sin
become one piece with his mercy.
Light and Love are two sides of God’s nature!
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Two Cherubim facing each other heads bowed.
Their number - speaks of competent witness.
Redemption of the Church is an object lesson.
Eph 3:10 The manifold wisdom of God made known
by the church unto principalities and…
1 Pet 1: 11,12 Sufferings of Christ and His glories to
follow - things angel desire to look into..
The interest of the angelic hierarchies in the
unfolding of God’s redemptive purpose.
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4. Its significance
Romans 3:25: "Being justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith
in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past."
Gk. rendered Propitiation same as Heb9:5
Mercy seat - Hilasterion - Kapporeth.
Christ is the Mercy seat by virtue of propitiation He
offered to God.
1 John 2:2; 4:10 Lord Jesus’ sacrifice pacifies God.
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Its Significance
“The Mercy seat or propitiatory was not the place
where propitiation was made, but instead, the
place where it’s abiding value was borne
witness before God” - commentator.
Type of Christ as the propitiation for our sins is
the bleeding victim on the Altar.
Type of Christ as the propitiatory is the Mercy
seat within the veil.
Christ has become God’s rest – sinners meet God.
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Its significance
Day of Atonement – Leviticus 16 – Ritual
v.14: "And he shall take of the blood of the bullock,
and sprinkle it with his finger upon the Mercy-seat
eastward, and before the Mercy-seat shall he
sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times."
Blood obtained – Judgment of innocent substitute.
Blood sprinkled – God accepted the victim.
What obtained a standing ground before God?
Blood Sprinkled before the Mercy seat.
“Once – sufficient for the eye of God.
Seven Times – Assures man his perfect standing
ground which Christ purchased for his people.”
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5. Its Purpose
No chair in the Tabernacle for the priest to sit.
Reminded the One Sacrifice was yet to come.
The one seat – Mercy seat – Jehovah’s throne.
This Mercy seat resting on the Ark foreshadowed
that God would find His rest in the perfect work of
His incarnate Son.
Mercy Seat was God’s throne on earth.
Exodus 25:21,22.
1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2;
2 Kings 19:15; Psalms 99:1
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Its purpose
Q? How is it possible for the thrice Holy God to
dwell in the midst of a sinful people?
Only on ground of an accepted sacrifice.
God’s throne was a blood-sprinkled one.
Christ died for sinners – Christ died for God.
Christ died to vindicate the character of God.
"justice and judgment are the habitation of Thy
throne" (Ps. 89:14).
All claims of righteousness is settled by Christ.
Revelation 5:6: "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst
of the throne... stood a Lamb as it had been
slain"!!
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Its Purpose
"Whom God hath set forth a Propitiation through
faith in His blood to declare His righteousness"
(Rom. 3:25).
To declare = to manifest, proclaim, publicly show
God’s avenging holiness was fully satisfied by His
Son on the cross.
On the cross of Calvary, God’s holiness, justice and
grace, love are manifested.
Pure Gold of Mercy seat displayed divine glory.
Mercy seat with blood sprinkled attested that
propitiation is made.
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6. Its Blessings
First – Mercy seat hid the tablets of stone within the
Ark . Without it the law is uncovered.
Law expresses God’s righteousness.
"Cursed is everyone that continues not in all things
which are written in the book of the Law to do them"
(Gal. 3:10).
Only one who could stand before God on the basis of
keeping the law - Man Christ Jesus.
He allowed his side to be pierced for the people.
The Law can no longer touch those who flee to Him.
1 Sam 6:19,20 Beth – Shemesh.
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Its Blessings
Second – The meeting place, God met the sinner.
Christ is one appointed meeting place for God and
his people.
Mercy seat was in the Holy of Holies
Invisible to physical eyes
It can be approached only by faith.
Hebrew 10:19-22 Exhortation to draw nigh.
Third – Place of communion – Number 7:89
Not only brought nigh – but speak to him, hear him.
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7. Its Applications
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Applications
God has good reasons for accomplishing His
purposes in a difficult, painful manner.
Pure Gold – represents divinity.
The divine substance has to be beaten into shape.
Wondered why the Spirit of God is hammering?
Christ-likeness has to beaten into shape!
The divine nature is subjected to fashioning process
Human nature cannot be ‘hammered’ into shape
Jesus said Matt 5:48 Phil 3:10
God in Christ is joined together – Mercy seat!
This is God’s throne forever!
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