(57) The Mercy Seat

God instructed Moses to construct a cover for the Ark of the Covenant. It is called the mercy seat or the atonement cover. It was made of solid gold and had two solid gold cheribim who stood over it, looking down on the cover, with their wings stretching across and touching each other.

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary explains that “The Hebrew word (kapporeth) is a term referring to the removal of wrath by the offering of a gift.” So, while the contents of the chest were a reminder of man’s sin and failure, the covering is a place of mercy, forgiveness, redemption.

The significance of the atonement cover is seen in glorious beauty on the annual Day of Atonement. John J. Parsons (www.hebrew4christians.com) writes:

The biblical name for the day of Atonement is Yorn Kippurim, meaning "the day of covering, canceling, pardon, reconciling” Yom Kippur was the only time when the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and call upon the Name of YHVH [Yahweh] to offer blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. This "life for a life" principle is the foundation of the sacrificial system and marked the great day of intercession made by the High Priest on behalf of Israel.

On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest began by bathing and dressing in very basic linen garments. He would begin by offering a bull for himself and his family and would then sprinkle its blood on the Mercy Seat. He would then take two goats and cast lots to determine the role of each one in the next rituals. One goat would be chosen to be sacrificed for the atonement of the nation. The blood of this goat would then be taken into the Holy of Hollies and its blood was also sprinkled on the Mercy Seat, the atonement cover. Next, the High Priest would turn his attention to the second goat.

And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:21-22)

Do you see it? The high priest would place two hands on the head of the goat and confess the sins of the people. Then, the goat would be led outside the camp to a remote place, carrying the sins of the people outside the camp where the goat was released. The sins were now atoned for by the blood sprinkled on the Mercy Seat and also removed through by means of the scapegoat.

The Day of Atonement was a yearly reminder that sin must be atoned for. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). The annual repetition of this sacrifice was a reminder that it was incomplete, only a shadow, pointing forward to the perfect and permanent sacrifice for sin. The scapegoat was a shadow looking forward with hope to the complete removal of sin. And Jesus is the real thing. Jesus is the fulfillment of hope.

For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship. 2For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so have no further consciousness of sin? 3But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.

10By his will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest stands day after day serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again– sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. 14For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. 15And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying, 16"This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds," 17then he says, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer." 18Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Heb. 10:1-4, 10-18 NLT)

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement, the atoning sacrifice providing a complete and permanent covering for sin and the removal of sin. The Ark of the Covenant is a sobering reminder of sin a reminder of utter hopelessness. It is a reminder of man's continual failure. The Mercy Seat is a place of confident hope, a place of complete forgiveness. Jesus is the reality. Jesus is the fulfillment of hope.

To know Jesus up close and personal is to know complete and permanent forgiveness for all sins, no matter how great or how often repeated. That’s grace! That’s mercy! That’s Jesus, up close and personal. Far greater than all the models, all the portraits. More than wishful hoping. Reality!
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Next: (58) Jesus: The Passover Lamb - Introduction

(56) The Ark of the Covenant

 

Now, its time to enter the Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. We enter through a thick curtain or veil. Only the High Priest could enter into this sacred place and then, only once a year. It is a place of exclusive and unique fellowship with God. This is where the Ark of the Covenant sits representing the manifestation of God’s presence and glory.

The ark measures 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. It is made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold inside and out. It has gold molding around it, four gold feet with gold rings on the corners, and gold covered acacia poles passed through the rings for carrying the ark.



Three items were placed inside this chest. First, there was a jar of manna. Of course we remember that manna was the miraculous provision of God for the sustaining of Israel during their 40 years of wondering in the wilderness. This food was given to them after they complained against God saying they would rather have died in Egypt (Exodus 16). Later, they complained of their boredom with mana and desire for greater variety in their diet (Num. 11). So, the mana would be a lasting reminder of God’s gracious and miraculous provision. But it would also be a reminder of the people’s reoccurring sin of complaining and rebelling against God’s dealings with them.

The second item in the Ark of the Covenant was Aaron’s rod or walking stick that sprouted and produced almonds. Perhaps you remember the significance of this walking stick. Israel was questioning the authority of Moses and Aaron. It all began with one man who incited others to rebel.

