Mercy Seat
Summary
The mercy seat was the golden lid of the Ark of the Covenant, overshadowed by two cherubim, where God's presence dwelt and where atonement blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement.
☩Description and Construction
The mercy seat was made of pure gold, measuring two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide, to cover the Ark of the Covenant. Two cherubim of beaten gold were fashioned at each end, with their wings stretched forth above, overshadowing the mercy seat, and their faces looking toward each other and downward upon it. Bezaleel crafted it along with the other tabernacle furnishings according to the pattern God gave Moses.
☩Purpose and Significance
God promised to meet with Israel at the mercy seat and speak with Moses from above it, from between the two cherubim. Within the ark beneath lay the two tables of testimony—the law that witnessed against the people's sin. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place and sprinkled sacrificial blood on and before the mercy seat, symbolically covering the condemning testimony of the law and effecting reconciliation between God and His people.
☩Typological Fulfillment
The Hebrew name kapporeth means 'covering,' and the corresponding Greek term hilasterion means 'propitiation.' Christ is declared to be the Christian's propitiation, set forth by God 'through faith in his blood.' As the mercy seat was the place where God's wrath against sin was propitiated by blood, so Christ by His sacrifice has become the meeting place between holy God and sinful humanity, fulfilling all that the ancient mercy seat typified.
Related Verses32 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Mercy Seat," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VI (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Mercy-Seat, The," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).