Portraits of Christ in the Tabernacle by Theordore H. Epp

Author:Theordore H. Epp
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780847412334
Publisher: A Back to the Bible Publication
Published: 1976-01-07T06:00:00+00:00

On top of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies was the mercy seat. God told Moses, “Thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold” (Ex. 25:17). After specifying the size, God said, “Thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat” (v. 18).

God also instructed, “Thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 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” (vv. 21,22).

The mercy seat of pure gold represented God’s throne in the midst of a sinful people. Being placed on top of the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat revealed that God could cover the ark—containing the Law which revealed His standards—and show mercy. There was a way whereby God could cover man’s great sin of breaking the Law so He could be merciful to us. Although God had to remain just and righteous without lowering His standards, He could extend mercy through the sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat.

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice on the mercy seat, and the sins of the people would be covered for another year. The New Testament says, “In those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. . . . But this man [Jesus Christ], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:3,4,12).

The shedding and sprinkling of blood made it possible for God to “be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). The importance and necessity of the shedding of blood was seen in Israel’s experience as the nation was delivered from Egypt. Exodus 12 records that fateful night when only those who had applied the shed blood of a lamb to their doorposts were delivered from judgment. The Bible says, “Without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness]” (Heb. 9:22).

God can meet sinful man only on the basis of His perfect righteousness and perfect grace. These two must have a common meeting place. They found their meeting place in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The offerings of the Old Testament pointed to the cross of Christ. Although the Old Testament offerings could cover sins only temporarily so God could deal with His people, they pointed to the cross and to the time when Jesus Christ would be the sacrifice to take away sins forever.

In His life, the Lord Jesus Christ magnified the Law and made it honorable by keeping it perfectly.

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