One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. 2They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. 3They united against Moses and Aaron and said, "You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD's people?" (Numbers 16:1-3 NLT)

God had established the authority of Moses and Aaron. Now, the people were rebelling against God’s established authority. God killed the rebels but then there were more who questioned the authority of Moses and Aaron. So God told Moses to have each tribe bring a staff with their leader’s name carved into it. He placed these along with one representing Aaron in place of Levi in front of the Ark. The next morning, Aaron’s walking stick had budded, blossomed, and had almonds on it. God did this to confirm Aaron in His authority over the nation.

This stick, later placed inside the Ark of the covenant, reminded Israel of God’s leadership and guidance through Moses and Aaron. God always raised up leaders to lead his people. But, God’s people continually rebel against authority so Aaron’s staff also reminded the people of their sin of rebellion against God’s authority.

The last item placed in the chest was the stone tablets containing the ten commandments. They were not the whole of God’s law but were the core, representative laws on which the others were built. They were a reminder of God’s holiness, morality, and their sin. God’s people continually sinned against these commandments. Over and over, God confronted and rebuked the nation for disobedience and rebellion against His commandments. There would be times of repentance and revival but it was incomplete and short lived. After the exile, Nehemiah looked back over Israel’s history:

But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs and killed Your prophets who had admonished them so that they might return to You, and they committed great blasphemies. (Neh. 9:26)

So, the Most Holy Place contains three reminders of man’s failure and sinfulness. First, we are reminded of the sins of complaining and discontent with God’s gracious provision and care in our lives. And aren’t we all often guilty of complaining and finding fault with how God chooses to provide for us, care for us, and orchestrate our lives?

Second, there was the reminder of rebellion against authority. This seems to be one of the most ingrained sins in our fallen nature. We don’t like to be told what to do. Who can claim innocense in this area of sin?

Third, there was the reminder of our many sins against the commands of God. If we felt like we might be off the hook with the first two, we certainly would be foolish to claim our perfect obedience to all God’s commands. The truth is every one of us disobey God many times each day if only in thought.

The ark of the covenant is a beautiful reminder of God’s faithfulness, provision, wisdom, authority, power, mercy, and grace in the lives of His people. But it is also a very sobering and grim reminder of our absolute failure in being faithful to Him. The ugliness and disgust of our sin is seen in glaring contrast against the glory and perfection of God. It is humbling. It hurts. But we need to honestly and intently look in the chest.

If the Ark of the Covenant only contained these three items, it would only be a place of complete despair and hopelessness. It would only be a place of condemnation; a reminder of what blocks man from fellowship with God. But there was a cover on the chest.

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Next:  (57) The Mercy Seat

(55) The Altar of Incense

Directly ahead of us in the Tabernacle is the altar of incense just outside the entrance to the Holy of Holies. It is 1 ½ feet square and 3 feet high. It was also made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. The priests burned incense on the altar every morning and evening, the same time that the daily burnt offerings were made.

This offering of incense was a visible representation of two vital aspects of relationship with God: prayer and worship. The incense was burned continually throughout the day and night as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It was made of an equal part of four precious spices.



The Altar of Incense points forward to Jesus in two respects. First, it looks froward to Jesus’ high priestly work of interceding for believers in prayer. In the New Testament we see Jesus declaring to Peter that Satan is trying to destroy him but that He would pray for him (Luke 22:32). In John 17 we see Jesus praying for us that we would also be protected from the attacks of Satan (Jn. 17:15). And so, Paul can boldly say that believers are protected from any condemnation with the Father because Jesus stands as our intercessor, petitioning for us. Or, as John puts it, Jesus is our advocate, our defense attorney in the court of Heaven.

Who is the one who will condemn? Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34 NET)

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One. (1 John 2:1 NET)

Do you realize that as a believer, the only thing that can keep you from intimate fellowship with the God of glory is your own disinterest and refusal to approach Him? Someone might object to that bold statement and assert that our sin keeps us from fellowship with God. This is true, but at the instant we confess our sin, God is “faithful and just to forgive our sin (1 Jn. 1:9)” and our fellowship is renewed. And so we come back to the issue of refusal. Our fellowship is only broken when we refuse to confess our sins.

