MERCY SEAT/PROPITIATION

WORD OF WISDOM

PROPITIATION ~ That by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to execise his love towards sinners.

Souce: Easton's Bible Dictionary

In reading the Old Testament we find that the mercy seat was made of solid gold and sat on top of the Ark. The Ark and mercy seat were kept inside the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a thick curtain, because it was considered to be the place where the presence of God was. There were also a golden statue of cherubim at each end of the mercy seat, facing one another, their wings spread to enclose the mercy seat. All of the temple and the Holy of Holies were built as God instructed Moses to built them.

One day a year the Jewish High Priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies, no one else was permitted to enter at any time for any reason. According to directions the Priest would first offer incense so that a cloud would rise up and cover the mercy seat. Then he would sprinkle the blood of a sacrificial bull as atonement for everyone in the family of Israel.

In the New Testament the mercy seat is portrayed as a prefiguration of Christ, as He was the final Atonement that was made for our sins. Romans states that Jesus was sent by God as a propitiation for our sins. 2 Corinthians says that Jesus became a sin offering for us.

Another word for mercy seat is covering; it is also used to mean propitiation or reconciliation by blood. In 1 John 2:2 and 4:10 Christ is called the Propitation for our sins. By Christ shedding His blood He became our sin offering, He covered our sins.

Matthew 27:45-56 (King James Version) 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

When Jesus died the curtain that separated the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. Jesus had paid the price that would never have to be paid again. By His death there would no longer need to be sacrifices of animals. The blood of the Living Christ had been shed. Now we do not need to go to the Priest for atonement, the atonement has been paid in full. Jesus became the atonement for each one of us. He was the mercy seat, and has become the mercy seat for each of us. Now we can go to the mercy of Christ for our forgiveness of sins. He is our covering, our incense is our prayers of thanksgiving, our love offering to the Lord, and a covering as we ask forgiveness for our sins. Then we can step up to the mercy seat and Christ with His mercy as our intercessor can receive us.

God Bless,

rECj/LJG