Exodus 37:1-9: Text Worksheet

Structure

1. The Ark (37:1-5)

2. The Mercy Seat (37:6-9)

Context

Immediate

First instructions for the ark (). The “Testimony” is to dwell therein (). God will meet and speak to Moses from there ().

Whole Book

God will meet and speak to Moses from there ().

God’s instructions for how to approach and worship him ().

Redemptive-Historical

The high priest sprinkled blood on the mercy seat once a year (; cf. ). The ceremonial system was a shadow of the heavenly ()

Main Idea for Them/Then

The ark is where God meets with his people.

Relationship to the Gospel

The mercy seat is part of the old system (). It’s where God met with his people () until he sent his son. Jesus is God with us (). He has tabernacled with us (). He has secured our eternal redemption by his blood (). And by God’s rich mercy he has seated us with him in the heavenly places (). The way to God is wide open through Jesus’ blood ().

Jesus secured for us an eternal redemption by his blood ().

Jesus is God with us

Ephesians 2:4–6 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Argument for Us/Now

Ephesians 2:22 ESV

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

God makes a way to meet with us.

Homiletical outline

Prop: God makes a way to meet with us.

The ark is where God meets with his people (1-5).

NT: The mercy seat is part of the old system (). It’s where God met with his people () until he sent his son. Jesus is God with us (). He has tabernacled with us ().

The mercy seat is where God deals with our sin (6-9).

NT: Jesus has secured our eternal redemption by his blood (). And by God’s rich mercy he has seated us with Christ in the heavenly places (). The way to God is wide open through Jesus’ blood ().