And so, with Jesus as our intercessor and advocate in Heaven, we can come to the Father with our petitions with complete confidence that God will grant our requests when we ack in keeping with the name of Jesus.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13 ESV)

This is a powerful statement, but we must understand what it means to pray in the name of Jesus. To pray in Jesus’ name is not simply a statement tagged on the end of our prayer. To pray in the name of Jesus is to pray in keeping with His character, His desires, His will. In his book, The Path of Prayer, Samuel Chadwick explains.

To pray in the name of Christ is to pray as one who is at one with Christ, whose mind is the mind of Christ, whose desires are the desires of Christ, and whose purpose is one with that of Christ . . . Prayers offered in the name of Christ are scrutinized and sanctified by His nature, His purpose, and His will. Prayer is endorsed by the name when it is in harmony with the character, mind, desire, and purpose of the name.

This understanding of praying in Jesus’ name is supported by John’s own understanding of Jesus’ statement as He explains the conditions for answered prayer in His first epistle.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15 ESV)

We have an intercessor and advocate in Heaven, Jesus, the righteous one, who is at the right hand of the Father. When we come to God in Him, through Him, according to His heart’s desires, in unity with Him, our prayers are granted.

One last point of comparison between the Altar of Incense and the ministry of Jesus is important.. The altar of incense was a continual recognition of God as the focus of worship. The rising smoke would remind the priest that all praise belongs to God. The sweet aroma would remind him of the goodness and kindness of God and the sweetness of relationship with God. The incense was burned as an act of recognition that God is the source of life, help and hope. It reflected the truth that all genuine worship is directed toward giving God glory.

And we see this flawlessly portrayed by Jesus. The story of His life was, “I do not seek my own glory (Jn 8:50)” Jesus lived His life, continually, to direct all worship to the Father. What’s your life about? Seeking recognition, position, praise, approval? Or giving it to God alone? To know Jesus up close and personal is to continually pour out your life in worship, declaring and demonstrating the glory of God alone for the glory of God alone.

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Next: (56) The Ark of the Covenant

(54) The Menorah

To our left in the Tabernacle is the lamp-stand, the menorah. It had seven oil fueled lamps and was made of pure gold. The menorah illuminates the Tabernacle. It is the only light to guide in the acts of worship within the Tabernacle. Without this light, worship could not take place.

We need light. Those of us who have the blessing of sight depend on light to see what we are doing and where we are going. We need the light of truth from God to guide us in discernment and living as God designed. But the menorah suggests another specific kind of light. Light for the purpose of worship. It teaches us that we cannot offer God genuine worship that honors Him unless we worship according to the light of truth. We are reminded that worship must guided by God’s Word. Worship must be rooted in an accurate, biblically correct view of God.

How does this point us to Jesus? John tells us that, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men (John 1:4).” Jesus Himself declared, “I am the light of the world (Jn. 9:5).” We cannot worship without the truth we receive from the source of truth, Jesus. Jesus is not just the way, He is also the embodiment of truth. It is only through life in Him that we are given the ability to see the light, to understand truth.

Darkness is the great equalizer. Sight or no sight, when the lights go out we’re all in the same boat. We can no longer see where we’re going and so we resort to feeling our way around. Unfortunately many people are the same in worship. Indifferent to the light of God’s Word many feel their way through worship. It is all about what I feel, rather than an expression of worship that is rooted in biblical truth.

Certainly we should feel something when we worship. God created emotion in us and so He certainly expects us to honor Him and worship Him with emotion. Scripture is full off commands to worship God with emotion. But an emotional experience that is not an intelligible expression of biblical truth about the character and ways of God is not worship. Worship must be guided by the light of truth.

So, where does your concept of truth come from? Where do your beliefs regarding worship come from? Are you relying on the thinking of man and what seems or feels right or are you tuning to the light of the world? Is your worship guided by truth and the Lord of truth?


Next: (55)  The Altar of Incense

(53) The Table of Showbread

Now, we move from the outer court and enter into the Tabernacle itself. Again, there is only one door. You must stoop under the curtains, humbling yourself as you enter. Only the priests could enter into the Holy Place.

