Christ in all the scriptures The Ark part 6

 Christ in all the scriptures

The Ark of the Covenant part 6

INFINITE MERCY

"And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat"-Exodus 25v17-18.   (Read on to v22)

A solid lid of gold, adorned with golden cherubims, seated perfectly atop the Ark.  The material value is enormous, especially considering its history, and its worldwide fame.  At auction. if  such were organised, it would break all records.  Even the acclaimed filmmaker, Steven Spielberg, promoted its worth in the "Raiders of the lost Ark".  Its spiritual value, however, is beyond computation in earthly terms.

The Ark is symbolic, as we have seen, of the Person of Christ; the Mercy Seat of His Work.  The two are never separated, the one being indispensable to the other.  His majestic person gives eternal value to His work. 

The seat of gold represents Divine Mercy: the cherubims represent Divine Righteousness.

Mercy is one of God's attributes declared in scripture: Exodus 20v6 "Showing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments"; Psalm 103v8 |"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy"; Psalm 136 "His mercy endureth forever" is cited in all 26 verses, as well as multiple times elsewhere.  The bible reveals saving mercy-Titus 3v5, Romans 9v16; forgiving mercy-Psalm 86v5, Isaiah 55v7,Micah 7v18; restraining mercy-Lamentations 3v22-23, and many other aspects.  God is full of mercy, and dispenses it abundantly, as He invites us near.

The Cherubims represent God's righteousness, His standard of holiness required to live in His presence.  The first mention is in Genesis 3v24, at the time of the Fall.  "So He drove out the man: and placed at the east of the garden of Eden, Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life".  The message is clear, that no sin or sinners will be allowed in His presence.  This is repeated at the end of the bible-Rev. 21v27.  The flaming sword, in the hands of the Cherubim, TURNED EVERY WAY to prevent any ingress of sin in the paradise of God.  

Together, in the mercy seat, we see INFLEXIBLE RIGHTEOUSNESS and INFINITE MERCY.  Both of these are polar opposites, yet they are ONE, beaten out of one mass of gold-Exodus 37v7.  How can the Holy God commune with sinful man?  This is the ultimate question, that is only answered in Christ!  Human logic reasons it is impossible, but not with God.  Further, we note that there is no flaming sword on the Cherubims; that they are in perfect harmony, looking toward each other; that their gaze is toward the mercy seat; that their wings are spread on high, indicating ecstatic delight and satisfaction, as well as protection of the sacred vessel.  Instead of driving man out, they are being invited in!  "There I will meet with thee, there I will commune with thee, from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the Ark of testimony, of all that I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel"-Ex. 25v22.  Scripture declares the outcome, the greatest truth ever told, so far as we are concerned.

God can be JUST (inflexible righteousness) AND THE JUSTIFIER (infinite mercy) of him which believeth in Jesus"-Romans 3v26.  Psalm 85v10 "Mercy and truth are MET TOGETHER; righteousness and peace have kissed".  Psalm 89v14 "Justice and judgment are before thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face".  Isaiah 32v17 "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever".  

What made it possible is the blood of the animal (symbolic of the precious blood of Christ) sprinkled upon the mercy seat, and seven times before the mercy seat-Leviticus 16v14 "And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward, and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times".  Refer Leviticus 4v5-6; Hebrews 10v4-14.  The blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat once-once was enough for God; it was sprinkled seven times before the mercy seat to include all of us.  Time and again it is recorded that God "dwells between the Cherubims".  This is His place of rest; this is where we can meet Him; this is where we commune with Him, this most sacred of all places.  This is the Holy of holies!  This is our eternal home.

God's righteousness and God's mercy meet together in Christ.  In Him God can reveal His goodness, without compromising anything of His glory.  Romans 3v24-25 says "Christ Jesus: whom God has set forth (brought into public view-no longer behind the veil) a propitiation (same thought, mercy seat) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare at this time His righteousness: that He may be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus".  This is the Propitiatory (the mercy seat), the meeting place with God, now publicly declared.  He (Christ) is the Propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world"-1st John 2v2.  God has declared, there is enough in the sacrifice of Christ to reconcile the whole world, but it must be received by faith.  There is remission of sins for all who believe.  It is the most important declaration ever made.