CHRIST THE MERCY SEAT

In the heart of the tabernacle stood the Ark of the Covenant. Upon it rested a golden lid called the mercy seat. Between the wings of the cherubim the glory of God would appear, and from that sacred place, the voice of the Lord would speak to His people. There the high priest came once each year, not without blood, to make atonement for the sins of Israel. Yet all of this was a shadow of something greater, a picture pointing to the true and living mercy seat, the Lord Jesus Christ.

When God gave Moses the pattern for the tabernacle, He said, “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat” (Exodus 25:21–22). That was the place of meeting. There, between righteousness and ruin, God and man were brought together through blood. But no priest could remain there. He entered trembling, and he quickly withdrew. His work was never finished. Every year the same sacrifice had to be offered again, for the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin (Hebrews 10:1–4).

Then came Jesus, our great High Priest, who entered not into a tabernacle made with hands but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Hebrews 9:24). He did not bring the blood of another, but His own precious blood. He came as both priest and sacrifice. The mercy seat of old was overlaid with gold. The mercy seat of grace is clothed with glory. It is not a piece of furniture, but a Person. It is Christ Himself, in whom mercy and truth meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each other (Psalm 85:10).

When the women came to the tomb early on the morning of the resurrection, they saw two angels, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain (John 20:12). What a picture this is—the true mercy seat revealed. Between the two angels lay the blood of the covenant, once shed, now forever speaking better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:24). There in that empty tomb, heaven bore witness that atonement was complete. The wrath of God was satisfied. The judgment seat had become the mercy seat.

Paul wrote that God set forth Christ as a propitiation through faith in His blood (Romans 3:25). That word propitiation means mercy seat. It is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament for that golden covering of the Ark. God Himself placed His Son before the world as the meeting place of mercy. The law inside the Ark condemned us. Every commandment stood as a witness against us, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But the blood upon the mercy seat covers the broken law. Between the holiness of God above and the law of God beneath flows the blood of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

The veil of the temple that separated man from the presence of God was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died (Matthew 27:51). That veil was the barrier between guilt and grace, between sinner and Savior. But now, through His flesh, that veil is removed, and we have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19–20). The mercy seat is open. The way is clear. The presence of God is no longer a place of fear, but of fellowship.

The priest of old came bearing blood once a year. Our Lord came once for all. “By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). The mercy seat is no longer hidden behind curtains, it is lifted up in glory. Christ sits enthroned in Heaven, not as a symbol but as the substance. He is both the sacrifice and the satisfaction, both the Lamb slain and the Priest who intercedes. His blood does not cry out for vengeance, but for pardon. It speaks peace to the heart and cleansing to the conscience. “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 2:1–2).

The mercy seat was made of pure gold, without blemish or alloy, reminding us of His divine perfection. Yet it was sprinkled with blood, showing His humanity and His suffering. Heaven and earth meet in Him. The justice of God is upheld, and the mercy of God is revealed. “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4–5). The blood-stained mercy seat declares that sin has been judged, and yet the sinner has been spared.

To come to Christ is to come to the mercy seat. It is to draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, trusting that His blood is enough. No angel guards the way now with a flaming sword. The gates of mercy stand open. The sinner may approach and find welcome, cleansing, and rest. As the writer of Hebrews says, “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Here is the meeting place between man and God, where heaven bends low to embrace the earth. Here the guilty are forgiven, the broken are healed, and the weary find rest. The mercy seat is not a relic of ancient worship but a living reality in Jesus Christ our Lord. It is the place where God’s justice was satisfied and His love was magnified. It is the cross and the empty tomb. It is the risen Savior in the midst of His people.

And one day, when we stand before the throne in glory, we shall see that mercy seat shining brighter than gold. There will be no veil, no priest, no blood but His, and we shall worship the Lamb who sits upon the throne. Then faith will give way to sight, and mercy will have done her perfect work. For now, we bow before Him in awe and adoration, knowing that we stand forgiven because Christ Himself is our mercy seat.

Bryan Dewayne Dunaway