To the right is the table of showbread.. It was 3 feet by 1 ½ feet and was 2 feet high, made of acacia wood covered with brilliant fine gold. On it sits 12 loaves of bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. It is also known as the bread of the presence because this bread is always in God’s presence. Every Sabbath day the priests would replace the bread on the table with fresh bread.



The table of the presence has focused our attention on God’s presence with His people. God had promised to be with His people. He is the God who is a “very present” or abundantly found help in the midst of distress (Ps. 46:10).  God goes before us and behind us (Isaiah 52:12). 

Here, we are reminded of what we saw so vividly in our previous study. God came near in the person of Jesus.  Jesus stepped down from Heaven to be Immanuel, God with us.  The eternal Word “became flesh and lived among us” (Jn. 1:14). Jesus promised, “I am with you to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).

What a comfort. We don’t have to get into God’s presence, we are always in God’s presence. He is the right here, right now God. And all this because of Jesus.

To know Jesus up close and personal means just that. We must know Him as God. Glorious, holy, infinite God. But remember also that Jesus said, “You are my friends.” We should know Him as friend.  A close friend, an intimate friend.  We should know Jesus up close and personal. Personal, present, here, now. It is not a matter of a mystical experience. It is a matter of believing in the very real truth of a very real person who is in every aspect of reality, present. It is simply a matter of faith, of believing the truth. Are you that close to Jesus? If not, why not?

(52) The Bronze Basin

We return to the Tabernacle. Behind the altar is the bronze basin or laver. Here the priests had to wash their hands and feet before entering the Tabernacle and then again when they came out. So, the bronze basin was the place of ceremonial cleansing before entering the Tabernacle. The priests had the guilt of their sins dealt with at the bronze altar. Now they had to be ceremonially cleansed from the defilement of sin. It was a symbol of the removal of the presence of sin in the life of the priest.


(Note: video refers to copper as the metal for the basin.  I could find no explanation for this deviation from all other sources of information)


The sacrifices dealt with the guilt and penalty that comes with sin. The cleansing at the alter was a ceremonial act of cleansing from the presence of sin. The guilt removed must lead to the actual presence of sin being removed.

The one who comes into God’s presence must be clean, free from the defilement of sin. After the guilt of sin is removed, the acts of sin must be confessed, forsaken, and forgiven before fellowship with God can take place.

Of course it is easy to see how the bronze basin points forward with hope of Jesus. Jesus fully identified with humanity and was tempted in every way we are and yet, He was sinless (Hebrews 4:15) Paul tells us that Jesus “knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21).” He was perfectly qualified to represent man to the Father without any need for personal cleansing.

There’s another way the bronze basin instructs us. Not in relation to Jesus, but in relation to ourselves. Remember we noted that the priests cleaned their hands and feet when they went into the Tabernacle, and when they came out? This is a lesson for us in the approach to God in worship and the response to God when genuine worship has taken place in His presence.

In order to come before God in true, genuine worship, we need to cleanse ourselves. This isn’t an issue of relationship. That is settled by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus. No, this has to do with fellowship and worship. When we come before God to worship Him either in personal worship or in public worship, our first act of worship must be to search our hearts and confess any sin to God in repentance. Then, we can worship God with clean hands and a pure heart. This is what is required to “ascend the hill of the LORD and stand in his holy place” (Ps 24:3).

Then, as we spend time in God’s presence, we will certainly see more sin in our lives, if it is only an error in thinking. And so, as we leave God’s presence, we again need to cleanse ourselves through confession and repentance.

How’s your cleansing routine? I’m not talking about how often you bathe. I’m talking about your routine of evaluating yourself against the standard of Jesus’ character. How often are your thoughts, attitudes and actions washed clean by the Word of God? Are you quick to come clean?
 
 
Next:  (53)   The Table of Showbread

(51) The Bronze Altar - Part 2

Let’s pause for a moment and consider the symbolism behind the sacrifices. In Leviticus, God instructed the people on the specifics of five main personal offerings. In His instructions regarding the burnt offering He instructs:

When you present an animal as an offering to the LORD, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats. 3"If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the LORD. 4Lay your hand on the animal's head, and the LORD will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him. (Leviticus 1:2-4 )

The instruction of putting the hand on the head of the sacrifice is repeated for the Peace offering and the Sin offering. Notice that God says that this act of putting your hand on the head of the offering designates the offered animal as a substitute. By laying his hand upon the head of the offering, the person was identifying with the sacrifice. His sin and guilt was being moved from himself to the animal. The death of the animal is accepted by God as a substitute for the life of the sinner. The sin is atoned for, the guilt is removed.

