Recently, a sister in our church pointed out something rather remarkable to me. There is an obvious connection between the Mercy Seat found in the Old and New Testaments.
The Ark of the Covenant was in the Old Testament Jewish tabernacle/temple. (You might remember it from Raiders of the Lost Ark). The Ark of the Covenant was a chest that contained The Ten Commandments, a pot of manna, and Aaron’s staff. On the top of it was the Mercy Seat. This was, in fact, where God’s presence dwelled. The priests sprinkled the sacrificial blood there, and He gave mankind mercy.
“Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.” — Hebrews 9:3-5
“The Sacrifice That Brings Us to God” (Teaching on Hebrews 9:1-14).
You need to remember that all of this Old Testament imagery was actually foreshadowing (or pointing to) Jesus Christ. Here is a description of the Mercy Seat.
“Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end. Of one piece with the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends.” — Exodus 25:19
If you didn’t know, a cherub is an angel. So, now, visualize this seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant with two angels on it. Are you picturing it? Good.
Mary Saw It
Finally, here is the connection to Jesus in the Gospels. Notice John’s specific detail in his account of the Resurrection morning.
“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.” — John 20:11-12
Mary saw something only the priest saw in the Holy of Holies once a year! Did you catch it?
Jesus died for our sins. Then they laid His bloody, broken body in the tomb. And when Mary looked in, she saw one angel at the head and another at the foot of the stone. Without question, the Old Testament Mercy Seat was pointing to this moment! I have read this account in the Gospels for years, but I never made the connection to the Old Testament Mercy Seat. God’s Word is certainly astonishing.
First, how incredible it is that Jesus shed His blood for us. And second, what a wondrous connection to the Old Testament Mercy Seat. Again, His Word is amazing! I was encouraged and wanted to pass this along.
Posted in A Word from the Pastor