In Exodus 25:10-16, God instructed
Moses to build the Ark of the Covenant. It was to be a rectangular box of
acacia wood overlaid with gold. It was to be about four feet in length, two and
a half feet in width and two and a half feet in depth. Having given instruction
for what He wanted for the Ark, God then proceeded in verses 17-22 to instruct
him what to do for the lid and what to put inside it. Inside the Ark, God
wanted Moses to place the Testimony. This refers to the two stone tablets that
contain the Ten Commandments. This piece of furnishing had been called the Ark
of the Covenant because it was placed the terms of the Covenant written on
the two stone tablets.
Since the Ark was about four feet in length and two
and a half feet in width, the cover to be built was to follow the same length
and width. It was to be made of pure gold together with two Cherubim made
of hammered gold at both ends of the cover. They were to be made from one piece
of gold with the cover, with each cherub facing each other inward. Their
wings were supposed to spread upward and inward and their tips touching each
other’s yet overshadowing the cover. We surmise that they were the archangels
of God whose function was much like a palace guard. For that was what they did
in Genesis 3, where Cherubim were first mentioned and they were sent there to
guard the way back to the tree of life.
On top of the cover and in between the wings of the
Cherubim was the location of the mercy seat. We must not mistake the seat to
be referring to a throne. It was just referring to a location on the cover of
the Ark where the mercy of God could be found and the forgiveness of sins be
given. The mercy seat had the inference that the people would not be able
to meet the demands of the Law stipulated in the Ten Commandments placed within
the Ark. Hence, the mercy seat provided a place for them to atone for their
failure in keeping the demands of God. Exodus 25:22 God said that it would
be the mercy seat that “I will meet with
you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which
are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will
give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.”
In the Book of Leviticus, the high priest was to
bring the blood of a sacrificed animal into the Holy of holies and sprinkle it on
the mercy seat. This was done once a year on the Day of Atonement. The blood
sprinkled on the mercy seat would atone for their sin and protect them from
God’s wrath. Why must blood be sprinkled on
something so beautiful as the Ark? Hebrews 9:22 made it doubtlessly clear that
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. The blood
atones for the sin of the people and turns away God’s wrath. For the Almighty
to accept us, sinners, something must come in between His holiness and our
sinfulness. It’s the blood of an acceptable sacrifice. This is what Jesus did
for us at the cross. He hanged there at Calvary in between heaven and earth
with His shed blood so that the mercy of God could be released upon us. The
cross is the mercy seat where our sins are atoned for. This is where we
find our reconciliation with our Holy Father in heaven. The mercy of God
could only be found when we come through the cross of Calvary. Let us remember
the hill called Mount Calvary. Let us remember whatever the cost. Even when time
has surrendered and earth is no more, we must still cling to that old rugged
cross. This was where we were first forgiven, and still, find forgiveness
whenever we falter.
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