But could an animal sacrifice really pay for the sins of man? The writer of Hebrews answers this question with a resounding and emphatic “No!” “It is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Heb. 10:4).” All these sacrifices, repeated day after day were only a shadow, a picture pointing forward with hope to the complete and permanent sacrifice of Jesus.

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:26-27 NLT)

The continual, endless sacrificing of animals for the sins of the people was completed and fulfilled by the once-for-all sacrifice made by Jesus. Those who believed God and practiced the Old Testament sacrifices according to God’s instruction were forgiven through these sacrifices. But it is important to note that Jesus’ sacrifice was the only sacrifice that could satisfy God’s justice. All of the Old Testament sacrifices depended on and looked forward with hope to the atoning value of Christ’s future sacrifice. Even in the Old Testament, people were forgiven only on the basis of Christ’s sacrifice, even though that sacrifice had not yet been offered. When they trusted in God to forgive them, God did so on the basis that Christ would eventually die for their sin.

Think of it. Endless, repetitive, bloody sacrifice of thousands of animals was needed to provide a picture of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. That’s the glory of Jesus’ sacrifice. That was the great hope of Old Testament believers.

To know Jesus up close and personal is to know the one who is holy and pure; a God who takes sin seriously. To know Jesus up close and personal is to know that sin is unacceptable and must be eradicated from our lives because it demanded the brutal suffering and bloody death of Jesus. Even what we consider the smallest, insignificant sins!
 
Next:  (52) The Bronze Basin

(50) The Bronze Altar - Part 1

We continue our guided tour of the Tabernacle. As soon as we enter the outer court we begin to notice the furniture. The furniture that went inside was also meticulously designed by God. And every piece was a model, pointing forward to Jesus, the real thing. Every piece was a message of hope.



The first piece of furniture we come across in the courtyard is the bronze altar. It is 7 ½ feet square, 4 ½ feet high. It is made of Acacia wood, overlaid with bronze. This is the center of activity in the Tabernacle. On it, the sacrifices take place. Multiple sacrifices, every day. Take a look at the great number of animals sacrificed on this altar.

This total does not include personal sacrifices made by one million adults! The altar is a place of death. It is a bloody place. It is a place where there is the constant reminder of sin. The altar reminds us that sin always leads to death. Before anyone could approach God, there had to be confession and forgiveness of sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22).

Day after day in a never ending repetition, bloody sacrifices had to be made to deal with the sins of the people. It was a continual and never ending reminder of sin and their need of a permanent and perfect sacrifice.

Next: (51)  The Bronze Altar - Part 2

(49) The Door

Let me take you on a tour of this amazing Tabernacle. We enter the courtyard through the door in the outer court. The only door. Immediately we are reminded that Jesus said that He is the door. He is the only way to God.

"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 NAU)

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6 NAU)

Man may try to come up with his own ideas about God and find his own path to God, but they are all a dead end. There is only one way. In a world where we are expected to be tolerant of the views of others, God’s Word is clear, Jesus is exclusive. There is no room for other religions no matter how sincere. Denying this truth or shying away from this message only leads to death. Eternal death. Jesus is the one and only way to God.

And this truth has profound implications for us as believers too. We easily fall prey to the distorted and even devilish philosophies and reasonings of the world around us. We listen to unbelievers regarding the meaning of life, life values, and what a successful life looks like. We listen to the gurus and pundits of pop culture that propagate their world view through T.V., magazines, music, movies, and books. And we neglect the ultimate standard of truth, the Word of God. Most don’t even begin to realize how influenced they are by the thinking and values of the ungodly. We listen to everyone else. Are we listening to Jesus? He is the way, the truth, the life. To know Jesus up close and personal is to know His mind, His heart, His way of living. How well do you know Him?

Next: (50)  The Bronze Altar